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Rapanui is an Eco-Fashion company from the Isle of Wight, that makes Organic, Ethical clothing using Renewable Energy with award-winning traceability. Rapanui is about making eco-fashion cool.

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Eco Brothers Declare War on Greenwash

Founders of an award winning Eco Fashion brand are challenging traditional methods of marketing and arguing that sustainable marketing – mixing user generated content with honest communication and information design - achieves significantly better results than the current trend of ‘green marketing’ that is disillusioning consumers and creating an atmosphere of greenwash.

Brothers Mart and Rob Drake-Knight set up Eco Fashion Brand Rapanui in early 2008 with the aim of doing business ‘the right way’. The company makes eco clothing from natural fabrics that are fairly made and powered by wind energy – however it is their eco-marketing strategy which incorporates traceability that is setting them apart.

Mart Drake-Knight explains:

“Sustainability doesn’t have to be all about the physical products. Sustainability can be as much about the marketing method as the product. Sustainable marketing is all about communication, good communication design and innovation. For us this means recognising the shopper’s behavioural habits and innovating new systems that allow people to shop quickly, with a conscience.”

“We’ve invested a lot of time in communication design, and put simply, we use eco-labelling to benchmark a products ‘eco-impact’ – interactive traceability maps are available to go in to more detail if needed, with images, video and figures of our entire supply chain for every product from seed to shop, and finally should the user require scientific detail, we have built an interactive Wikipedia-style resource covering every detail of our products where we utilise UGC – consumers can ask further questions and get them answered there and then - allowing us to open up a dialogue with our consumers. This won us the 2010 Sustainable Business Awards.”

Historically increased marketing spend on increasing consumer trust actually correlates with decreased consumer trust. The brothers say the same will be true for green marketing: “Greenwash has become a mainstream phrase before sustainability itself has become mainstream. There is a real danger that if marketers continue to put a green spin on their marketing consumers will develop an aversion towards it. “

“We believe that the forces of demand and supply should be allowed to work naturally. It’s not that people don’t care, it’s just that they don’t know – pushing green spin down their throats is not the way to go.”

“We’re saying that brands should start educating themselves, and their consumers, about their supply chains and reduce spin marketing and reconnect the consumer’s awareness of their environmental consequence – i.e. their buying action. ”

“Bill Gates was called crazy by Alan Sugar when he proposed selling an invisible product – software – if you can’t see it, you can’t sell it. People associate sustainability with physical eco products. So we might sound crazy saying that sustainable marketing is just about changing the way we think, but like Bill Gates – we think that history will prove us right.” Said Rob Drake-Knight.

The brothers have achieved confidence through success – their methods have increased visitor loyalty and customer trust, doubled their conversion rate and increased sales by 1000% since their the tool was launched.

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August 6th, 2010