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Brands you can feel good about
Customers care about how products are made and so do we. Below are some of our top suppliers that offer promotional products that minimize environmental impact without sacrificing quality, creativity, or performance. From eco-friendly materials to ethical production, every product is designed to help your brand make a positive impression. Click on a brand to learn more about their sustanability statments.
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GROSCHE
After dealing with serious waterborne illness firsthand, Helmi and Mehreen decided to dedicate their lives to giving safe water to those in need. Founding GROSCHE in 2006 with visions of a social enterprise that could change the world. They use the profits from the sales of their products to fund the GROSCHE SAFE WATER PROJECT.
What They Do
When you buy a GROSCHE product, you're funding 50+ days of safe drinking water for someone in need via the GROSCHE Safe Water Project.
The Safe Water Project (SWP) provides people in need with safe drinking water through the construction and installation of Biosand water filters. Made with local skills and materials, these water filters purify contaminated water without the use of chemicals, electricity, or any replacement cartridges. Made of cement or clay and only using gravel and sand to biologically purify water, so it's safe to drink.
These biosand filters last up to 30 years, purifying water for a family of up to 10 people without any extra chemicals, cartridges, electricity, or moving parts and requiring little to no maintenance.
Sustainable Development
GROSCHE's approach to giving back is one of empowering sustainable development. The filters GROSCHE funds are locally made and serviced, with local materials, by local people. They install the filters GROSCHE funds, as well as sell filters to those who can buy. This empowers GROSCHE's teams to build skills, have a source of income, and gain sustainable employment that benefits those in need.
Where are projects located?
Biosand filters work in warm and temperate climates. Safe Water Projects and water filters are located in remote, mainly agricultural areas (with no access to electricity) in South Sudan, Uganda, Malawi, India, Pakistan, and The Philippines.
MADE FREE
Every MADE FREE purchase supports a day of freedom from human trafficking, slavery, and poverty through sustainable employment opportunities and fair wages.
After Co-founder Brad Jeffery's return from travels in Africa and South Asia, he couldn’t shake the hunger to develop a business model to help the millions of people suffering from human trafficking, slavery, and extreme poverty.
Along with his wife Katherine, who shared his passion for helping the most vulnerable, they created MADE FREE to connect the fortunate few with the marginalized many through dignified work and ethical fashion.
Fair Trade Certified Factories
All MADE FREE factories meet or exceed World Fair Trade Organization standards, ensuring fair pay, safe working conditions, and the right to form unions.
Livable Wages & Income Security
Fair Trade guarantees fair pay, lifting people from poverty and providing income security.
Safe Working Conditions
Factories support safe, healthy work environments, essential in sectors where unsafe conditions are common.
Community & Environment
Fair jobs create a social safety net, reducing exploitation risks while supporting sustainable practices that protect local environments.
kotmo
With its B Corp certification, kotmo has become a Canadian leader for responsible promotional items. With a majority of their products are made in Quebec by local designers and manufacturers and meet high environmental requirements.
Certified B Corp
kotmo is the only Quebec promotional products design company to have been certified B Corp since 2016.
Women Owned
kotmo is a company designed and run by women entrepreneurs and received Women Owned certification from WBE Canada.
Core Priorities
- Reducing their GHG emissions
- Establish a system for managing residual materials from production and use.
- Supporting sustainable mobility
- Tackling the problem of surplus production
- Maximize the use of eco-responsible raw materials and be a vector for the development of eco-responsible raw materials and eco-design.
Helly Hansen
Helly Hansen knows that long-term success can only be achieved by respecting, protecting, and promoting ethical values, human rights, and the environment.
Materials & Technologies
Helly Hansens aspires to make products that can live through generations. Long-lasting products require durable materials, which is a priority for them and an advantage for the environment. Therefore, Helly Hansen constantly works to develop and choose materials with the lowest environmental impact.
Fair Working Practices
The textile and garment industry is made up of a complex supply chain stretched all over the globe. It covers industries such as chemical suppliers, yarn spinners, material suppliers, and garment manufacturers, often situated in countries with weak social regulations.
Long-Lasting Products
For the past 140 years, Helly Hansen has developed and tested its technologies together with professionals living and working in some of the world’s harshest environments. Their spirit, experiences, and feedback are woven into every detail and every fiber of their garments. They design these garments to be durable and long-lasting for even the toughest critics.
