Category: gift guide

MABR Gift Guide

Kim Sheehan on

Welcome to the 2020 MABR gift guide! During our studies, we each identified a responsible brand and wrote a short piece on what they do and why they do it. Looking to make your holiday shopping responsible? Look no further than one of the great brands listed here! You will see some familiar names, but also you might discover a great new brand!

Thanks for visiting and Happy Holidays!

Apparel and footwear:

–Allbirds
–Bhumi
–Bombas
–Madewell
–Phenomenal
–Reformation
–Stella McCartney

Food and Drink
–Dutch Bros
–Fort George Brewery
–Tillamook

Health and Beauty
–Amika
–Bite
–Cocokind
–LUSH
–Marley’s Monsters
–Saalt

Sports/fitness
–Adidas
–Alo Yoga
–Outerknown
–Peony Swimwear

Miscellaneous:

–Lego
–Netflix
–Target
–Toyota
–Warby Parker

Bite

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by Julia Gesink

The Product & Mission

Bite’s mission statement is “to end plastic waste, one smile at a time.” Bite is a sustainable oral care company that produces toothpaste, mouthwash, floss, and toothbrushes. The idea behind Bite is to rid our landfills of the billions of plastic tubes of toothpaste that are thrown away each year, so the founder Lindsay McCormick created little toothpaste bits that you chew, and they foam up like regular toothpaste. Bite’s website is also filled with information and statistics on pollution to help inform a potential consumer of the positive impact they could have by making a simple switch from plastic, to something more sustainable like Bite.

Packaging

Their products are free of any plastic whatsoever; their toothbrushes are made out of bamboo, and the toothpaste and mouthwash bits come in reusable glass containers. When you subscribe to Bite, your toothpaste bits will be shipped in a new glass container every four months, and your old glass containers are home compostable and biodegradable.

Ingredients

In addition to the major plastic waste problem, Bite also wanted to address how many oral care products have unknown ingredients, or just unnecessary chemicals. They decided that when they were making the toothpaste bits, they would be transparent about what a potential consumer might be using. They clearly list the ingredients on the website, and explain what the ingredient’s role plays in the bits. For example, Bits have sodium cocoyl glutamate, and they explain in simple terms that this is used to help the bits foam up, and it helps clean your teeth and strengthen enamel. Founder, Lindsay McCormick, makes it clear that they cut out all of the chemicals and artificial dyes and flavors, because “something that you do twice a day, every day, should be made with ingredients that are good for you.”

Shipping

Bite is sustainable even down to their shipping. When shipping your order they use compostable envelopes that are padded with post-consumer newspaper, and their boxes are fully recyclable from their cardboard to their paper tape. Bite also wanted to lessen their carbon footprint, so their products are shipped using existing postal routes, and they explain on their site about how this is the most sustainable way to purchase oral care products.

After reviewing Bite’s many sustainable efforts and seeing how much they stick to their “zero paste, zero waste” messaging, I do believe it is a sustainable brand.

Learn more about Bite here.

Peony Swimwear

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by Haileigh Farrell
Peony Swimwear is a family owned and independently operated business centered around sustainable materials, manufacturing and shipping techniques. Becky Morton founded Peony in 2012 with a goal to create responsible swimwear. On its website, the “Our Approach” section states:

“Every single Peony Swimwear is made from recycled and sustainable fabrics. This includes our printed fabrics, our custom textures and even our inner linings…Inch by inch and seam by seam, we are pushing the boundaries of what is possible to bring you thoughtful pieces that are equal parts beauty, heart and substance.”

The brand has proven to be authentic as it is deeply committed to this statement, using its values as a moral compass. More specifically, all its fabrics are made from Econyl, a 100% repurposed nylon made from fishing nets and landfill nylon waste. This reduces global warming by 80% compared to petroleum based products. As well, Peony is a courageous trailblazer in the swimwear category. For example, Peony’s plant-based shipping materials decompose in three to six months, unlike other brands, which take 1000 years.

