Because sustainability has a problem.
We do not like to talk about it.
Overwhelmingly, we believe in a sustainable lifestyle. But unfortunately, we do not share it with others, including our friends and family. ***
Researchers found that a part of reluctance stems from feelings of being judged or criticized for our views. But, more importantly, sustainability is simply not a topic of small talk and we are unable to start a dialogue.
Researchers trying to understand the reluctance found that sometimes we may feel we are being judged or criticized for our views. But most importantly we may not feel comfortable talking about it or finding a way to break the ice.
And that is why, at Treehopper, we are putting tremendous effort and energy to bridge this gap, which has been ignored so far.
And, so Treehopper was born. Our humble attempt to bridge this gap, which has been ignored so far. We hope you will join our journey.
We are driven by our mission: to be a leader & champion of grassroots sustainability.
And after much thinking and talking to many of you, it became apparent that if we can come up with answers to the following 4 questions, we might be able to make a real difference.
We figured the best way to communicate our thought process, as we developed the blueprint for Treehopper, is by sharing what we discussed amongst our team internally. Below is a summary of 4 questions we answered progressively.
In order to give a sneak peek into our thinking, we figured it’s best to share our journey from whiteboard to your wardrobe. We sequentially answered the following four questions to arrive at where we are today.
- How do we encourage dialogue? What should be the platform?
After evaluating many choices, we decided to use apparels as our platform. It was a close call but apparels edged out all other choices. And with good reasons:
- Surprisingly, what you wear impacts others in your vicinity for much longer. Even more so than a viral social media post.
- We are busier than ever. The only time, during a day when we stop and look at the mirror, and reflect, is when we change into clothes. And lastly,
- Apparels, the “dirty industry” boasts the largest ecological footprint. If we are tackling the biggest issue regarding sustainability, it is one industry where a lot of work is needed.
So, after deciding on apparels as our platform, that led us to the 2nd question.
- How do we select which clothes to include in our collections from seemingly millions of choices?
The question turned out to be less difficult than we had initially anticipated.
Between fast fashion and daily wear, we found that there are arguably 10 or 15 types of daily wear which end up in landfill within 12 months! Even though their useful life is well in excess of 4 or 5 years.
It was a quick and easy decision for us to make. Check out our inaugural collection here.
- Next, in order to accomplish our mission can we maintain sustainability & quality across the supply chain?
After talking with many manufacturers, touring their facilities we finally selected a network of reliable partners, who share our core values.
In order to produce long lasting most comfortable clothes, we made a decision to use only PETA certified vegan, organic cotton.
For a few products where we have to use polyester, we made sure it is 100% recycled using only clear plastic bottles.
Unfortunately, we could not find recycled spandex and based on our extensive research, the technology to efficiently recycle spandex does not exist yet. We are constantly researching and searching for alternatives. As soon as we will find a good alternative, you will be the first to know.
Next, we ensured all our partners follow ethical manufacturing processes and their certifications are up to date.
Further, we partnered with clean logistics companies so when you receive your products, it will get to you with the smallest possible ecological footprint, in a plastic free packaging.
- What does Treehopper represent? Why should I wear a Treehopper?
You can check out the long version here, why we chose Treehopper to represent our brand. In short, Treehoppers are nature's version of being viral! (think tweet, not fever).
If you believe in doing the small things in everyday life, whether it be turning off lights when not needed or if you don’t let the tap run while brushing your teeth.
Remember, It all adds up. We want your contribution to be heard.
What we wear is powerful. Like a treehopper, you can spread the message by simply wearing our unique designs.
Designs which are curated with help of thought leaders in human psychology, relationships, community helpers, art and regular folks from many walks of lives. But in the end designs which have to meet the following three criteria:
It should be,
Inspirational: Inspiration can come from anywhere, but there are a few select categories which can inspire a broad set of people with diverse viewpoints.
Relatable: Your sustainability might not be the same as someone else’s. So our designs should be such that it provides a common ground for everyone, regardless of how they perceive and practice sustainability in their lives.
Bold: Just bold enough to provoke a dialogue. If it is a bit less bold than it should be, it becomes run of the mill. If it is a bit more bold, it generates strong reactions as opposed to dialogue. Our designs excel at threading the needle (no pun intended).
Check out our inaugural PORTLAND design series. And remember to use code TREEHOPPER to claim your 20% discount for your first order.
Tag your photos with #sustainabilityNeedsU and #treehopper to be featured on our channel.