End of Life Cycle
Central to Helly Hansen’s sustainability efforts is their focus on the quality, performance, and longevity of their products. With growing internal awareness around the textile waste challenges and opportunities to utilize products and materials in a second life, they are currently evaluating and researching possibilities for Helly Hansen to be a positive part of the circle.
Stormtech
STORMTECH is committed to minimizing their environmental impact and enhancing sustainable practices through responsible design, sourcing, and daily business operations.
Sustainable Production
- Sustainable Fabrics: Include Global Recycled Standard (GRS)-certified recycled polyester (RPET), representing over 90% of new styles in 2023.
- Responsibly Sourced Cotton: Support responsible cotton farming programs that reduce water, pesticide, and fertilizer use.
- Advancing Water Repellency Beyond PFAS: Since 2023, all Stormtech waterproof and water-repellent outerwear has been produced without the use of intentionally added PFAS chemicals, verified through independent testing against industry standards.
- Polygiene® StayFresh Technology: Treated garments stay fresh longer, reducing the need for frequent washing and reducing water and energy use.
- Fair & Safe Working Conditions: All suppliers must comply with Stormtech's Supplier Code of Conduct, ensuring fair wages, ethical labour, and safe environments.
Ethical Sourcing & Responsible Production
- Fair & Safe Working Conditions: All suppliers must comply with Stormtech's Supplier Code of Conduct, ensuring fair wages, ethical labour, and safe environments.
- Strict Environmental Standards: They evaluate factories for compliance with emissions, water use, waste management, and chemical safety regulations.
- Third-Party & Internal Audits: They conduct regular assessments to ensure the supply chain meets or exceeds industry sustainability benchmarks.
- Open Supply Chain: Sharing where their products are made ensures transparency, accountability, and a strong foundation for future compliance.
S&S
S&S corporate policies and guidelines focus heavily on building trust, mitigation frameworks, and deep corporate accountability.
Social Focus
S&S strives to create a safe and rewarding workplace and sustainable company for all their stakeholders.
Governance
S&S corporate policies and guidelines establish standards of conduct. A strong governance structure is essential to safeguard their business from future risks, create value, and build trust and accountability.
Environmental Framework
Starting in 2022, S&S began calculating their greenhouse gas emissions so they can accurately track and report their YoY performance. Since then, they’ve formalized their data collection, tracking, and management processes for their greenhouse gas emissions and continued investing in solar power production at their facilities.
HPG
Carbon emissions reduction, championing social causes, and upholding responsible business practices are rightly all standard components of any company's ESG strategy. HPG will continue to benchmark today’s impact, set ambitious goals for the future, and report progress transparently every year.
Priorities
Sustainability is a vast topic, so they have looked to experts both inside and outside of the industry to help guide and assess priorities. HPG has decided to set them under three key categories: Environmental, Social, and Governance.
The 2024 Sustainability Report defines measurable E.S.G. goals for 2025 and beyond. HPG is committed to being transparent when they're successful and when they fall short. These goals will expand in scope and ambition every year as they learn and evolve.
Aligned with Global Goals
HPG is part of the UN Global Compact, the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative.
HPG recognizes the importance of aligning their sustainability efforts with these global objectives. From the UN's SDGs, HPG has pinpointed five areas where their actions can have a meaningful impact. Their efforts align with these specific areas, demonstrating their commitment to driving positive change in line with the broader global agenda.
Cutter & Buck
Committed to sustainability, creating long-lasting products through sustainable production practices. Cutter & Buck focuses on Sustainability Objectives in three areas: Sustainable Products, Sustainable Operations, and Sustainable Production.
Sustainable Products
Over 90% of their clothing is sustainably made. Cutter & Buck eliminated 99% of all air-freight from their supply chain. Why? Shipping via sea freight reduces CO2 emissions on an average rate of 20-30X.
Sustainable Production
Cutter & Buck is an affiliate of the Fair Labour Association to ensure equitable treatment of everyone throughout their supply chain. Accountability and transparency are key.
SanMar
The Authentic T-Shirt Company®/SanMar Canada realizes the importance of overseeing how products are made to minimize their environmental impact, lower their carbon footprint, and ensure that the people who bring their products to life are treated fairly for a future we all want to live in.
