AR Sustainability: 5 Essential Sustainability Strategies that every brand should implement

The pandemic has been a dominant headline in the contemporary world for the past two years. It took nations and economies by storm since its spread in 2020.

However, infectious diseases us not the most critical problem in the world.

We have witnessed drastic changes in our environment and climate over the last few years. The former UN General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces notifies that we are only left with 11 years to avert the catastrophe of climate change.

Subsequently, there has been an increasing trend of adopting sustainability practices by companies and brand.

About 90% business executives present the view that sustainability is a crucial element of business operations. However, only 6 out of every 10 businesses have adequate sustainability strategies to counteract this menace.

Practically even minor features, such as providing clients with virtual try-on options, may have a significant influence the waste production of a company. In this regard, augmented reality (AR) may serve as a valuable tool for any company looking to reduce its environmental footprint and promote sustainability.

Here are some examples of how Augmented Reality can help your brand. You may become green by using one (or all) of the five AR sustainability choices listed below. 

• Virtual Try-ons

The cosmetic and fashion industries of today are characterized by increased environmental unsustainability.

Around 120 billion items of packaging are produced annually by the cosmetics sector alone. However, packing is just one aspect of the issue. Other sources include unsold or returned goods, and unused beauty and apparel items in customers' bathrooms and closets.

Retailers may limit the amount of trash they create by personalizing their products. AR, virtual try-ons are just a few of the innovative ways that marketers may use to personalize their consumers' experiences.

Customers may be digitally guided to the ideal items for them, increasing conversion rates and customer happiness while reducing returns and overconsumption.

• Product visualization

According to research, internet purchases are almost three times as likely to be returned than in-store purchases.

The ramifications for the ecology are disastrous. Every year, returns in the United States emit 15 million tons of CO2 and produce 5 billion pounds of garbage.

AR-enabled product visualization aids in the mitigation of this issue. Product visualization allows customers to view how things such as Home Furnitures, and fashion accessories directly from their home.

Furthermore, because there are fewer things to transport, merchants may use less fuel. Subsequently, CO2 emissions are minimized. Additionally, retailers get fewer returns while using less plastic for packaging and disposal.

IKEA is a company that is well-known for its product visualization. With the IKEA Place app, customers can explore furniture and home décor in their own homes using augmented reality before making a purchase.

• Face Filters

AR face filters are a promising approach for beauty firms to inform potential customers about what they do to help the environment via sustainability.

• Augmented World Effects

Companies may utilize augmented world effects in addition to filters to e influence on the environment.

For instance, SUPR (Single-Use Plastic Reduction) is a collaboration between Oceanic Global, Nexus, and Accenture.

It specifically aims to reduce single-use plastic waste at sporting venues. Additionally, instead of utilizing conventional means to teach people, the collaboration chose to use an augmented world impact. 

A virtual ocean landscape was annotated with pertinent data and statistics to draw people's attention to the effects of plastic garbage in the ocean.

• Gamification

Companies may design augmented reality games that make learning about sustainability exciting for an even more engaging experience.

The University of Applied Sciences in Salzburg developed EcoGotchi.

It is a copy of Tamagotchi which was a digital pet game and one of the most popular toys in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Users of the original Tamagotchi would spend hours catering to their digital companion. EcoGotchi, on the other hand, encourages gamers to live a greener lifestyle.

It involves a colorful pet must be cared for and fed with as much carbon dioxide as possible.Indeed, before they may feed their pets, players must engage in sustainable habits.

It may include learning about sustainability, buying local or fair-trade food and other commodities, and adopting more sustainable means of transportation.