In addition, Peony empathizes with its customers and the choices they make to help the environment. At the company offices, called the #PeonyHouse, small changes have been incorporated such as setting timers for devices. Furthermore, Peony is pushing itself to improve its sustainability efforts, demonstrating just how resilient it is. By 2021, Peony’s goal is to be completely sustainable.

To continue, Peony is a truly responsible brand as it has consistently been committed to social good. It insists that all its suppliers are SA8000 certified, the leading social certification for factories and organizations, ensuring, “…ethical and fair compliance regarding child labor, forced or compulsory labor, health and safety, freedom of association and right to collective bargaining, discrimination, disciplinary practices, working hours, remuneration and management systems” (peonyswimwear.com).

Lastly, Peony has been proactive in its timing compared to other swimwear lines. Unlike other brands that overlook lining, which makes up 50% of swimwear fabric consumption, Peony’s lining is made from sustainable material. Looking to the future, Peony plans to launch a recycling program to make it easier for customers to further reduce their environmental impact.

Bhumi

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by Megan Danielson

1. Bhumi as a brand

Bhumi is an Australian lifestyle label that offers sustainable, pure, luxuriously soft, and chemical free products. Their products include bedding, bath, and apparel, including underwear and sleepwear, and focus on using sustainable and ethical products and practices. For the pandemic they have also implemented facemasks that are sustainably made from ‘offcuts’ which would otherwise end up in landfill.Their products are certified organic and non-toxic and made in fair trade factories. They make casual wear for women, men, and children. The company was created by co-founders Viniti and Dushyant, who both bring their passion for the earth and sustainable practices to the company. They have a vision for the company that goes beyond just profits.

2. Bhumi’s mission and purpose
Bhumi’s mission is as follows: “We are paving the way for a new era in the textile industry by choosing fair trade organic cotton for all of our products, creating a positive impact on the people and the planet.”As a company, they focus on the importance of positive consumer choices. They understand that every consumer purchase “must have a positive environmental & social impact to protect our future.” Bhumi itself means “Mother Earth” which encompasses many aspects of the company. They guarantee that every Bhumi purchase has a positive environmental & social impact. Their focus is making a positive impact on both the planet and the people on it. Bhumi spreads the belief of making conscious choices that are good for the consumer as well as good for the planet.

3. Why I think Bhumi is responsible
Bhumi is responsible not only through making socially conscious products, but also through making their entire supply chain transparent. All of their products are carbon neutral in order to guarantee the highest quality of products without compromising the earth and the people on it. They inspire their customers, and everyone for that matter, to make positive consumer choices. Bhumi recognizes the common unethical practices of the fashion industry, from cotton that is grown with hazardous synthetic pesticides and made with toxic dyes to unfair and unhealthy working conditions. They take the stance that these practices are not acceptable anymore and are dedicated to changing the game. Bhumi pledges that all their products are free from things such as GMOs, pesticides, toxic dyes, child labor, and unfair working conditions. They are transparent in all aspects of the business, and authentic in their mission as they spread awareness about certified organic products and shed a light on the issues of the industry.

Warby Parker

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by Nicole Chan

Luxottica is the largest eyewear manufacturer, distributor, and retailer in the world. Due to the lack of competition of the same size, Luxottica can control the price for the eyewear industry. The premise of Warby Parker is to provide good-looking prescription eyewear at a more affordable price. Warby Parker is targeting an existing issue that is prominent even in a developed country like the US.

Information from Warby Parker’s Impact Report of 2019 said 2.5 billion people around the world needed but lacked access to eyewear, and 624 million people’s vision impairment affected their education or work. Warby Parker has a twist to the purchase-to-donate model for their eyewear. Instead of directing donating glasses, Warby Parker donates the cash equivalent of glasses to partnered local organizations. They have partners to distribute services in over 50 countries. These organizations are already working on providing free or affordable vision care to locals, or training locals to start their affordable eyewear businesses, etc. Warby Parker also works with local government agencies in Baltimore, New York, Philadelphia, and local organizations in Mexico to provide free vision exams and eyewear for elementary school children.

