UBB - A Company Doing Good For The Planet While Delivering Good Product

Try to leave the Earth a better place than when you arrived. -S. Sheldon

United by Blue (UBB) is an outdoor brand that has both a coffee shop and a sit-down restaurant within the 4 walls of its retail store.

“We don't have to sacrifice a strong economy for a healthy environment.” D. Weaver

Towards the end of 202, Brian Linton and I met for lunch at the UBB store on Race Street in Philadelphia. United by Blue (UBB) is an outdoor brand that has both a coffee shop and a sit-down restaurant within the 4 walls of its retail store. Brian is one of the co-founders of this brand which marries commerce with a mission dedicated to cleaning up the earth through meaningful programs. 

The product offered by UBB is good, it's actually very good. Full disclosure, I have been a fan since that lunch with Brian. If you are looking for soft denim, pocket T’s,  fisherman's sweaters, Rugby sweaters, Flannels, soft dresses, a racerback bra, boots, stoneware, and backpacks this is the place for you. Here is what makes this brand shine. The brand lives by the mantra Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. As a result, UBB is committed to removing 1 pound of waste in the waterways for each item they sell. That is 4.4 million pounds removed since 2010 and counting. Some companies might hang their hat on that initiative alone. UBB is doing more, much more! Recognized Certified B in 2011, the business has developed a 4 prong approach to running its business while spreading the message of responsibility. That program is based on Sustainability, Cleanups, Materials, and Manufacturing.

Sustainability

Using recycled products, such as recycled wool, cashmere, and plastics. Using bison fiber a soft warm and sustainable material uses less water and is without the pesticides used on conventional cotton. Corozo is a nut product used to make buttons that is far better for the environment than plastic or polyester buttons. This is just a sampling of a long list of UBB’s efforts to create a product that respects the environment.

Cleanups

This fashion retailer continues to organize cleanups in the United States and Southeast Asia. They will help your organization, or corporation organizes a cleanup because they care about the conservation of the earth's waterways. Cleanup will involve the separation of trash from recyclable items. Those recyclable items are now put to good use.

Materials

UBB is committed as a team to using materials that recycle waste before it hits the landfill, don’t damage the environment, and use fibers such as bison trim. As it states on its website, they think of waste ( or the lack thereof ) from the start of every product. Next up is the use of shipment materials and changes UBB wants to see from how the product is packaged, to how it can be reused multiple times in the future. 

Manufacturing

100% of brand manufacturers have signed a code of conduct that states that suppliers and those in its network must promote and demonstrate a true environmental impact concern along with safe working conditions with the objective being to leave the world a better place. Going forward audits to ensure compliance will be instituted to enforce the code focused on improving the social concerns of workers along with the environment.

Companies that are making the effort to drive the top line while doing their best to respect the planet and leave it better than they found it should be celebrated. UBB is genuine in its desire to be a successful relevant business entity that is determined to change not only how they do business. I believe that soon the rest of the retail industry will follow them as well as the other pioneers leading the way down the path of change.

-Kevin Finnegan