We’re increasingly placing sustainable thinking at the heart of our brands and our Californian lifestyle sneaker brand, SeaVees (which joined the Pentland Brands portfolio in 2016) has always held a responsibility to people and the planet at its core. Here, we speak to Jessica Stevens, SeaVees VP of Brand Management, about the brand’s plans to ensure sustainability is an integral part of the business and the work that it does.
What’s the SeaVees stance on sustainability?
“Sustainability has been a part of the brand DNA for many years. SeaVees is a 1% for the Planet member and each year we give one percent of our revenue to environmental causes. By partnering with organisations like Gaviota Coast Conservancy, Environmental Defense Center, Los Padres National Forest Watch, Channel Keepers, and with the support of our customers, we’ll continue to grow these efforts in order to preserve our planet for generations to come.”
How are you encouraging product sustainability?
Launching in Spring/Summer 2020, Seachange is our first and almost completely recycled men’s and women’s capsule collection. Its uppers are made out of recycled cotton, laces from recycled plastic and embroidered eyelets and outsoles from recycled rubber.
What other initiatives have you introduced?
In November we trialed a recycling programme at our Santa Barbara retail store, 24 Mason. Our customers were thrilled to recycle their old sneakers and some took the opportunity to upgrade to a new pair of SeaVees. The trial was so successful that we’ll be making it a permanent programme!
Why did you decide to test initiatives like these?
Sustainability and making a difference have been important to the brand from day one. Leaving the world better than we found it will always be a part of SeaVees and the brand’s legacy.
How do you build sustainability into everyday business thinking?
It’s getting everyone to realise that we all play an important role in making a change. Whenever possible we source materials and components that reduce our environmental impact and we’re focused on consistently improving our sustainable business practices. We recognise we’re all a work-in-progress, but we’re also committed to decreasing our carbon footprint.
What advice would you give other brands looking to launch sustainable collections?
SeaVees has been working hard to launch a recycled collection for many years and we’ve finally found the right suppliers. Our advice would be to work closely with your suppliers, stick to your goals and don’t take no for an answer.
To find out more about what our brands are doing on sustainability, visit our website https://pentlandbrands.com/our-responsibility/