As a response to COVID-19, Warby Parker adapted to the changing situation in society and updated their purchase-to-donate model this April. Warby Parker is now donating personal protective equipment to clinics and hospitals in the US through local agencies. Warby Parker values the safety of its partners and local communities. Distribution of vision care and eyewear is only under the circumstances that safe distribution is possible for both the partners and the communities. One of their partners, VisionSpring, is also distributing personal protective equipment to front line workers.

I remember my first pair of glasses cost around $50 in 2005 (two years after the SARS outbreak in Asia by the way). It included a vision exam, frame, and lens. When I moved to Portland in 2008, I was surprised to find out how much a pair of glasses cost. I couldn’t imagine how access to vision care, which should be a basic human right, might be infeasible to many. Warby Parker is more than a less-expensive eyewear provider. They also are providing a ladder to help people around the world to succeed.

https://www.warbyparker.com/assets/img/impact-report/Impact-Report-2019-d.pdf (Links to an external site.)

https://www.warbyparker.com/process/covid-19-response/buy-a-pair-give-a-pair (Links to an external site.)

Lego

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By Nathan Clark and Haley Cruse

from Nathan:

The Lego Group is a Danish toy production company that is famous for creating their connectable plastic blocks that lead to endless creativity for little hands. Lego’s current mission that they’ve had since 2008 is to “inspire and develop builders of tomorrow” alongside having four promises. Play promise, partner promise, planet promise, and people promise which all exist as their foundation for bettering themselves and the people that they serve. Lego understands their position as one of the most popular toys on the planet and want to use their platform to improve the lives of children.

Lego advocates for diversity in all forms whether it be gender, racial, disability, etc. which is reflected in their internal decision making practices and in their lego sets. They listened to customer criticisms raised in the early 2010s regarding gendered play, pulled police and white house related sets after the death of George Floyd, and released a set with disabled minifigures after a petition from Toy Like Me garnered attention online. Lego understands the importance of diversity and equality being introduced from a young age and wants to influence the next generation to hopefully create a better world.

But perhaps the largest aspect of social good that Lego is currently working on is their social promise. For a company that revolves around the use of plastics, they know that their goods are leaving a considerable amount of negative impact on the world and are trying to make a change. Right now they are in the process of making their packaging being made of 100% recyclable materials by 2025 and their production facilities are running on 100% renewable energy. Lego understands that their product is inherently bad for the environment but wants to reduce their footprint as much as they can and leave the planet in a better state.

Lego isn’t perfect, they occasionally miss the mark and leave people scratching their heads. But the most important aspect of the Lego Group is their genuine desire to improve the lives of children and leave the next generation a better world than the one they inherited.

from Haley:

LEGO is one of the largest and most popular toy producers in the world. The company’s mission is to “inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow. Our ultimate purpose is to inspire and develop children to think creatively, reason systematically and release their potential to shape their own future – experiencing the endless human possibility.” A company of this scale has the opportunity to have a large impact on society and LEGO has established itself as a brand that welcomes this responsibility.

In recent years, LEGO has made strides in many different lanes of responsibility, most notably in reducing the company’s negative environmental impact. The company has expressed that implementing sustainable practices is urgent and must be prioritized, as shown by their investment of $400 million over the next three years in sustainability initiatives. LEGO hopes to make all of its packaging sustainable by 2025.

Another value that is central to LEGO is employee satisfaction. Employees are consistently surveyed and responses are compared to other companies in order to ensure that LEGO has the most effective practices. Human rights and culture policies are in place to guarantee that employees are all treated equally and to promote inclusion.

Finally, LEGO has demonstrated its commitment to helping future generations. It launched “Build the Change”, which is a global initiative that empowers kids to design their own futures with LEGO bricks and creatively express their ideas and imagination. This initiative aims to connect LEGO to its consumers by helping kids learn through play. LEGO has established itself as a responsible brand through its actions that are reflective of its values. The company’s public commitment to ethical business practices and high moral standards separates it from other large companies.

