Earlier today, outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland announced a partnership with Thread, a recycled fabric manufacturer that uses recycled bottles from Haiti and Honduras. Going beyond environmental sustainability, Thread also creates social value in the form of cleaner neighborhoods and job creation for thousands of people. The partnership—the largest to date for Thread—will bear its first fruit in spring 2017, with a collection of Timberland footwear and bags made from Thread fabric.
“We are beyond excited about partnering with Thread,” offers Colleen Vien, director of sustainability for Timberland. “From the moment we met them, we knew this had the potential to be far more than a supplier relationship. Building community has always been at the heart of Timberland, and we were also inspired by the Haiti connection, given our work there over the past five years. Any time we find an opportunity to create both environmental and social value, that’s a big win. And Thread does just that.”
“This partnership is truly special. We’re proud to work with a brand with such a longstanding commitment to the environment and social responsibility,” echoes Ian Rosenberger, CEO of Thread. “Working together transparently, we’re able to look beyond recycled materials toward the rich social impact consumers care about and the stories that bring beautiful products to life.”
Timberland also has strong connections to Haiti, making the partnership with Thread a natural fit. The brand recently culminated a five-year commitment to plant five million trees in Haiti, which resulted in the creation of a self-sustaining agroforestry cooperative helping 3,200 smallholder farmers increase productivity on their farmlands, increase their incomes and create new opportunities for the future. To learn more about Timberland’s work in Haiti, visit kombitfilm.com.
Timberland and Thread will discuss their partnership, including the opportunities it presents to transform the way consumers and brands think about sustainability, at the Sustainable Brands conference in San Diego next week.
