Businesses that CARE: Case Studies

My clothing brand is run on the made to order model which significantly reduces over production. The scraps are saved and used for smaller items. I only use sustainable, toxic free and natural or recycled fabrics. I also use biodegradable and recycled packaging.

I market my brand as a sustainable and eco- friendly business both through social media and email marketing. I also talk a lot firsthand to customers who come through my studio about slow fashion benefits.

The most obvious impact for my business is the fact it can sustain itself. Having a made to order business allows me to have much smaller initial investments – I don’t have to buy large quantities of fabrics and then having to order production of each design to meet minimum quantities from factories and then sit on inventory that might not sell. I don’t have to guess which pieces will sell in what size. The fact that I don’t have to have access to large amounts of capital to produce my designs and still have the ability to offer a lot more choice as well, helps my business survive. Clothing is a hard business and sustainable practices has allowed me to last over a decade in the industry. Also, the model keeps a lot less unsold clothing from ending up in garbage bins and landfills.

The biggest challenge is the fact that sustainable fabric and packaging costs more. ( and producing clothing locally ) Prices are naturally higher for sustainable clothing so it is challenging to explain to people why things cost what they do. But in the end it’s all about the conversation and education. Talking about why it’s important to care about the types of clothes you buy and wear has been as much a part of my business as the clothing itself. Advocating for sustainable fashion is at the forefront of what I do.

I have been mentoring high school students interested in a career in fashion. My most meaningful accomplishment is seeing these students adopt sustainability in their fashion pursuits. They are the ones who will truly change the future and outlook on how we consume clothing. Knowing that I started that journey for them is my biggest reward.

I am constantly on the search for new sustainable fabrics. I am looking for textiles that are both sustainable and affordable enough to use for my business. It’s always a challenge to find the sweet spot of price customer is willing to pay for designs made from sustainable materials. I am planning to put out a zero waste mini collection and to create more designs and products with the smaller scrap pieces. (Home decor and jewelry pieces are some ideas )

Just start by making one small change. It’s almost impossible to have a business and be completely sustainable. Often this stops many from making any change at all as it seems overwhelming but small steps make a big difference. Even if it’s switching up some packaging at first or printing out less paperwork, or switching one plastic product in your office to a more earth friendly one. Start with one change.