Visit the Lego website: here

Dutch Bros

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by Payton Coon

Dutch Bros Coffee was founded by Travis and Dane Boersma in 1992. The brothers came from 3 generations of dairy farmers and wanted to pivot into the coffee industry. In 1992 they bought a single espresso machine and began operating out of a small cart in Grants Pass, Oregon. Now, they have over 400 locations in 9 states. Dutch Bros is the country’s largest privately held drive-through coffee company. They serve hand-crafted coffee and tea drinks all over the western states and are known for their loud music, colorful drinks, and inviting atmosphere. Every employee at the company operates under a set of guidelines called “The Dutch Creed:”

“To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.To make all your friends feel there is something in them.To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.To think only the best, to work only for the best and expect only the best.To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.”

Their vision statement is that “Dutch Bros strives to be a force for good through outstanding customer service and killer coffee. The company is continuing to grow, sharing the Dutch Luv and opening new shops throughout the nation.” Because each location is franchised, they often work with local organizations to give back to the communities they are in. Companywide events like Drink One for Dane, Dutch Luv, and Buck for Kids are each organized to give a portion of their profits to different organizations. The Dutch Bros Foundation focuses on three core areas: youth, health, and origins.

In 2009, one of the founders, Dane Boersma passed away from ALS. Now, Drink One for Dane is an event they do every May to raise money for ALS research. In 2020 they raised and donated $1.39 million for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the leading non-profit for ALS research and services. Dutch Luv Day occurs every Valentine’s day, and the3 company gives $1 for every drink sold to local non-profits that work to fight hunger in their community. And lastly, every year on national coffee day, Dutch Bros holds their Buck for Kids event. On this day, every Dutch Bros location donates $1 per drink sold to local youth organizations.

The Dutch Bros company doses a lot for the communities in which they operate, but the information is difficult to find. I think that it would be beneficial for the company to add an “Our Mission” tab to the website so customers can easily find information about all the work they do. Along with this, because they are in the to-go beverage industry, they have a lot of work to do when it comes to their environmental footprint. I also believe that it would be a good idea for Dutch Bros to follow the lead of Portland’s Stumptown Roasters and apply for B Corp certification, so they can get help in figuring out how to be a more responsible brand.

Fort George Brewery

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by Leah Olson

In my last article, “Small Business, Big Impact,” I talked about how small actions from small businesses can change the world. Now, I want to take a look at what that means in terms of brand responsibility in the craft brewing industry.

But first, why is brand responsibility in the beer industry important? According to Brewers Association for Small and Independent Craft Brewers, in 2019, overall U.S. beer volume sales were down 1.6%, yet craft sales were up 3.6% and now account for 25% of the annual $116.0 billion U.S. market.[1] That is a lot of power and influence. Since 2007, the popularity of craft breweries is on the rise — why? Let’s examine an independent small coastal brewery that sets the bar (pun intended) for brand responsibility.

Fort George Brewery, fondly called “the Fort” by locals, is cozily situated in the heart of the sweet, coastal community of Astoria, Oregon. Established in 2007, the Fort was an early player in Astoria’s most recent economic and cultural revival. At Fort George, they talk about brand responsibility in terms of sustainability. They believe that “Sustainability is not about the world today; it is about how we leave it for tomorrow. This means we must invariably be looking for ways to improve with regards to the environment, the economy, and the community.”

Commitment: Demonstrating brand responsibility is not just about supporting causes and donating money. It’s about committing to social and environmental good and adapting and outfitting your business and team to make a difference. Fort George measures their commitment in terms of their community, their people, and the environment.

