Made to Matter — Handpicked by Target just got an innovative new upgrade; since its inception in 2014, Target has built strong partnerships with purpose-driven brands in the wellness space to make natural, organic and sustainable products more accessible. This year, we’re going even further: inclusion in the Made to Matter 2016 program required each brand to meet one or more criteria, outlined below. We developed this specific set of standards to guarantee that all products within the Made to Matter assortment are relevant to our guests and friendly to the environment:
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Reduced waste and packaging, which meets the rising consumer demand for eco-friendly products that limit waste. Right now, 50 percent of U.S. waste is comprised of product packaging.
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Closed loop systems, which utilize a production system where the excess of one process or product is used to make another product. U.S. waste has tripled since 1960 and the average U.S. resident produces 1600 pounds of waste but only recycles or composts 35 percent of it.
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Clean label products that are made without additives and harsh chemicals.
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Dietary and allergen restrictions that accommodate the growing commonality of specialized diets and food allergies. According to a study released in 2013 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, food allergies among children increased approximately 50 percent between 1997 and 2011.
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Reduced sugar—plain and simple! In 1822, the average American consumed 45 grams of sugar—the amount found in one of today’s 12-oz. sodas—every five days. Today, the average American consumes that much every seven hours.
“Guests love the Made to Matter collection because it offers them a way to easily discover new products that are better for them, their families and the world around them,” said Jeff Jones, CMO. “In our third year, we wanted to make an even more meaningful impact, so we moved from curator to catalyst and challenged our partners to innovate with five important criteria in mind. The refined approach ensures that our guests can continue to count on Made to Matter to offer a wide variety of new products that truly make a difference.”
So what does it look like when 20 brands rise to the occasion? Made to Matter 2016! The assortment boasts 100 new and innovative products that span food, baby, beauty and household supplies. Here are a few highlights of the new products:
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Babyganics Natural Wool Dryer Balls: These new Natural Wool Dryer Balls are sustainably made, baby-safe and chemical-free, save energy and last for up to 1,000 loads of laundry which is equivalent to 25 million dryer sheets. The wool itself is 100 percent biodegradable and compostable (which reduces waste) and is sourced locally from sheep and then hand-crafted into each dryer ball by a group of local artisans.
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Yes To Facial Wipes: Yes To developed the first-ever natural facial cleansing wipe that integrates virgin plastic with Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) material into the packaging to reduce both energy and waste. We estimate that this facial wipe update will reduce waste in packaging by more than three tons in one year.
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Ripple Dairy Alternative Milk: Ripple’s brand new dairy-alternative milk is a protein-packed, 100 percent plant-based and vegan milk made from split pea, a legume high in protein and fiber, low in sugar and full of nutrients. This product is nut-free, dairy-free, gluten-free and soy-free.
If the success of our Made to Matter 2015 collection was any indication—we hit our goal of $1 billion in sales!—our focus on “better for you” and “better for the world” is, well, right on target. The brands included in last year’s Made to Matter collection experienced, on average, approximately a 30 percent sales growth at Target, which is 1.5 times faster than anywhere else.
Take a look at the full Made to Matter 2016 roster below:
Made to Matter 2016 will be coming to Target stores and to Target.com starting now through September.
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