Profit for Purpose: Don’t Miss These Brands That Do Good For The World

You’ll be happy to support these brands.

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Allbirds

This San Francisco-based company originally launched with the Wool Runners (dubbed “the world’s most comfortable shoe”). Now, they’ve created SweetFoam, a new sole material made with carbon negative green-EVA, derived from renewable sugarcane. This is the first time EVA foam, which is one of the most widely used components in footwear, will be made from a renewable resource.

It’s much-needed progress. The fashion industry is one of the main offenders when it comes to environmental impact. According to a 2017 report, fashion production creates greenhouse emissions of 1.2 billion tons a year. As a certified B Corp company, Allbirds has been on a mission to lessen this impact. In fact, “it is the purpose of the business,” says co-founder Joey Zwillinger of the company’s commitment to reducing waste and creating a more eco-friendly footwear option.

And, as further proof that Allbirds really cares about reducing the fashion industry’s carbon footprint, the company is sharing the technology for SweetFoam so other brands can use it, too. “We’ve got a long way to go. This was never about just wool or just shoes. There’s a bigger thing at play, there’s a bigger problem to solve, and I feel like with the introduction of SweetFoam we’re really gaining momentum around that,” said co-founder Tim Brown in a press release. The momentum is catching, too. Actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio recently became an investor with the company. (Interested in investments that support your personal ethics? A financial advisor explains how to get started.)

Look for SweetFoam in a new shoe style called Sugar Zeffers, available now.

allbirds sweetfoam flip flops
photo credit: allbirds
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Outland Denim

This profit for purpose company launched in 2016 after founder James Bartle saw first-hand how human traffickers were exploiting young girls in Asia. Bartle created the “Denim Project” to support girls who had been rescued from the sex industry. The project offers a sustainable career path to these survivors (vital for their future) where they can hone their newly acquired skills in sewing. The company has since expanded its team of seamstresses to employ those at risk of falling into poverty as well (poverty is a contributor to trafficking vulnerability).

Headquartered in Australia with a training and production facility in Cambodia, Outland Denim is a Certified B Corporation denim brand and is committed to sourcing ethically and environmentally sound materials. Don’t miss these other (mostly Canadian) eco-friendly companies.

Available in Canada exclusively at Harry Rosen and Holt Renfrew.

outland denim
photo credit: outland denim

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