Giving Back
When I first started to think about creating my own business in 2012 I wanted it to be a business that created positive change. I had many qualms with the fashion/ design industry and wanted to create something that was better. I always have thought that good design has the ability to inspire conscious change. I wanted to create products that solved problems, were long-lasting, had great utility, and could also be a great canvas for my artwork. I was spending more time at home and I wanted my environment to reflect both my values and my design sense.
Today, Supra Endura is focused on creating well designed products that will help you use less. We have focused on creating sustainable products with great utility that have a modern look. We believe in transparency and sharing with you what we are doing to be a better business and citizens of the world. We are a very small business which sometimes limits us in our scope but we are committed to doing better and trying to create positive environmental and social change through our company.
Donating a Portion of Our Profits
When I first launched Supra Endura in 2013 the idea was to create a printed clothing collection where the print told the story of a cause and for every item purchased a portion of sales when back to that cause. This was a highly conceptual idea and while very fun to work on, it was very hard to pull off. In 2020 I pivoted the brand to more sustainable printed home products but I still wanted a portion of our proceeds to go back to causes I cared about.
Supra Endura wants to continue to raise awareness and fund for environmental and social justice issues. Below are some of the causes we are working with, we have pledged to donating 8% of our Net Profit to the causes below:
Cool Effect, a registered 501(c) (3) nonprofit. Combining science, expertise, and transparency, Cool Effect is creating a community built around one simple vision: give people the power and confidence to band together and reduce the carbon pollution that causes climate change. Cool Effect works on a range of global projects that are carefully selected, meticulously analyzed, and scientifically verified to reduce carbon emissions. We have been proud to partner with Cool Effect for 2020- 2022 and will continue to work with them.
We are so proud to volunteer with Philabundance. Philabundance's mission is to drive hunger from our communities and to end hunger for good. In addition to food distribution, they strive to reduce food waste, increase access to nutritious meals, and tackle the root causes of hunger through programs such as the Philabundance Community Kitchen.
We have done fundraisers for Philabundance in the past years and have also volunteered at they many different community kitchens across the greater Philadelphia area.
Responsible Manufacturing
When we started this business in 2012 we were making cloths in America. A lot has changed since then and now we focus on more home and kitchen items and work with manufacturers in China, India and the United States. Our shift in manufacturing is due to the nature of our products, many of which are digitally printed and need more complex supplies/ machinery to create them efficiently. Our goal is to always work with responsible manufacturers that have been vetted and pass industry standards. For most of our overseas partner we make sure they are either Sedex certified, a BCSI certification that is a B rating or above, or are Fairtrade certified. In 2022 we are making a commitment to try and have 25% of our product assortment be Fairtrade certified or made in America. Below is a list of terms to better understand our manufacturing:
BSCI Certified- We work with factories that meet Amfori BCSI certification. Along with making sure that the factory has a safe working environment, no discrimination, no long work hours, decent payment as set by the federal laws, that the workers are able to unionize and know their rights, BSCI also outlines environmental practice as well. They do very thorough inspection and outline all aspect of how the factory meets these standards.
Sedex Compliant- Sedex is one of the world’s leading ethical trade membership organization, working with businesses to improve working conditions in global supply chains. Sedex provide an online platform, tools and services to help businesses operate responsibly and sustainably, protect workers and source ethically.
Fairtrade Certified- A fair trade certified seal means this product has met rigours standards for safe working conditions, environmental protection, sustainable livelihoods and community Development Funds.
GOTS Certified Organic Cotton- GOTs certified organic cotton is used in most of our cotton products. GOTS is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibers, including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent third-party certification of the entire textile supply chain. GOTS certification builds upon four distinctive and unique features: organic fibers, ecological and social criteria, all processing stage and third party certification
Wastage
We are very focused on creating products that have very little waste. In the creation of our beeswax wraps and Swedish dishcloth we focus on rectangular shapes and sizes that fit into our fabric roll. We also create all of artwork in repeat so the printing is continuous and makes for less wastage.
Art To Educate + Inspire
We love using our artwork to spread messages of positivity and social justice. Each year we create new prints that are free for our followers to download and use as they please. Our artwork has focused on environmental issues, racial equality, gender equality and LGBTQIA rights.