Can we wear plastic waste on our bodies?
The Thread X Timberland collection uses Thread’s Ground to Good™ fabric which is harvested from plastic bottles littering the streets and landfills of Haiti. The collaboration between Timberland and Thread, which includes men’s footwear, bags and a t-shirt, is not only about great-looking men’s fashion. By creating a durable canvas material made from discarded plastic bottles, the products support Haiti’s economy by providing local jobs and help make the planet cleaner.
Responsibili-geeks
The self-proclaimed “responsibili-geeks” at Thread believe that fabric can end poverty. On Ian Rosenberger (Thread CEO)’s first trip to Haiti, he wrote in his journal, “If Haiti can turn trash into $ = good”. This became the cornerstone of Thread’s business: creating fabrics from post consumer recycled bottles, therefore cleaning the environment while making quality fabrics and providing income to local people. With this, Thread operates a highly transparent and traceable supply chain, provides disaster relief, a micro-loan programme and supplier union.
Bottle to boot
- Over 1,300 Haitians collect waste plastic and sell it to Haitian owned and operated collection centres. Collectors sort, transport and sell the plastic on.
- The production line at Haiti Recycling washes and sheds the waste plastic into a raw material called “flake”, which is then sent to the USA.
- USA-based factories melt and shape the flake into a fibre that is woven into a fabric.
- Timberland purchases this high-quality material to create bags and boots.
Image credit: Timberland
A beautiful product, delivering environmental and social good
Timberland believes that by partnering with Thread, it can provide a beautiful product for its customers whilst also reducing natural resource consumption and providing the people of Haiti with dignified jobs and income opportunities. It seeks to increase its use of ROR – recycled, organic and renewable – materials in its products, and this is one way of doing so.
This story shows how Timberland supports Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, specifically Target 12.5: “By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse”.
About Timberland
Timberland is an American manufacturer and retailer of outdoors wear, with a focus on footwear. Timberland works hard to make its products responsibly, to protect the outdoors, and to serve the communities around the globe. The company also sells apparel, such as clothes, watches, glasses, sunglasses and leather goods.
Learn more about Timberland.
