Before these fires at home (Portland, Oregon), I knew that sustainability was important. But if I’m being honest, my heart wasn’t in it. It was "the good thing to do" (with extra air quotes) that also scored you cool points.
Caring about the environment and taking the appropriate action in my own life isn’t optional anymore for me. If it is for you, we’re not here to shame you into action. But at the minimum, it’s a call to care about the people around you. This is about our homes and our home planet. Whether it’s fires in my backyard or floods in Texas or earthquakes somewhere else, I’m here to care about it. Existing inequities, poverty, and injustice are exacerbated by environmental issues.
I’m incredibly grateful that in the midst of this processing, I’ve been working with a brand that gives us just that - a way for our care and action to combine powerfully in our consumer apparel choices. They’re called Poplinen and they produce a sustainable and fit-inclusive apparel line of capsule wardrobe essentials.
Sustainability can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. To Poplinen, “sustainable” means it's made with the lowest impact on the environment including being made with:
Made ethically in Downtown Los Angeles
Low-impact dyes are used
Oeko Tex Certified (this means the product is completely free from harmful chemicals and safe for human use)
Natural fibers (think organic cotton, Tencel, organic linen, recycled denim, and Modal)
Through Poplinen I have been introduced to ultra-soft sustainable materials that I didn’t know anything about before. I’ve learned to look out for organic cotton, organic linen, Tencel, and bamboo pieces for their quality and texture.
If no one has invited you onto the capsule wardrobe train yet, consider this a formal invitation. They say you wear 20% of your wardrobe 80% of the time. The Capsule takes that concept and flips it upside down. Over time, the goal is to pair down the volume of clothes and get really honest about the pieces you love in that top 20% that you end up wearing again and again. When it’s time for a new item, you intentionally look for pieces that can go with a lot of different looks and be styled multiple ways for multiple vibes.
Pieces like the Mercedes Linen Shirt show off Poplinen’s commitment to comfort without compromising on style. Whether you’re using it as a cover-up over a swimsuit, an extra layer over a tank on a summer night, a base layer buttoned down with one side tucked in, or even buttoned all the way up with a French tuck for a polished finish, this piece does it all. (*Phew. Almost ran out of breath, that’s how many options there are.)
By working with Poplinen, we have created an avenue for customers who love the planet, love their bodies (no matter the size and shape), and want to get more involved to join as Scouts. As a Scout, you join a community of trailblazers like yourself, share the product at Pop-ups, and earn cash as you go. In these uncertain times (understatement of 2020), it’s so important for brands to come alongside the energy their customers are already creating.
It all starts with the values and the drive to do something good in the world. What is your brand doing to make the earth a better place?
About the Author
Bri Leever is Chief Community Architect at Ember, a splasher of water, and lover of books doing life in an ever-changing migration pattern ✈️
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