Everyone claims to be sustainable, just and a fair company in today’s world where the ideologies and beliefs highly influence the way we consume things, where we chose to work, and the way we live our life. Nowadays the consumers are 35% more likely to support the brands that are giving back to the environment. There are rising questions regarding the authenticity of these actions which sometimes feels counter intuitive.
For example, when Apple and Samsung started not including the charger with the phone with promise of being more environmentally conscious by reducing packaging waste, questions were raised regarding their other approaches. Them taking off the headphone jack which would only mean more sales for the newer wireless Bluetooth earphones. Which leads to more packaging waste and more plastic usage than it would have been during the time when it was shipped with the box. This is just an example and as consumers question the authenticity of these sustainability claims, we have to understand that there are companies where sustainability is part of a publicity stunt, rather than their identity.
Welcome to the outdoor sports apparel industry. The textile industry has been guilty of contributing to approximately 8% of greenhouse gas emissions in the world. Producing one cotton t-shirt requires about 2700 liters of water, that is a person’s drinking water for 2.5 years. The fast fashion culture with companies fighting with each other contributes to the increased rates of waste thrown away. In the United States, on average 37 Kg of clothes are thrown away annually. Consumers are buying 60% more clothes than how it was before 15 years, but they are keeping these garments for only half as long. So, simply it is pretty much impossible for textile industry to be fully safe for the planet, but we need clothes and we can be responsible in producing and consuming the products. A few companies are focused on that.
All three of the companies I am going to discuss are certified B-corp companies. Which means the for profit organisation has been certified by non profit organisation B Lab for meeting rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. This is recertified every three years, and each certification takes account of 12 months of operations to grant this certification.
Patagonia: Living the Mission
Patagonia is the first name that will come to your mind if you know something about the sustainable clothing space. Their mission is “We are in business to save our planet”. Their core values is to build the best product without causing unnecessary harm. They also provide worn wear through a separate Patagonia website, and donate 1% of their sales to the planet. This company was built on the values of the founder Yvon Chouinard, who has now transferred ownership of the company to a trust and non profit organisation, the Patagonia perpetual purpose trust and holdfast collective to ensure continued protection of the planet.
Their customers are socially responsible consumers who prioritise brands with strong commitments. They are also often outdoor enthusiasts as Patagonia caters to the outdoor lifestyle, being adventurous and being close to the nature. It is to be noted that they are a premium brand and prices are more than what you expect to pay at a North Face for example. But you can see it is a brand that lives the talk, by following ethical labour practices and even buying back the clothes. This creates loyalty and trust for the customers. And they can be proud to be wearing this brand’s clothes.
Veja: Transparency in Action
Veja is a French brand which was created in 2004 after the founders found the unsatisfying labour practices and unethical sources around the globe. Their vision was to rethink the creation of popular product. They use organic cotton for their sneakers, amazonian rubber for soles and even recycled plastic bottles and polyester. Their labour practices are based in Brazil, where they are paying 3.5 times the market rates for rubber ensuring fair compensation and economic justice. They mention in their website that they could increase the margin by choosing other cheaper countries to manufacture but the sourcing would be unethical practices and the company doesn’t want to do that.
Veja operates with a 0 Ads strategy, focusing on relocating those money to ensure the continuous well being of the people who are producing the sneakers. They are also open about their supply chain processes and route. Veja is adored by ethical, conscious customers who values transparency and ethical labour practices. Customers find the authenticity and transparency appealing to continue the support they have for the brand. They are also loved for their classic, minimalistic style.
Picture Organic: Making Sustainability Accessible
Picture Organic clothing, which was created in 2008 with the mission of reducing environmental impact on technical wear in France. Their efforts include using organic cotton, recycled polyester and bio sourced fabrics like sugarcane water. They commit to fair wear standards for ethical labor and supply chain transparency. They always keep aggressive targets to reduce carbon emissions and reliance on fossil fuels. Picture aims to bring more affordable alternatives to the eco conscious consumers around the globe.
The customer base of Picture is similar to Patagonia, environmentally conscious outdoor enthusiast who wants performance with minimum impact to the environment. The consumers appreciate the transparency and the use of GOTS (Global organic textile standard), Oeko-Tex gives trust to the brand from the customers, their products deemed environment friendly as much as they can.
An Overlook of the three
| Category | Patagonia | Veja | Picture Organic Clothing |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Valuation / Revenue |
~$1.5 billion (estimated annual revenue) |
€245 million ($265M) revenue (2024) |
~$54.7 million revenue (2023) |
|
Design |
Functional, durable, outdoor performance; classic and technical styles |
Minimalist, clean, urban sneakers; eco-material focus |
Bold, youthful, action-sports inspired; playful graphics, technical outerwear |
|
Brand Values |
Environmental stewardship, transparency, activism, quality, repairability |
Fair trade, transparency, ecological sourcing, social inclusion |
Eco-design, affordability, circularity, activism, inclusivity |
|
What They Do to Be Genuine |
Founded to “save our home planet”; profit ownership transferred to environmental trust; full supply chain transparency |
Founded as a sustainable brand; no ad spend, invests in materials and labor; direct trade with producers; B Corp |
Founded for sustainability; transparent reporting; B Corp; continuous R&D in eco-materials; grassroots activism |
|
Key Initiatives |
1% for the Planet, Worn Wear (repair/reuse), Net Zero by 2040, recycled/organic materials, B Corp, supply chain audits |
Organic cotton, wild Amazonian rubber, recycled materials, Clean/Repair/Collect project, no air shipping, social inclusion partnerships |
Organic/recycled/bio-sourced fabrics, Fair Wear Foundation, in-house recycling, take-back/upcycling programs, 1% for the Planet, low-carbon HQ |
The Customer Connection
These brands attract customers aged 25-44, particularly Millennials and Gen Z who value environmental stewardship, ethical consumption, durability, transparency, and quality. What’s interesting is how each brand serves different income levels while maintaining their sustainability commitments. Patagonia targets affluent consumers willing to pay premium prices, Veja appeals to middle to upper-middle class urban professionals, and Picture focuses on price-sensitive younger demographics who still want sustainability.
Conclusion
When the questions of greenwashing arise, the customers are conscious about the decisions they make. I believe it is a great thing to have consumers who have high values, and demand these values to be reflected by what they consume. This enables higher standards by the companies. I see our three companies – amongst other examples I didn’t include, as proof that focusing on the environment and spending money on that front is still profitable. By being genuine and transparent while providing high quality products, they are doing their part to ensure generations that follow will also get to live and breathe what we have.
