As United By Blue nears 10 years in business, I find myself thinking more about what it is to build a sustainable business and what the future definition of sustainability should be—both for us as a company and the world as a whole.
The main realization I’ve had after working in the industry for so many years is that sustainability is not, and cannot be, a status quo. What is sustainable today is probably not the most sustainable solution a year from now. It’s an ever-moving target that has to be continuously monitored and readdressed. My hope for the future is that the definition of, and our capabilities for, sustainability evolves so far beyond our current definition that we look back and view our current practices and products as downright harmful.
Several years ago, United By Blue embarked on a journey to identify and utilize natural materials that were going to waste but could instead be made into product. Even though wool is a readily-available and cost-effective natural fiber, we knew there were other fibers being wasted—discarded or destroyed in industries with undeveloped supply chains.
In our research, we discovered the luxurious, warm fiber from the North American bison was discarded in the process of raising bison for meat. We’ve since incorporated that fiber into United By Blue products, from socks to outerwear. We took something with no commercial value and not only gave it commercial value but also a net positive gain for the environment.
Yet in an industry that praises sustainable product design, we often forget sustainability is not simply about what a company makes. Companies are far too complex to judge them solely on what a consumer sees on a retailer’s shelves. True sustainability comes from a holistic view of a company and all its inner workings.
When I look at United By Blue, I know we are only as sustainable as the sum of all our parts—from the electricity that powers our properties, to the fibers we use in our products, to the thousands of volunteers we work with each year at the cleanups organized and hosted by our company. Understanding this may seem rudimentary, but I believe it is all too often overlooked as we jump to judge a company on its finished product and never lift the hood to see what is inside.
A critical and holistic view of sustainability is important because our world is at a point in history where business leaders must not only think about lessening their environmental impact but eliminating it altogether. No business has achieved this yet, and United By Blue is not even close. However, having a collective understanding of our shortcomings is the only way to progress beyond what we currently claim to be sustainable. It’s only through our understanding and criticism of what we currently deem good for the environment that we are able to push forward, improve and evolve our practices and definition of what it means to be sustainable.
This story first appeared in RANGE Magazine Issue 10, which is dedicated to the idea of progress. Get your hands on a copy HERE.
XX Brian Linton