Zusa Brand Eco-Friendly Efforts
Zusa Brand Eco-Friendly Efforts
Businesses Must Lead the Way on Sustainability.
That’s why we choose to make our apparel and accessories from eco-friendly materials, such as recycled plastic bottles. In fact, 93% of the Zusa line is made from recycled materials, and our goal is to make that 100% in the years to come. We want to minimize our environmental footprint, which is why we avoid extracting new petroleum to make our high-performance polyester fabrics. The best part? Recycled polyester offers the same excellent quality as new polyester.
It’s hard to believe that the fashion industry is 2nd to only the oil industry when it comes to pollution. Something needs to change, and we need to act now. There’s no quicker way to reverse the damage than for clothing companies to make their products differently.
Using sustainable fabrics and materials is just the beginning though. All Zusa products are all constructed in fabric mills and factories that set the standard in environmentally conscious production practices. We are just setting out on our environmental journey and while we’re proud of the strides we’ve made, we know there is still a long way to go. We are excited to continue to expand our sustainability efforts in the future in any way possible!
Zusa is a Certified B Corp
As of January 2024, Zusa has earned B Corp Certification! B Corps are assessed and certified by the nonprofit organization B Lab. Zusa was evaluated using the B Impact Assessment, a test that measures applicants’ positive and negative impacts, both environmentally and socially. To achieve B Corp status, organizations must receive an impact score of 80 points or higher. Zusa earned a score of 123.3, which is 72.4 points above the median score for businesses! We’re proud of Zusa's B Corp Status as it reflects the brand's holistic approach to protecting the planet and the people who live on it.
Zusa is a Certified Carbon-Neutral Business
Zusa has also officially achieved carbon neutrality and has become a certified Carbon-Neutral brand! This means that every step in the Zusa sourcing, manufacturing, and shipping process is completed in the most eco-friendly manner, and the purchase of carbon credits also contributes to reducing the brand's carbon footprint by offsetting any CO2 emissions through carbon reducing initiatives.
Learn more about Zusa's carbon-neutral status, our carbon reduction plans, and the carbon offset projects that our team are working with on our Climate Neutral business profile!
Recycled Polyester: How Does it Work?
At Zusa, it's our goal to source and upcycle the polyester for our apparel from the 8,000,000 metric tons of plastic that enters our planet's oceans each year. That means when you buy Zusa you're actually cleaning up the ocean at the same time! It takes more plastic bottles than you might think to make our clothing too. Just look at the list below!
Number of Recycled Plastic Water Bottles Used to Create Each Zusa Product
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It's not just keeping the plastic out of the ocean that benefits the environment either. By using recycled polyester (rPET) instead of virgin polyester we are able to provide the same polyester performance while creating 75% lower CO2 emissions.
Ethically Sourced and Sustainably Made Clothing
A commitment to the well-being of the planet also means a commitment to the well-being of those living on it. That's why the Zusa brand is 100% ethically sourced from WRAP-certified factories around the world. That means...
- Child and involuntary labor are strictly prohibited in our facilities, as well as harassment, discrimination, and abuse.
- Our facilities prioritize worker health and safety above all else.
- Working hours, compensation, and benefits are regulated to ensure fair, competitive wages. Workers are also allowed to organize for collective bargaining, if desired.
- Our facilities must comply with local environmental rules and regulations.
Both Zusa and our partners go above and beyond what is required for a WRAP certification. In fact, our largest supplier uses 100% recycled biomass of eucalyptus wood and coffee husks to power its fabric dyeing machines instead of oil. It even smells amazing.
Zusa and Merchology Co-Founders Andrew Ward, Ally Delgado, and Richard Ward visit a fabric dye house in Guatemala to learn about its sustainable, alternative fuel sources. Featured here are locally sourced crop by-products of eucalyptus husks and coffee grounds, which are burned in place of oil in the fabric dyeing process
Zusa + Merchology
Outside of the Zusa brand, Merchology has made our own strides towards running a sustainable business. In the past year, we have switched our shipping boxes and poly mailer bags to the most sustainable options we could find on the market. Our shipping boxes are 100% renewable and recyclable, and are certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. They are made from a mix of recycled and new fibers, sourced from regenerative forests. Our poly mailers are made from 100% recycled content and are also recyclable after use.
We recently released our Sustainability Collection too! It's packed with eco-friendly products from sustainable brands like Zusa, Patagonia, Cotopaxi, and more!
Both Zusa and Merchology donate annually to 1% For The Planet, which is an alliance of businesses committed to leveraging their resources to create a healthier planet. Through the program, 1% of Merchology’s Zusa and Patagonia revenue is donated towards environmental causes. Check out our Corporate Responsibility Page and the Zusa.com Sustainability Page for even more info!
Contact Us
Want to learn more about sustainable corporate gifts? Contact us today!