11 Companies We Love and Here’s Why

We love our world. We love the people and natural wonders that surround us on our little island. We do not forget, however, that there is a fascinating world beyond the reef with entrepreneurs and inventors driven by our shared desire for fair trade and sustainable manufacturing. We read articles, follow blogs, and hear stories about companies making waves and disrupting the status quo around the world. This blog features 11 companies and organizations that we admire and want to share with you.

BUREO
Love the ocean? Love to skateboard? You'll love Bureo. Founded by a group of environmentally conscious surfers, this company created a way to protect the ocean and wildlife by repurposing fishing nets into skateboards. They collect, wash, and shred plastic fishing nets that are no longer being used. The shredded pieces are turned into small pellets, which are then molded into skateboards. Additionally, Bureo partnered with Futures, a surfboard fin company, to recycle unwanted fishing nets into surf fins. Overall, Bureo is a company dedicated to keeping our oceans clean and free from plastic, while also repurposing the materials rather than simply adding to the landfill. Learn more about how to skate with an environmentally responsible board here.

BANÁN
Banán is for all you fruit-loving and ice cream-craving folks in Hawaii. They use locally grown bananas and other tropical fruits to make a dairy-free soft serve. They are dedicated to supporting the local food movement and stimulating the local economy in Hawaii. Transporting food leaves an enormous environmental impact, plus eating local is the freshest and most nutritious way to go. Banán has a wide range of flavors, from plain Banana to Liliko’I (passion fruit and banana), to Roots (beets, ginger, lemongrass, turmeric, and banana). Top it off with shaved coconut and enjoy! To find out more about this simple, local, banana version of a scoop shop, stop by one of their several locations in Hawaii or check out their website here. If you're on Instagram, follow their colorful, bright, and straight up fun page here.

OUTERKNOWN
World Surf Champion, Kelly Slater, and designer, John Moore, teamed up to create stylish, socially and environmentally responsible menswear. They partner with various businesses and suppliers, and everyone follows Outerknown’s Code of Conduct. This includes choosing organic fabrics, and using alpaca fiber, which is of great importance to indigenous Peruvian culture. Suppliers must partner with the Fair Labor Association, and the Bluesign certification ensures that no harmful chemicals are used in the manufacturing process. Outerknown is a prime example of a professional surfer and an accomplished designer who recognized their ability to positively influence the fashion industry by combining function, style, and ethical manufacturing. Check out Outerknown’s selection here.

PATAGONIA
Play in wild places with premium gear responsibly made by Patagonia! Founded by surfers and climbers willing to go to the extremes to enjoy the thrills of the elements, Patagonia is a company making top of the line gear for all outdoor enthusiasts. Yvon Chouinard began his business as a self-taught blacksmith making pitons because he wanted to climb with the best equipment. Patagonia has grown into an activist company with environmental and social responsibility its core. Environmental protection and preservation is everyday work at Patagonia and the company pledges 1% of sales to grassroots environmental groups. Environmental initiatives within the company include sourcing wool, organic cotton, and down insulation in an ethical way. Patagonia’s Worn Wear project repairs, recycles, and repurposes worn out clothing. Social initiatives within the company include Fair Trade and Corporate Responsibility to ensure safe and fair working conditions. Patagonia is very active with environmental campaigns and issues related to climate change. Learn more about Patagonia and find durable, high quality, and responsibly made outdoor gear here.

DIGNITY COCONUTS
Dignity Coconuts is a social-impact company making pure virgin coconut oil in the coconut garden of the Philippines. Founded with the principles of environmental and social responsibility, Dignity Coconuts employs 300 coconut farmers and over 200 people who would otherwise struggle to find work in poverty-stricken communities. The company values holistic community development and assists their employees with clean drinking water, mobile banking, social justice, and life skills training. In the factory, Dignity Coconuts uses every part of the nutrient-packed coconut. In addition to producing high quality raw coconut oil, milk, and water, the coconut shells are ground and made into a powder from which bio-plastics are derived. Coconut coir is an excellent soil conditioner, and coconut husks are woven into erosion control blankets. Learn more about Dignity Coconuts and their mission to help communities overcome cycles of poverty through sustainable business and local coconut superfood here.

THE BODY SHOP
With the motto to Enrich Not Exploit™, The Body Shop creates beauty products while also supporting biodiversity and working fairly with farmers and suppliers to support thriving communities. The Body Shop is the first beauty brand to fight against animal testing in the cosmetic industry. To ensure that products are made without animal testing, The Body Shop only sources ingredients from suppliers who meet the Cruelty Free International Leaping Bunny certification. Their active campaigns include Cruelty Free International, a campaign to ban animal testing; The Ethical Trading Initiative, a partnership of companies, volunteer organizations, and trade unions promoting workers’ rights; and The World Bio-Bridge Mission, which is committed to funding conservation projects in areas rich in biodiversity. Learn more about The Body Shop and their cruelty-free beauty products here.

HOLSTEE
Holstee’s mission is to help people live mindfully and understand one’s own personal responsibility. Cards are their medium for connecting with people and creative linguistics provide inspiration to lead a meaningful and intentional life. They recognize that it is difficult to slow down and simplify in the fast-paced world, and having moments to find perspective and focus on what is truly important is vital to living mindfully. The Washington Post compared Holstee’s Manifesto to Nike’s, “Just Do It.” Holstee now has a monthly membership program for receiving authentic and inspirational cards. Learn more about Holstee here.

MATT & NAT
Inspired by passion for materials and nature and with the motto to, “live beautifully,” Matt and Nat make classy eco-friendly handbags, backpacks, vegan wallets, shoes, and other small goods. Matt and Nat is a sophisticated and high-quality alternative to traditional leather products. Passion for the natural world is engrained in their products. Materials include recycled nylons, cardboard, rubber, and cork, and all bags are lined with material from recycled plastic bottles. Learn more about Matt & Nat's collection here.

MILLER CENTER FOR SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS
The Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship is an organization to help entrepreneurs worldwide, and also protect the planet. Here's a quote from their website that embodies their mindset, “Charity: Give a woman a fish, feed her for a day. Education: Teach a woman to fish, feed her for a lifetime. Social Entrepreneurship: Teach a woman to run a fishing business, feed a village for a lifetime.” The Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship provides a mentor from their base in the Silicon Valley who will work with the entrepreneur throughout the project. Miller Center projects include climate resilience, women’s economic empowerment, impact investing, and the Global Social Benefit Institute in partnership with Santa Clara University. Check out the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship and their movement for global liberation here.

SUSTAINABLE COASTLINES HAWAII
Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii is a nonprofit organization in Hawaii dedicated to maintaining clean coastlines for everyone to enjoy. They organize beach cleanups, as well as an education program, volunteer program, waste diversion serves, and public awareness campaigns to spread the passion for clean beaches. In their Ocean Plastics program alone, over 200,000lbs of plastic have been removed from the ocean and recycled, and in just six years. Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii gives all of this plastic to their partners at Parley for the Ocean, rather than a landfill. Learn out more about their movement to combat ocean plastics here.

SURFRIDER FOUNDATION
The Surfrider Foundation is a community of scientists, environmentalists, legal experts, and everyday people who are driven to protect the playground of ocean, waves, and beaches. Beach access, clean water, coastal preservation, ocean protection, and plastic pollution are the core issues that the Surfrider Foundation address. Surfrider is an activist network made up of many chapters that focus on their own respective local resources and solutions, and all of the chapters unite and share knowledge to create a national perspective. Learn more about the Surfrider Foundation and find a chapter near you here.

 

Thanks for reading and please let us know about other like-minded companies and organizations!