At E I T H E R / O R, we focus our sustainability efforts toward 5 key areas: transparency, fair wages, inventory management, sustainable materials, and waste reduction.
See below for where we stand today, and where we're committed to go to next.
1 // transparency
We believe this is the first step to real change in the fashion industry.
We share a cost breakdown with details on fair wages, material sourcing, supplier information, and other costs involved in getting the product to you. You an also learn more about each of our partners here.
Companies should be held accountable, and consumers should have the power to support brands based on their values.
2 // FAIR WAGES
People are at the heart of what we do. Providing a living wage is essential.
We partner with small, family-owned and operated workshops where 100% of employees earn beyond a living wage. You can see detailed information about each workshop including the lowest and highest wages earned and how they relate to local living wages in Portugal and Colombia.
3 // inventory management
Fashion has a serious waste problem. Many of our favorite brands are dumping or destroying product that doesn't sell.
We intentionally design our collections to be "evergreen." This means that our styles are not trendy and will not go out of style after one season. Our products have a longer selling life, and will never be destroyed to make room for new inventory.
4 // sustainable materials
"Sustainable" is a buzzword. For us, using materials that are non-toxic and biodegradable are our biggest priority.
Leather requires a lot of chemicals and water to produce. The most sustainable alternative is vegetable-tanning. This process uses tree bark instead of chromium and other harsh chemicals.
Vegetable-tanned leather is more durable than synthetic alternatives, and is also biodegradable at the end of it's useful life. 85% of our leather use in production is vegetable-tanned.
We are expanding our relationship with Leather Working Group certified suppliers and exploring alternative biodegradable materials. Think "leather" from pineapple pulp or bamboo!
5 // waste reduction
The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of the world's carbon emissions.
We use only plastic-free, post-consumer & recycable packaging. We have also eliminated the second shipping box for all style made in Colombia! This means your order will come in a single cardboard box -- with our signature gingham tote bag. This bag is made locally by a small, women-owned sewing room.