The most inspiring companies

The following companies are ones that I have been following over the years- I love buying their products and supporting them because I believe this is the way the world needs to run. What amazes me about these companies, and the more I read about them the more I learn- is that they are doing their best- Always reinventing, learning, doing, and morphing themselves as new studies and technologies come out.

Patagonia- An American outdoor clothing company which has now also expanded into sustainably sourced food products. Their mission statement is "Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.” Or as they also say- they are in the business to save our planet. Patagonia commits 1% of its total sales to environmental groups, and in 2016 Patagonia went even further and pledged to contribute 100% of sales from Black Friday to environmental organizations, totaling $10m!

Patagonia is pioneering the world of consumerism- 20 years ago they were the first to use organic cotton, in 2012 they became a B Corp company and today they are giving new merchandise credits if you bring in your old patagonia clothing (which then gets cleaned and repaired and sold on their "worn wear" website).

If that wasn't enough, this past year, Patagonia used their 10M$ in tax benefits from Trump's 2017 tax cut bill for grassroots activism throughout the community (groups committed to protecting air, land and water and finding solutions to the climate crisis)

Take a look at their webiste- besides selling amazing, durable outdoor clothes, they also share videos and stories that are educational and really make you want to get out there.

So next time you're in the market for a new coat, a backpack, or even just a firsbee, be sure to hit up Patagonia.

Toms- A company that designs and markets shoes, in recent years has also branched out to eyewear, coffee, apparel, and handbags. Toms is known to be the first company that started the "one for one" business model- for every pair of shoes purchased, Toms donated a pair of shoes to a child in need in poor areas around the world. The model has evolved over the years, mainly because of criticism, which in turn Toms responded by moving much of their manufacturing to third world countries to help provide jobs for local people (the good old teach a man to fish saying...) Today, Toms has a few different models- for every coffee bean bag you buy, Toms works with organizations to provide safe water (equal to a one week supply) to a family in need that lives in a coffee-producing region, for every sunglasses pair you purchase, Toms is putting money toward medical treatment, eye surgeries and prescription glasses with the help of third-party organizations.

Thanks to the founder Blake Mycoskie and his forward thinking of the one for one model, many businesses have followed lead. After recent gun shootings across the US, in early 2019, Blake appeared on live television and announced that he will donate $5m towards gun control regulation.

Elephant journal- Truth be told- Elephant Journal was my first internship as I was finishing college in Boulder in 2004. Since I studied Sociology and Communications and was very interested in the conscious eco life, I thought, what better place to go work! Elephant Journal is your guide to what we like to call the mindful life: yoga, organics, sustainability, genuine spirituality, conscious consumerism, fair fashion, the contemplative arts…anything that helps us to live a good life that also happens to be good for others, and our planet.

Waylon Lewis has, through the years, kept to his word- always looking to find the truth behind every story, interviewing the most interesting people in the LOHAS industry, finding the best eco-friendly products out there, and just outright trying to do things the right way (which is never easy!). Here you can find great reading materials really on anything to expand your knowledge on health, sustainability, yoga, conscious consumerism, enlightened education, the contemplative arts, adventure, and family.

Athleta- A premium fitness and lifestyle brand, creating versatile performance apparel. Their 5 core values are: movement matters, performance empowers, design for life, sisterhood elevates, and sustainability sustains us. Athleta is also a B-Corp company, and since leggings has become every women's best friend, it is important to know that this company cares about their fabrics and Mother Earth. Currently, 60% of Athleta's fabric materials are made using sustainable fibers, by 2020 they want to commit to making 25% of their products using water saving methods, and over 70% of their shipping packaging has been diverted from landfills. Besides creating comfortable clothing using sustainable materials, Athleta also empowers girls through the #powerofshe campaign- showcasing the power of women coming together to create social impact through a foundation of health and wellness ("Alone We Are Strong, United We Thrive").

Riverford- An organic farm-turned organic vegetable box delivery company in the UK. In the 1980s, Guy Singh-Watson's decided he wanted to convert the family farm into an organic one, during that time, he was also looking for a good way to distribute their produce- that's when he came up with the idea of a weekly veggie box delivered direct to consumer's doors. Today, the company works with organic farmers all over the UK and distributes over 47,000 boxes weekly- including local veggies, fruits, meats, dairy, and wines. Cutting out the supermarket middle-man, Riverford is able to give its customers the best produce (not necessarily the prettiest, but definitely the finest), and its farmers fair prices for their hard work and labor. Today, Riverford has its own farm-to-table restaurant, where all guests eat together in shared tables and all are served at the same time in order to share the experience. On their website Riverford supply people with easy recipes that can be made using their weekly boxed goodies, farm news, and more.

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Are there other companies that inspire you and do good in the world? Let me know in the comments, I would love to hear about it!