Earth Day comes every April and reminds us to take care of the planet as well as the people in it. A time to think deeply about our responsibilities as caretakers of the place we call home and what the future may look like. With the health of the globe coming into laser focus we asked six female founders from sustainable brands their thoughts on making better choices, how brands can do better, and what it means to be sustainable in 2024. —Lauren Walker-Lee
Modern Sunday’s Brodie Peteran
We believe that a sustainable lifestyle looks different for everyone, and there’s no one “right way” to do it. Overall, it means taking the time to inform yourself before making purchases – whether that’s your groceries for the week, how you get to work, or the clothes in your closet. We can ask ourselves if we align with the values of the brands and companies we support. Are they making a positive impact on the community? Are their workers being treated fairly, and paid a living wage? Sustainability in fashion isn’t just about buying the organic cotton t-shirt. It’s about looking at the brand as a whole and evaluating if they stand for something you believe in. At the end of the day, we all need to be making conscious decisions about what we choose to buy, because voting with your dollar is the most impactful message we can send. Buy better, buy less, and make it last – regardless of what that item is.
&OR Collective’s Kristen King
To live Earth Day’s spirit every day, it’s about brands and consumers uniting to embrace a conscious mindset. We completely understand the challenge of this shift. At the core, it is crucial for brands to lead by example, taking substantial responsibility and simplifying the journey towards sustainability for everyone. Brands are the catalysts in this transformation; by integrating sustainable practices into their core operations, they set the precedent for environmental stewardship. This proactive approach encourages consumers to gravitate towards products that are not only sustainably made but also supported by transparent and responsible brand actions. At &Or Collective, we are committed to being at the forefront of this change, continuously innovating and redefining what it means to be a sustainable brand in every aspect of our business.
Wildcraft Skincare’s Laura Whitaker
Challenge yourself to deeply consider where your desire to consume comes from. True joy does not come from stuff. Take control of your own consumerism and adopt a minimalist mindset.
Li/ne Bags’ Anela Dujsic
For us as a business it means challenging common tropes and misgivings about waste. By turning retired, used sails into coveted, stylish pieces we show how an item destined for the landfill can be transformed into something valuable, functional, and quite beautiful. As such, our bags are not just accessories, but a testament to resilience, reinvention—and potential.
Ste.Marg.Scot’s Sasha Jardine
Sustainability in 2024 means using low-impact and renewably sourced materials that are produced locally, in small batches. The UN World Commission on Environment and Development states that sustainability means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In other words, we must ensure that our objet d’art leaves the Earth in the same (or better) better position than we found it. SteMargScot is named in honour of Sainte Margaret of Scotland, a figure known for her works of service. Our name reminds us of our stewardship and shepherding responsibilities. For SteMargScot, sustainability must begin at the source. There must be a direct connection between the land and our clothing. Our clothing has become so over processed that we’ve forgotten that it was once upon a time grown, an agricultural product.
Guests on Earth’s Jackie Prince
April is a great opportunity to reflect on the choices we make about the way we live on this tiny blue planet. I think that one of the most impactful things we can do as consumers is to consume less. It sounds very obvious, but in reality, everything that we use, wear, buy has a cost to the planet associated with it. Purchasing products that will help you to need less of them moving forward is one way to reduce our material consumption. For example, refillable products, products that are a better quality and will last longer. Not buying into every single trend, but rather investing in pieces that will suit you longer term. Credentials are another way to start to suss out the brands and products you buy. The thing about credentials is that they can be very expensive. We invested in going through the B Corp process because we felt it was an important indication of our commitment to the environment and society. In absence of credentials, look at how transparent the brands you purchase are when it comes to disclosing their supply chains, materials, and ingredients.
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