Commitment to Community: Pre-pandemic, Tuesday and Thursdays were big nights at Fort George. On the last Tuesday of each month, they host a “Benefit Night” at the pub where a percentage of sales are donated to local non-profits and charities. In 2017, the community raised over $133,000. Fort George also hosts the ever-popular “Thursday Night Lecture Series”— a partnership with the local community college, historical society, and other organizations and individuals. The talks are always free and open to the public.
Commitment to People: A key part of Fort George’s success is their commitment to their people. It is not just about providing meaningful work but also about investing in their employees—whether that be in terms of paid professional development, physical and mental health (benefits like paid vacation and sick time, health insurance, and a retirement plan), and perks (like a pint at the end of each shift, earned meal credits, and an annual keg of Fort George beer for each employee). In addition to more traditional benefits and perks, in 2016, Fort George created the employee bike program and gives a new bicycle to each employee in exchange for committing to ride it to work at least 40 times per year—the goal being to “promote a healthy and happy work environment, open up downtown parking spaces, and reduce [their] carbon footprint.”
Commitment to the Environment: The first step to addressing any environmental issue is to acknowledge your role in the problem. As a brewer and restaurant, Fort George has identified four areas that require extra attention and commitment: purchasing, energy consumption, water consumption, and waste. In terms of purchasing, they’re committed to 1. Buying quality, local, Pacific Northwest ingredients and partnering with local farms, foragers, and fisheries to deliver “hyper-local” menu ingredients and 2. Reducing emissions by limiting beer distribution to Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Traditionally, brewers use copious amounts of energy and water to produce their products, and the first step to addressing the problem, it to measure usage. Fort George began tracking electricity and water usage and actively looking for areas of improvement. They’ve also addressed some deficiencies through equipment upgrades and “process improvements.” They’ve installed LED light bulbs and an energy-efficient walk-in cooler. They became Blue Sky members (Pacific Power’s renewable energy program). Regarding waste reduction and recycling, 100% of spent grain from the brewing cycle becomes feed for a local dairy, and organic kitchen scraps become pig feed. Fort George was also instrumental in introducing curbside composting to the community of Astoria.

Partners: I’ve heard it said that “a rising tide floats all boats.” Here, at the mouth of the mighty Columbia River, that is a particularly apt sentiment. Fort George firmly believes that we are all stronger together. Following in the footsteps of early Pacific Northwest pioneers, they are blazing the trail and leading the way for community and industry partnerships. In 2015, Fort George became a charter member of the Oregon Brewshed Alliance, committed to protecting watersheds throughout the State of Oregon. “In 2017 [they] started reaching out to other businesses, our local government, and community members about working together to advance sustainability initiatives throughout Astoria and Warrenton,” forming the Sustainability Coalition to acknowledge and address their role and responsibility in the areas of solid waste and recycling issues.

Progress: According to Fort George, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure, so the first step is to gather the pertinent information, build baselines, and dive deep into the data.” Since 2016, when the Brewer’s Association released its first Sustainability Benchmarking Report, Fort George immediately adopted the matrix to track, report, and reflect on their progress and search out areas for improvement and opportunity. Follow their progress at https://fortgeorgebrewery.com/about/sustainability/ (Links to an external site.). Ask any employee at Fort George, and they’ll likely tell you that there’s plenty of room for improvement. But, as with any business that pursues brand responsibility it’s not about perfection—It’s about progress. It’s about the journey. The journey to brew a better beer, build a stronger community, and create a healthier planet.

So why are independent craft breweries so darn popular? Successful examples are truly and deeply tied to and committed to their community’s health and success. They don’t just care about brewing excellent beer, but they also believe in creating strong, resilient communities. They care about their employees and their employee’s well-being, and they care about their planet and their planet’s well-being. It’s not just about their authentic commitment to being a responsible brand, but also about their authentic commitment to being a responsible community member that is truly contagious.

[1] https://www.brewersassociation.org/statistics-and-data/national-beer-stats/

Netflix

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by Makenna Crocker

As a giant media streaming service, Netflix has made a name for itself and remains one of the top of its kind.

