How do I reconcile my love of retail and fashion with the overconsumption the industry promotes especially at this time of year even when supply chain issues are making it difficult to keep product stocked? No brand is perfect and sustainability is a journey, but the reality is… No Money, no mission. After all, a business has …
When you think about shopping in the United States it has deep ties to immigrants. Many of the great department stores of our times started as general stores, dry goods stores or five and dimes. They were also tied to a harrowing story of an immigrant trying to make it in a new country. These …
The Evolution of a New England Department Store – Read More »
According to the International Trade Administration the U.S. exports approximately $2 trillion in goods and services each year and there is a tremendous opportunity to export more especially given that 96% of consumers live outside of the United States. Regardless of the size of your business the thought of exporting can feel overwhelming but it doesn’t …
Leveraging Export Opportunities for “Made in the USA” Apparel Read More »
Being seen as sustainable is profitable. Although being sustainable doesn’t always equate to being ethical. For the most part brands mean well but get drunk off their own kool-aid. They are invested in their own success and according to greenwash.com 59% of green claims are misleading or unsubstantiated. While greenwashing is prevalent In fashion misinformation is …
I’d like to start by saying this is just a sliver of the concerns and need for ethical and fair trade. As my colleague keeps reminding me (more like encouraging me 😉) “that’s a dissertation.” There is so much to unpack around sustainable apparel and I can’t cover it all. So I will continue to focus …
Conversations around sustainability have been around forever and have been accelerating since 2018. ♻️ The pandemic sparked widespread conscious consumerism and reignited sustainability work, especially in fashion. The fashion industry is one of the largest pollutants and I am happy to see that sustainability has moved from perk to a top priority for a lot of businesses. While there …
Did you know that 40% of garments produced aren’t sold at full price? Reducing upfront production can reduce fashion’s carbon footprint significantly and 20% of all fashion items go unsold within the industry. Here’s my quick take on the importance of the 7 forms of sustainable fashion… On Demand & Custom Made – is great because …
Sadly, domestic sweatshops exist and typical violations include paying employees substandard wages and working extended hours. Many of these work 10-12 hour days, seven days a week, with no overtime pay. In fact, LA & NYC are the sweatshop capitals of the U.S.A. Click the link below for a list of SWEATFREE communities. https://laborrights.org/our-work/sfc The …
Made in the USA Doesn’t Equate to Ethically Made Read More »