When brands offer more than just their products and instead become a way of life, that’s what makes them ideal.
Originally published in 2020, on the Serious Review
Allbirds
Spaceships and time machines can transport us to locations that go beyond our imagination. But nothing comes close to where our own feet take us. While a pair of comfy shoes set us for an adventure, consider if it’s made from sustainable resources. That way, we can leave a trail that the next generations can walk on.
With the guidance of ethical wool brand ZQ Merino, Allbirds maintains high standards of farming, a focus on animal welfare, and equally prioritizes land management, overall cutting down 60% of the energy used by manufacturers of synthetic shoes.
The tree fibre—sourced from farms in South Africa where people depend on rainfall to lessen the usage of fertilizers—uses less water compared to the amount accumulated by cotton production. Sugarcane also falls under the same category and is the material of their signature SweetFoamTM for the soles. The shoelaces are made from recycled bottles, and the brand packaging are from reused pieces of cardboard.
The story of Allbirds starts with our own carbon footprints and ends with a long-term solution to minimize these. And every pair is an effort to continue the narrative.
“The World’s Most Comfortable Shoes”
Serving Size: 1 pair Made of: Merino wool, Tree fibre, Sugarcane, Trino
Everlane
Every piece of clothing we purchase is a new friend we meet. As time flies, we either donate or keep our clothes for as long as we can. But, like friends, we deserve long-term relationships that grow with us.
Everlane was established to make quality-made, ethically-sourced apparel within our reach. Founded on the idea of Radical Transparency, they source the finest materials and partner with the most reputable factories around the world to design apparel and present their actual production cost. Carrying a collection of basic clothes and accessories, they provide goods that are “designed to last.”
Everlane narrates stories of businesses and their meaningful purpose in the community. They connect with factories—from Italy to Vietnam—that produce goods for numerous designer labels and provide them with a compliance audit to review aspects such as environment, work hours, and fair wages.
A cost breakdown for each piece on their shop is uploaded on their website, providing a comparison of their prices and those of traditional retailers because the public deserves to know the truth and to make a well-informed clothing decision. This is the mindset that Everlane cultivates: one that is heavily grounded on growth, success, and the unfiltered truth in between.
Warby Parker
Eyes are the windows we see through every day, but not everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the views that we do. Warby Parker makes it possible for everyone to own a good pair of glasses, at the same time look and feel good in them. The secret is behind the frame and lens; the intent to make glasses available to all the people who need it.
The folks at Warby Parker also use a hands-on approach in creating prescription eyewear, directly communicating with customers, sorting in-house designs, and diverting towards alternatives to traditional resources, all in all adding a personal, signature touch to their glasses.
Their Home Try-On Program lets you try your top 5 picks for 5 days at home, because why not? You deserve the freedom to carefully choose your frames. And when you do decide on a pair, pat yourself on the back and remember the people you’ve helped to see the world clearly from where they are.
Warby Parker pair for you:
• Basic eye exam for adults in need
• High quality materials
Warby Parker pair for another in need:
• Free glasses packaged with comprehensive vision care for children in need
• Assembled by hand
Floyd
Home is where all good things come from: childhood memories, your dog that welcomes you with his infectious smile, and your dad’s favorite chair. As time flies, the last can wear out from use (even with proper care). Floyd has designed a solution to this issue, building long-lasting furniture that’s easy to assemble and match.
Floyd solves the issues that belong with the culture of disposability, creating modular designs of quality materials so any part could be easily changed if any of these are damaged.
To feed the curiosity of people who want to see what the commotion is all about, they set up The Floyd Shop, a showroom located at Division Street, Detroit. Drop by for a chat with their consultants or see how comfy The Sofa is and the modular design of The Bed Frame.
And in case you want to walk in a home furnished in Floyd, they’ve partnered with Airbnb owners to further showcase how their pieces work. A world with Floyd makes it possible to live comfortably, knowing your sofa, bed, and even lighting fixtures are made for the long haul.
“The World’s Most Take-Apart-Able Furniture”
Floreia
Floreia is Mother Nature’s solution to fast fashion, crafting gorgeous accessories with biodegradable materials and through ethical methods. They practice the belief that anything that comes from nature should also return to its source. By combining materials such as recycled paper and agro-forest debris, they create lightweight pieces that encapsulate the feel of petals, hardened lava, seashells, natural stones and the like. These products are made by hand in their factories where the interiors are constructed to provide natural ventilation and utilize the power of LED lights.
While they contribute to the movement towards producing sustainable fashion, they provide livelihood opportunities for artisans located in the mountains of Cebu, Philippines. Stay-at-home moms can earn a steady income while setting an example for underprivileged youth in their community. The label isn’t just a business; it’s a growing family where everyone embraces their differences and develops their skills in a healthy environment. They are given the support they need whether it covers health and wellness or spiritual support. Additionally, there’s a recreational area and housing offered within a 15-minute walk from the factory.
The true mark of #floreialove revolves around a love story between people and their environment. This is truly a blossoming relationship where the finishing touches come in the form of earthy handmade jewelry.
Made lovingly and ethically by and for Cebuanos
The Good Trade
Whether it’s ditching single-use plastic or adding fresh fruits to your meal, there are countless options to reassure Mother Earth that we can live simply while preserving its natural beauty. This is the promise of The Good Trade: to build a community where the best parts of our lives start from adding mindfulness to our cart.
The Good Trade is a zero-waste fair and festival that brings together our love for shopping while promoting the importance of sustainability. They create spaces where people can search for quality, natural alternatives to fast fashion, toxic hair products, and even your occasional plastic-wrapped junk foods.
Uniting the community at large, they set up spaces in Makati CBD and Bonifacio Global City where merchants and the public can meet and learn more about sustainable living through their products and brand messages. Every merchant shares their story, taste of their goods, and even a brief chat about their contribution to The Good Trade’s movement. It’s guilt-free shopping at its core.
Order the limited print collectible of The Serious Review Vol. 001: Outliers and/or download the online copy for free.
• Guilt-free • Sustainable • Zero-waste • Mindful