Ditto Sustainable Brand Solutions, designer of sustainably manufactured retail display products received strong positive response from Acorn Products to the custom designed and branded 100% recyclable hangers that the company selected for retail use. Customer response to Acorn's in-store environmental branding is in line with surveys showing increased consumer demand for sustainably manufactured products, and increased purchasing of those products if sustainability messaging is communicated at the retail display level.

"We are tremendously pleased with Ditto's 100% recyclable hangers," said Sonya Purington, Acorn Products Marketing Manager. "They function well, hold our products beautifully, have an appealing design aesthetic, and are totally eco-friendly. Ditto's hangers stand by Acorn’s commitment to quality, and help us toward our goal of being as environmentally friendly as possible."

Miller Zell, a strategic retail consulting firm, recently studied 999 US shoppers in its survey "Gone in 2.3 seconds: Capturing Shoppers with Effective In-store Triggers" concerning in-store communication that compels purchasing decisions and the kind of messages that matter to shoppers.

In "Green Scene", part 2 of the Miller Zell study shows the extent of consumer concern for environmentalism: over 70% of women and over 60% of both Gen X and Gen Y consumers indicated a preference for green product options. And 51% of consumers overall consider it important for apparel to be environmentally friendly and sustainably manufactured.

Green Scene also reveals compelling information on how retailers can create a positive response to brands that engage consumers with enviromental messaging through marketing channels, but aren't connecting in retail settings. Shoppers in the study indicated that retailers - and manufacturers - do a poor job of communicating an in-store ecological message. The study determined that more deliberate and focused communication at the display level can serve as a manufacturer's or retailer's prompt to help consumers choose green more easily, and more often.

"Our new "green" packaging story at retail does certainly give us a competitive advantage – especially with customers who see and appreciate the new materials and design," continued Purington. "Now the efforts we take in designing earth-consious footwear is in line with the hanging devices used to display them at retail."

"The missing link in environmental messaging often occurs with the retail display," said Gary Barker, Ditto CEO. "Acorn recognized that the effort they'd made to create brilliant, sustainably manufactered footwear was being undercut by a retail hanger that wasn't easily recyclable. The Green Scene study reenforces our belief that manufacturers need to communicate their sustainability mission at every level, at every point of contact with consumers. We worked with Acorn to design a display that spoke to their core values and was easily understood by their consumers. We're very happy that Acorn's shoppers have responded very favorably."

SOURCE: Ditto Sustainable Brand Solutions