Many companies made our Top 15 list because they are seen as trailblazers, having been among the first in their category to go green. “I respect companies that become green before the competition. It shows that they care and are making an effort to push for something they believe in, before it’s necessary. It shows that they’re a leader, and they should be recognized and respected for their effort.”

Toyota is the best example of this – their Prius was the first hybrid car to achieve high visibility, and it changed the landscape of the industry. “I greatly admire Toyota for being the first to make hybrid cars widely available. They’ve been successful, so other companies are following suit. It definitely made me think of Toyota as a more advanced company.” Other examples of trailblazers include Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods in the grocery industry, The Body Shop in personal care, and Seventh Generation for cleaning products.

Many categories, including clothing, are still ripe for one trailblazing green brand. Some Trendsetters say American Apparel is making strides in clothing, but others see the brand as too controversial to dominate the category. “I know there are clothing companies that are trying to go green, but there hasn’t been one company that really sticks out.” The airline industry is also cited as being ripe for change, along with restaurants, beverages, electronics, and the music and movie industries.

If your brand is in a ripe category, you could be perfectly poised to rise to the green challenge. The trick is to make a big splash, and to have a great product – not just a green version of an existing product, but something new and truly innovative.

Imagery that is highly minimal, streamlined, and without excess can communicate that a product is green – sometimes even regardless of the company’s environmental practices. We’re not saying you can be environmentally irresponsible as long as your packaging and advertising features minimal design, but aesthetics are important, and can be an important first step in reaching a consumer who is shopping for green. “Minimalist packaging without too many colors = green, in my head. If it doesn’t look like a comic strip or like an 80’s ad, which most products do, then it’s well on its way to looking like a green product.”

Apple is the best example of a company that has earned a green “halo” based almost solely on their design. “Apple comes off as being environmentally sensitive thanks to their simple packaging and the look of their products, but when I think about it, I have no idea if they do anything green.” Other companies whose minimal aesthetic creates a green halo include Method, Google, American Apparel, The Container Store, Ikea, and Keihls.

These companies are able to imply greenness with their minimal design because they’re communicating they get it. They get that less is more. They appear to be making the most of the fewest resources. They know that simple is cool, and overdone is over. Green is a fundamental part of modern design – so if you have the right look, trendsetters will assume you’re green. And this halo will only become stronger if it’s supported with specific green practices.

Trendsetters are the first to admit not all of their purchases are green. Sometimes they insist on hunting down the greenest product on the shelf, and sometimes they don’t even think about it. So when does “green” become an issue? According to many trendsetters, it depends on the category.

Anything they personally ingest – i.e. what they eat, drink, and breathe – gets foremost priority on the green issue. “I definitely try to make green choices for anything going on or in my body.” This includes food, obviously, but also beauty items and cleaning products. “Living in a small apartment, I feel it’s very important to choose cleaning products that aren’t harmful to breathe.” Green products in these categories allow consumers to feel they are doing a favor to the environment and their own bodies.

More external consumer categories, such as technology and clothing, are much lower on their green priority list. “To be honest, in terms of clothing, my sense of ecology kinda goes out the window. If I see something cute, I’ll buy it.” However, this is also because unlike food and home care, these categories present them with little choice. Green technology products are almost unheard of, while eco-friendly clothing tends to be expensive or unfashionable (“it’s all crunchy looking,” as one trendsetter described it).

When green options become readily available in more categories, it seems likely that trendsetters will become more discerning. But for right now, the hot green shelves are food, beauty and home care.

This is a unique point in time for our society: everyone knows that the environment is a huge issue, but we’re all still trying to figure out how to do our part. While the most informed consumers may have strong opinions on how to be green, the bulk of the public – even the citywise hipsters on the Outlaw Trendsetter Panel – are, for the most part, groping in the dark.

We’ve all heard the educated guesses: Carbon offsets don’t work! Heat is cleaner than AC! Used cars are better than hybrids! To figure out what is and isn’t contributing to the problem, consumers are talking to each other – and they are looking to corporations.

Many trendsetters cited Honest Tea, though it didn’t quite chart on our Top 15, as an example of a green product with great buzz. “When Honest Tea switched to plastic bottles, the label explained that it was an environmental decision, because glass bottles are heavier to ship. That was interesting. I always thought glass was better.” Trader Joe’s is also credited with telling green stories about their product using packaging and signage.

Take a stand on a green issue – make sure it’s an informed one – and use your product to tell the story. By giving consumers new facts and opinions to contribute to the collective conversation, your brand will earn serious credibility and authenticity points.