Made Fair With Care
It's a core and guiding value that we think matches yours. From day one, being aware of our impacts (on people’s lives and on our planet) and taking responsibility for them was a major part of our mission.
We question everything from sourcing materials and manufacturing, to banking and product lifecycle. We’re fully committed to building our products with the most sustainable materials available and in factories that share our values. For now, our products are crafted in the USA, in small batches, by fairly paid workers. It’s a slow process – no fast fashion here.
And we don’t give an inch on product — we only make premium quality goods. The longer they last, the less we have to make, the less you have to buy. In fact, we don’t want you buying more, we want you to buy well, and then tell a friend. Buy a few things from us, wear them well; until they’re done; all the way done. And when they’re done? Send them back to us if you’d like, once they reach the end of their useful life. We’ll make sure they get put to good use, and find a home by way of upcycling, downcycling, recycling, or re-use. No landfill; that’s so 2000.
Fibers
Most of our products are made with Recover textiles; a preferred fiber because they upcycle used cotton clothing and cut and sew scraps into quality yarns by blending those scraps with recycled PET (polyester) using 99% less water and NO reactive dye chemicals. Perhaps best of all? Recover yarns have an exceptionally low carbon output. In fact, Recover yarns score highest (meaning best) on the Higg Index MSI (Materials Sustainability Index), a sustainability performance tool managed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition.
Hemp is a wonder fiber that’s been used for nearly 3,000 years and is said to be the plant with the longest continuous use by humans. There’s a reason for that: It grows efficiently (up to 3x more fiber per acre than cotton), requires little water, contributes to soil health, and is tough as nails. Additionally, hemp grows quickly in a variety of regions and climates, is a resilient, low maintenance crop that requires very little in terms of chemical inputs during its growing season, and is easily incorporated into existing crop systems. And as a fabric? You get excellent breathability and moisture absorbency, and naturally occurring antimicrobial features meaning you can wash your shorts less (trust us on this and give it a try).
Who doesn’t love cotton? The problem is that cotton, as it’s been grown conventionally, can be an impactful crop associated with intense water use, land degradation, synthetic pesticides and fertilizers and thus, eutrophication (yes, that’s something you need to know about). Are there conventional farmers who are focused on efficiency and sustainability? Absolutely. But, we still vote for organic. Organic cotton is certified to a specific standard, e.g. the GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), and ensures that there were no synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers used and that the crops were not grown from genetically modified seeds. Better for the farmers, better for the land. Oh – and no microfiber pollution; yep, you should know about that too.
Shipping
Your order is hand-wrapped in our custom Skelly Wrap (FSC certified paper, containing recycled content printed and cut in the US) and tied with scrap fabrics that you can re-purpose as a tie for your yoga mat with, or wear around your wrist. If your item was received in a shipping bag, it was from ECOENCLOSE; a recyclable plastic made completely from recycled waste. If it was shipped in a box, it was an FSC certified box, taped with a paper (non-plastic) adhesive strip, custom printed in the US.
