eCommerce has long been considered an industry that’s not so eco-friendly. Consumer culture fuels the creation of massive amounts of merchandise, much of which ends up thrown away in landfills or otherwise disposed of. And for a long time, most people either weren’t aware of the waste that the retail industry creates, or at least they didn’t care to make much of a change. To add on top of that, global shipping contributes to the creation of fossil fuels and pollution.
But the times have changed, and now more and more brands and retailers have made serious commitments to decreasing the effects their industry has on the environment. This Earth Day, Cymbio is proud to highlight a few of our partner brands who are doing just that:
Ahimsa
Protecting the earth means protecting those on it, and that’s where Ahimsa comes in. The company produces sustainable stainless steel dishes for children. While many American kids grow up eating on plastic plates, health guidance from American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended against using these, since chemicals from the plastic can seep into food and be potentially harmful. Steel, unlike plastic, is an infinitely recyclable material, so it won’t end up in landfills or in the ocean, if repurposed or recycled. It’s highly durable and long-lasting, so Ahimsa’s products can be used for years to come, meaning they also reduce waste by not requiring consumers to re-purchase goods after a short period of time.
Cariuma
A certified B corporation, Cariuma is committed to combining retail and reforestation. For each pair of eco-conscious sneakers they sell, 2 trees are planted in rainforests in Brazil, where the founders hail from. Their packaging is made from recycled materials, their shoes are handmade and crafted in ethical factories, and their shipping methods are carbon-neutral. They’ve also expanded their vegan shoe offerings, working towards diversifying their product catalog to include items friendly to both people and the planet. LED-lit and LEED certified warehouses and highly traceable suppliers top off the company’s incredible efforts to ensuring an environmentally-friendly business.
Dippin Daisy’s
Dippin Daisy’s produces fashionable, size-inclusive swimsuits, but they’re so much more than a bathing suit company. With a commitment to environmentally friendly practices, we’re proud to call them a partner of ours and to highlight them this Earth Day.
To best promote eco-friendly practices in all steps of the supply chain, they manufacture their goods with recycled materials, produce collections in small batches, and send orders in biodegradable packaging. Perhaps the most unique aspect of their process is the way they dye their swimsuits: they use existing, unsold merchandise as the base for dyes for new products, repurposing goods instead of throwing them away and creating more waste. Some suits that aren’t dyed this way have their patterns created digitally, which cuts down on water waste from the dying process. This month, they’re also sponsoring a campaign to plant a tree for every purchase made.
Fair Harbor
Fueled by passion and purpose, Fair Harbor was founded from a desire to protect the coastline of Fire Island, New York, where the founders grew up and remember witnessing the amassing of plastic along its shorelines. To date, the company, powered by its core mission to keep global waters clean, has recycled more than 26 million plastic bottles and turned them into men’s and kid’s beachwear. Fair Harbor prioritizes working with manufacturers who are also committed to minimizing environmental impacts in the form of water waste and air emissions, ensuring these values all throughout their supply chain.
Kazi
Employing artisans who weave and hand-make items using-locally sourced materials, Kazi promotes eco-friendly retail practices. Using natural fibers like elephant grass and sisal means there’s no energy expenditure in the creation process of the goods they sell. The company is also a member of the Fair Trade Federation, which is committed – among other things – to conserving natural resources and producing environmentally sustainable goods.
Leota, which designs women’s and kid’s clothing, takes a slightly different approach to sustainability: in addition to committing to donate excess merchandise to communities in need, their goal is to produce clothing that’s durable enough that consumers won’t need to toss it out next season. By crafting clothes that are made to less, they hope to encourage customers to purchase less, which, though maybe contrary to most retail business practices, is their aim. Because at the end of the day, the less we buy, the smaller our environmental impact can be.
Pehr
Buying baby clothes, accessories, decor and more, can be overwhelming and, unfortunately, wasteful. Kids are only so young for so long, and Pehr recognizes the importance in making sure the products that parents will buy for them will be as sustainable as possible, especially since they’ve only got a limited amount of time to use them. The company is actively working towards ensuring sustainable processes throughout the supply chain by using 100% certified organic cotton in most of their bedding and apparel, and cultivating and continuing their partnerships with ethical manufacturers.
PlantPaper
Who said sustainability in eCommerce is limited to clothes and accessories? PlantPaper’s bamboo toilet paper takes environmentally-conscious purchasing to the next level. Bamboo grows quickly, captures more carbon dioxide than trees, also uses considerably less water in its production, and unlike recycled papers, doesn’t use any formaldehyde or BPA in its formulation. That means its effect on the environment is significantly lower, but the company doesn’t just stop there. Their entire supply chain is 100% plastic-fee – a claim most brands couldn’t (or wouldn’t) dream of.
Sunday Citizen
Sunday Citizen, which makes luxurious yet affordable bedding, strives to create and maintain eco-friendly practices in their manufacturing and production processes. Their packaging is crafted from recycled cardboard and made in a low-waste way, their comforters are filled with material made from recycled bottles, and they use fabrics like silk and viscose made from bamboo, which are more environmentally friendly than other options.
Sustainable packaging, paperless receipts, eco-friendly fabrics: these are all tenets of UpWest’s mission to provide Comfort for Good to both people and planet. Their product catalog, which includes clothing and home decor, includes goods that can be reused, like candle holders that can be used as pots for plants, and products that are made with low environmental impact, like yoga mats and recyclable water bottles.
Consumers can donate gently used clothes in-store and receive 10% off their purchases, encouraging and incentivizing their recycle and reuse policy. The third-party brands that are curated on their site are similarly-minded when it comes to sustainability, indicating the company’s overall commitment to providing an all-around eco-friendly experience. UpWest works with several nonprofits throughout the year to bring comfort to others and to the earth. One example is the One Tree Planted partnership in April of 2021, in which a tree was planted for every sustainable purchase made, resulting in over 4000 trees planted.
Cymbio is proud to support these brands, not just just Earth Day, but every day. We’re honored to enable companies like these to scale and grow while maintaining a commitment to treat our environment with kindness.