Got your name tag ready? NRF’s Big Show is back in person this year—set to kick off this Sunday, January 16, through Tuesday, January 18, in New York City.

• Covid safety protocols will be in full effect: All attendees are required to show proof of vaccination and be masked indoors at all times. PCR tests will also be available on site.

The schedule is jam-packed, even if everyone will be encouraged to stay six feet apart. Here’s a look at what we have our eyes on.

Seeing green: You can’t have a conference—retail-focused or not—and not talk about sustainability. The CEO (and chief sustainability officer) of Ikea US will explain why tackling climate change is now an imperative part of the business, while Levi’s chief supply chain officer plans to dive into the company’s “clean jeans.”

• Target and Grove Collaborative will also share what it takes for eco-friendly brands to win over consumers.

Please stay: We talked about loyalty as a trend to watch for 2022—same goes at NRF. Albertsons’ CEO will share how the grocer is using tech to keep shoppers coming back. And the president of Disney’s consumer products, games, and publishing division will focus on the magnetic draw of experiences.

Lightning round: Quick buzzword checklist: Metaverse? Covered. Live-streaming? Yup. Resale? You know it (and you need to know it’s coming to the store). And…congested ports? That’s an (Ever) given.

• There’s even a session on how retailers can tackle counterfeit goods.

Name drop: The CEOs of Best Buy, PepsiCo, Saks, Target, and Walmart US are among those headlining can’t-miss keynote sessions. The Honest Company’s founder Jessica Alba and CEO Nick Vlahos were also on the list, set to close out The Big Show on Tuesday, but the pair said last week they would no longer attend due to the fast-spreading omicron variant.—KM

Billie’s got its big break.

The women’s razor and personal-care brand is moving into Walmart, the DTC company’s first foray into physical retail since debuting in 2017.

• Billie will be in the big-box store’s 4,000+ US locations by the end of February.

It was a logical next step, co-founder Georgina Gooley told Retail Brew, as the company marches on toward becoming a household name.

• Billie, which was acquired by Edgewell in November, generated $90 million in revenue in 2020, Gooley told us. (She declined to share 2021 figures.)

“Partnering with the biggest retailer in the world, Walmart, will make us inherently more accessible to customers, allowing people to buy wherever they please, whether it’s online or offline,” Gooley said.

New year, new Billie: The brand worked closely with Walmart for more than six months to ensure it was ready for stores, Gooley said—from forecasting sales to prepping the right amount of inventory to trial runs to triple-checking that shipping flowed smoothly.

• Billie also revamped its packaging to include all the messaging and info a shopper would normally find online. It even designed its own colorful end caps to grab attention.

“When you have Instagram and your website, you can have a lot of real estate to play with,” Gooley explained. “When you’re trying to condense that into a retail environment, how do you make sure your brand can still stand out and have that same presence in a different environment?”

That’s key given some of the cut-throat competition out there: Personal-care company Harry’s—and parent of women’s razor brand Flamingo—has been in some Walmart stores since 2018 (and Target before that).—KM

Count on New York to be a trendsetter.

The Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act, aka the Fashion Act, was introduced by state lawmakers on Friday—a potentially game-changing set of regulations.

• If passed, the bill would make New York the first US state to take big brands in the industry to task on climate change.

The deets: The Fashion Act would require any global apparel and footwear company operating in New York with $100+ million in annual revenue to “map their supply chains, disclose environmental and social impacts, and set binding targets to reduce those impacts.”

• Companies would also be required to disclose their material production volumes.
• Brands would have a year to comply, and those that don’t could have to pay as much as 2% of revenues of $450+ million.

“As a global fashion and business capital of the world, New York State has a moral responsibility to serve as a leader in mitigating the environmental and social impact of the fashion industry,” State Senator Alessandra Biaggi, one of the bill’s sponsors, said in a release.

But, but, but: Similar regulations are already in motion across Europe and other US states, yet there’s a tough road ahead; sources speaking to WWD feel the Fashion Act is unlikely to pass due to counter-lobbying efforts.—JS

Today’s top retail reads.

Push and pull: John Deere is bullish about its new self-driving tractor, but scale is a long way off. (Emerging Tech Brew)

Rough seas: An unvarnished look at the challenges for Macy’s. “They think their big enemy is the internet, and it’s not,” one critic said. “Their stores are old and tired, the malls they’re in are dying, and the merchandise they sell is ordinary and overpriced.” (Retail Dive)

Schmear determination: How iconic bagel shops in New York and Montreal are going strong during Covid-19—told in comic-book form. (The New York Times)

Looking for more? Check out Retail Brew’s latest article: “What retailers will focus on in 2022,” sponsored by Attentive.

At the mall, it’s where band tees are the only tees. In Retail Brew, it’s where we invite readers to weigh in on a trending retail topic.

Workers are quitting in droves: A record 4.5 million people left their jobs in November alone. Many in retail and restaurants are burned out, having to cover shifts for those out with Covid and take on added responsibilities, and looking elsewhere—especially as the competition for talent boosts pay (and more).

Still, employers remain determined to find ways to retain staff. But how?

You tell us: What’s the best way for companies to keep their workers around? Raise wages? Offer flexible hours? Add tech to streamline responsibilities? Cast your vote here.

Catch up: Last week, Guggenheim named Nike its “best idea” for 2022, but our readers are split on if they agree. A little more than half (55.6%) said there are better contenders in the race, while 44.4% believe the sportswear giant will run ahead of the competition.

Catch up on the Retail Brew stories you may have missed.

• What retailers will focus on in 2022
• The growth spurt at baby-care startup Lalo
• Mobile apps must now be more than a checkbox for retailers