OUR IMPACT
WE START LOCAL AND BUILD OUTWARDS
Did you know that textiles are the third biggest polluter in Kent County landfills?
While textiles do decompose over time, they emit 72 times more methane than glass, metal, and paper combined.
Methane is a major contributor to accelerating global climate change. So, instead of throwing these materials away, we’re creating new products from materials that are already here.
PLUS, only 0.2% (yup, less than 1%) of textiles are recycled or upcycled in the state of Michigan. We have a lot of really beautiful textiles just sitting here waiting for us to divert them from the landfill and design unique products right here in our community.
Along with partner companies, entrepreneurs and suppliers, we are helping to build a cut & sew manufacturing infrastructure, support living wage jobs, and grow the creative economy across West Michigan.
We work with manufacturers to divert their textile waste from the landfills and upcycle the material into beautiful products for your everyday lifestyle.
- People:
- We have created more than 15 jobs.
- We are intentional about our hiring and since 2016, we have maintained that at least 50% of our staff must be People of Color and representative of our community.
- As our company grows into a worker-owned business, we will intentionally continue to seek out and hire diverse creatives as staff, contractors, vendors, and suppliers. - Planet:
- We have collected more than 100,000 lbs of textile scrap, surplus and salvaged materials since 2016.
-In 2019 alone we diverted 4.2 tons of textiles from our landfills.
- We have upcycled thousands of pounds of textiles into products so far!
- We work with suppliers and manufacturers across the community to help them meet their circular economy goals and to re-purpose scrap and salvaged materials into quality upcycled products.
- Over the next few years, our goal is to divert more than 68 tons (136,000 lbs) of textiles from our landfills per year. - Profit:
- We are working with area corporations on circular economy approaches to upcycling textiles at scale.
- We aim to work with more local designers and entrepreneurs to grow the creative economy in Grand Rapids.
- We intentionally support designers and entrepreneurs of color, along with any who hope to use upcycled materials to grow their product lines in Michigan.
