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Monday, March 15, 2010

Nau. Sustainable Apparel. Portland.








Nau ("now") has one hell of a tight model for sustainability: the apparel company addresses over-consumption by designing products that are durable/lasting; they donate rather than discard used product; and they've designed polyester products to be recyclable. In terms of corporate sustainability, they donate 2% of every sale to humanitarian + enviro organization Partners for Change; give an annual $10,000 grant to groups making positive changes; purchase carbon offsets for all corporate travel+shipping; and provide free public transportation to their employees. They only source natural, renewable fibers produced in a sustainable manner, including certified organic cotton and synthetic fabrics that contain high recycled content; also toxics in finishes and dyes adhere to their restricted substances list. Nau also uses re-usable materials for their packaging (post-consumer recycled/FSC-certified materials) and importantly, all of their practices undergo 3rd-party audits. Pretty legit it you ask me. "For us, sustainable fashion means timeless colors, smart design, eco-friendly materials and simple care (...) We design for social, material, and aesthetic sustainability (...) We're stuck on an idea: to redesign fashion and to redefine business so that each become a powerful force for change. One small step towards unfucking the world. This might make us fanatics, but it can't be helped. We love what we do." I love what they do too.
See/learn more here: nau.com and blog.nau.com