Sustainability at Scale - Gap Inc., Coyuchi, and Allbirds
What is the reality of scaling sustainable and ethical production as companies grow into global brands?
On September 14, 2017, The Sustainable Fashion Alliance and Fashion Incubator San Francisco partnered for an exploratory discussion on the successes and challenges of sustainability at scale. The event consisted of a panel of industry experts from three locally grown companies - Gap Inc., Allbirds, and Coyuchi. Moderated by the Sustainable Fashion Alliance cofounder and creative director for Wildlife Works, Joyce Hu.
Watch the live stream here.
SPEAKERS
Eileen Mockus, CEO, Coyuchi
Eileen Mockus is the CEO at Coyuchi, a home textile company committed to making thoughtfully designed, quality goods with processes that are both friendly to people and the planet. The company is a pioneer in working with organic cotton, GOTS certification, and responsible wool for its products. The company recently launched Coyuchi for Life, the first sustainable subscription model for home textiles. Eileen holds a BS in Textiles and Clothing from the University of California, Davis, and a MSBA from San Francisco State University. She learned about entrepreneurship first-hand while developing new products for the North Face, and honed her business development and branding skills at Pottery Barn Kids and PB Teen. At these and other iconic brands, such as Patagonia, she developed a deep knowledge about textiles and the supply chain through visits to mills and manufacturers in the USA, Asia and Europe. Learn more: www.coyuchi.com/environmental-social-initiatives.
Jad Finck, VP of Innovation & Sustainability, Allbirds
Jad Finck leads Innovation & Sustainability at Allbirds, a new San Francisco-based footwear brand dedicated to making the most sustainable footwear using premium natural materials, and designed for the “to and fro” of everyday life. As one of the earliest team members at Allbirds, Jad focuses on scouting, developing, and deploying exciting and sustainable materials and manufacturing processes for the company’s products of tomorrow, as well as continuous improvement of Allbirds’ existing product portfolio. Prior to Allbirds, Jad commercialized first-of-a-kind renewable materials while at Solazyme and invested in bioenergy pioneers at Chevron Tech Ventures. Jad has a mechanical engineering degree from Stanford University and an MBA from the USC Marshall School of Business. Learn more: www.allbirds.com/pages/our-promise
Megan Stoneburner, Product Sustainability Manager, Gap Inc.
Megan Stoneburner has spent the last 10 years in product development in the bay area, working in Inventory Management, Production, and Sourcing of apparel and home goods. She has spent the majority of her career working at Gap Inc. brands, and in 2015 transitioned into a sustainability role on the Gap Inc. Sustainable Innovation team. As Product Sustainability Manager she partners with the Gap Inc. portfolio of brands to develop brand-specific sustainability strategies and goals, in addition to building education and awareness platforms for Gap Inc. employees. Her love for the outdoors has made her career a life mission. Learn more: adressed.gapinc.com/blog/2017/4/18/gap-inc-employee-profile-megan-stoneburner
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Joyce Hu, Moderator & Marketing and Creative Director, Wildlife Works
Joyce Hu is the Marketing and Creative Director for Wildlife Works, the world’s only carbon neutral, fair trade factory protecting wildlife. Based in Kenya, Wildlife Works factory produces for ethical brands such as PUMA, Globein, Raven & Lily, Lalesso and more. Prior to Wildlife Works, Joyce was marketing director for Shanghai Tang, a global fashion brand based in Hong Kong. Joyce founded thebookr.com, the first online direct-to-talent booking platform; co-founded sustainablefashionalliance.com, a member-based group of sustainable fashion professionals; and most recently, marlinray.com, beach accessories that bring together beauty, function and sustainability. Learn more: www.factory.wildlifeworks.com.