Third Party Testing (OEKO-TEX®)
OEKO-TEX® is a third-party certification program for a trusted solution. OEKO-TEX® standards enable everyone to make responsible decisions and protect natural resources. Driven by sustainability and a dedication to transparency, their work is grounded in proven science.
Check the label for apparel items that are OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certified. STANDARD 100 is one of the world's best-known labels for textiles tested for harmful substances. It stands for customer confidence and high product safety.
Every component of an article has to comply with the strict OEKO-TEX® test criteria, from the coating, the outer material, and the stitching, to the application and zipper. The test criteria are globally standardized and are updated at least once a year on the basis of new scientific information or statutory requirements. The tests are conducted and the certificates issued exclusively by neutral and independent OEKO-TEX® test institutes, and by using the number on the label, you can check the validity of the certification at any time.
Material Innovation
STeP focuses on the certification of the entire production chain from the first thread to the final zipper. OEKO-TEX® STeP is constantly evolving to meet changing industry requirements, provide benchmarking, and guide facilities in continuous improvement. STeP analyzes all important areas of a company using 6 modules: Chemical management, Environmental performance, Environmental management, Social responsibility, Quality management, and Health protection and safety at work.
Organic cotton is grown without fossil fuel-derived pesticides or synthetic fertilizers.
All of their recycled polyester is made from plastic, which is cleaned, shredded, converted into pellets, and then spun into high-quality yarn. In addition to reducing waste, recycled polyester lowers carbon emissions and diverts plastic bottles away from landfills and waterways.
PCNA
PCNA builds sustainability into their business operations by incorporating environmental assessments into procurement decisions, including climate risk analysis in facility planning, and staying ahead of regulatory requirements rather than reacting to them.
1% For The Planet
PCNA partners with 1% For The Planet, a global network of businesses working to support people and the planet. Thus far, PCNA has contributed $1.6 million to non-profits working to improve water access, food security and nature-based carbon solutions.
By the Numbers
- 35 MILLION Plastic Bottles Upcycled
- 35+ RETAIL BRANDS
- 2 MILLION Pounds of Cotton Recycled
- 6 MILLION+ Trees Planted
- 600+ Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Products
SRG
SRG has positioned sustainability as a core business value. From decarbonizing operations to award-winning give-back initiatives, SRG provides solutions that advance sustainability in the promo industry.
Environmental Sustainability
SRG is dedicated to environmental stewardship, integrating sustainability into every aspect of operations—from innovative production and packaging solutions to collaborating with like-minded suppliers. Led by promotional industry experts in sustainability, initiatives drive meaningful change, enhance product offerings, reduce operational emissions, and prioritize robust environmental management systems.
The Four Core Pillars
- Remove: Remove carbon emission contributors and wasteful practices.
- Reduce: Reduce carbon sources, water consumption, waste, and air emissions.
- Replace: Replace carbon-intense equipment and processes.
- Offset: Compensate for unavoidable emissions through verified offset programs.
Spector & Co.
Sustainable Operations are the foundation of Spector & Co.’s environmental efforts. With a focus on energy and CO2 reduction, recycling, and minimizing waste, Spector & Co. takes environmental commitment seriously. Managing energy use and climate emissions is key to resource conservation. Proper recycling and waste minimization are ways Spector & Co. works to reduce and prevent waste. They also strive to achieve long-term sustainability through improved machinery design and operations.
360 Degree Commitment
Spector & Co. commits to act responsibly by always striving to choose the options with the lowest impact on the environment.
Energy Reduction
Spector & Co. has reduced its net emissions by 40%:
- By converting compact fluorescent lighting in their production and warehouse facilities
- By purchasing new equipment that meets energy efficiency and flexibility guidelines
Eco Products
Spector & Co. strives to work only with trustworthy suppliers to ensure that green product claims can be supported and are never exaggerated.
Waste Reduction
Spector & Co. is recycling office and production paper, cardboard, wooden pallets, glass, and plastic.
They also recycle contaminated waste created during production. Rags and empty chemical containers are picked up weekly by a company specialized in recycling chemicals.
They are continuously working with suppliers to find new ways to reduce packaging and find biodegradable and/or recycled alternatives.
Water Care and Consumption
They installed a filtering machine in the camera room where screens are washed to ensure contaminated waters are purified before ending up in the sewage system.