Timberland partnered with Certified B Corporation Thread to create shoes, t-shirts and bags made in part from recycled plastic bottles.
Writer: Carly Terwilliger
Global outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland today launched the Timberland X Thread collection in partnership with Thread, a Certified B Corporation that transforms plastic bottles from the streets and canals of Haiti into responsible fabric.
The Timberland X Thread shoes, t-shirts and bags are available in Timberland stores and at timberland.com.
“The Timberland X Thread collection is incredible proof that style and sustainability can go hand-in-hand,” said Colleen Vien, director of sustainability for Timberland. “This collection delivers good with every fiber, not just by recycling plastic bottles that would otherwise end up littering the streets, but also by creating job opportunities and cleaner neighborhoods in Haiti. Consumers can feel good about pulling on their Timberland X Thread boots or backpack, and know they are making a positive impact in someone else’s life.”
The new products build upon Timberland’s commitment to innovate and operate their business in an accountable and responsible manner. Both Timberland and Thread aim to look beyond the environmental value of recycled plastic bottles to focus on responsibility, transparency and creating social value.
The Timberland X Thread collection includes five styles of men’s footwear, two bags and one t-shirt, all made using Thread Ground to Good fabric.
The shoes and boots are crafted with durable uppers in Thread fabric made with 50 percent post-consumer recycled PET, a 50 percent recycled PET mesh lining and an outsole made of 15 percent recycled rubber.
The duffel bag and backpack are made with Thread fabric and waterproof leather trims.
The t-shirt is made with 50 percent Thread fabric and 50 percent reclaimed cotton from fabric scraps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0XYD8Jb1XA
The process of going from “bottle to boot” begins in Haiti, where more than 1,300 locals collect the plastic bottles that are developed into Thread fabric. Each yard of fabric is traced and tracked at every step of its journey, from bottle collection and fabric creation to the delivery of the fabric bolt to the manufacturer.
“At Thread, we believe that dignified jobs cure poverty – and our fabric creates those jobs,” said Ian Rosenberger, founder and CEO of Thread. “Our partnership with Timberland marks a seismic shift in the fashion industry, combining Timberland’s large supply chain and loyal customer base with Thread’s responsible, transparent approach to creating premium fabrics and vital jobs in the developing world. The Timberland X Thread collection is a major step towards improving the way our clothes are made.”
Photo courtesy Timberland