Their mission statement:
“We promise our customers stellar service, our suppliers a valuable partner, our investors the prospects of sustained profitable growth, and our employees the allure of huge impact.”

How are they working towards their statements?
Netflix is constantly implementing new strategies to uphold their values and mission.For example, in 2015 the company allowed unlimited paid parental leave to their employees. This set them apart from practically every other business in the US and allowed them to keep more female employees while also getting good press (Noble).Netflix also offers unlimited vacation time to its employees, as it believes happy and healthy people will stay at the company and will ultimately be more productive(Thomas).

As the Covid-19 pandemic spread throughout the world, Netflix stepped up and created a $100 million coronavirus relief fund (Manos). This fund was built to help those in the industry who had been affected by the virus and the toll on the economy.

Aside from their care for their employees, Netflix is striving to lessen their carbon footprint. In 2020, they began reporting their renewable energy use. The compan ysources all of their electric power from renewable sources (Bylund). Furthermore, if renewable sources are not always available, they purchase green power. While their entire system is not perfect, the company is very transparent in their many attempts tobe a sustainable company that cares for the planet.

Netflix has also been known for celebrating and advocating for diversity through its campaigns. From its “Make room. More stories. More voices.” campaign to creating company roles focused on diversity and inclusion, the company understands the importance of hiring and listening to diverse creators and ultimately connecting to amore diverse audience as well.

With how successful Netflix has been, it’s important that they continue to hold themselves to a higher standard. Aside from being a largely successful streaming service, Netflix is a company that hears the conversations around diversity, socialjustices, equality, environment, and so much more. Being an active part of these conversations and not only speaking out on these issues, but constantly working to be part of the solution is what makes Netflix a responsible brand.

References
Bylund, A. “Netflix Just Started Reporting Renewable Energy Use and Content Removal”.Nasdaq​. 8 February 2020.
Manos, M. “How 2020 is Ushering In a New Era For Corporate Social Responsibility”.
Forbes​. 17 April 2020.“What is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Why Does it Matter?”
​Noble​.https://nobledigital.com/what-is-corporate-social-responsibility-csr-and-why-does-it-matter/“Examining Corporate Social Responsibility in the Industrial Space”. ​Thomas​. 23September 2019.

Bombas

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by Cam McCormick

Bombas, a comfort focused sock and apparel brand, is on a mission to help those in need. The company was founded in 2013 by Randy Goldberg and David Heath after learning socks are the most requested item at homeless shelters. So, in launching their company, they made the decision that for every pair of socks they sold, one additional pair would be donated to a person in need, always and forever. An idea, so small and simple, ended up being so incredibly large in the world today. After being featured onABC’s reality show, ​Shark Tank​, they landed a deal with entrepreneur Daymond John,and their business was catapulted into the limelight.

As of November 22, 2020, Bombas has donated a total of 42,885,483 socks to homeless shelters or homelessness related charities. In fact, to date, they have donatedt o over 2500 community organizations, and this number is growing by the second.Talking about responsibility, Randy and David had a plan; their plan was to help those in need by creating a sock, as they firmly believe a more comfortable world is a better world. According to their website, they believe everyone, no matter their circumstances, deserves to put on clean clothes that feel good. Following the success the socks have produced, they have expanded their company to also manufacture, sell and donateT-Shirts, too.

This company has had tremendous success, I believe, due to its brand responsibility.Giving back to communities and people in need by donating close to 43 million pairs ofs ocks, makes the consumer feel good about purchasing the product. People typically want to support and invest in companies who share their own ideals. Most people want to help others, but lack the time to execute their desire. However, supporting ac ompany by purchasing a necessary item, while knowing it will help someone in need, allows the consumer to feel good about the purchase.

Bombas is a responsible brand, because of the huge impact it has had on the community in which it serves. Bombas is changing the world by clothing the homeless, one sock at a time. They saw something much bigger than just opening a business and selling socks. They wanted to make an impact on everyone in the community, and have been committed to their motto “One Purchased = One Donated.”