Last Updated: January 2022
AT THE HOUSE LEVEL
THE HOUSE BRANDS
RESPONSIBLE PRODUCTION
CONSUMER USE
TRANSPORTATION & DISTRIBUTION
PACKAGING
MANUFACTURING
DESIGN
AIM FOR PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION
A Message from Therese Hayes, Our Chief Sustainability Officer
We’re a Black-owned, women-led, consciously created fashion brand that makes beautiful products using the best practices.
Because we shouldn’t have to choose between fashion and responsibility.
We’re a Public Benefits Corporation and Pending B Corporation.
Because we always want to be held accountable.
We believe that fashion can be made with love for both people and the planet.
Because our world shouldn’t have to pay the price for fashion.
We’re what the world needs now—a fashion brand built for impact.
In August of 2019, Christine Day asked me to join her on a new venture: to create a company with a conscience. Given that I initially met Christine when she hired me to establish athletic apparel retailer Lululemon Athletica’s first sustainability platform, I was all in. I couldn’t think of anything more thrilling than the chance to create something from the ground up that reflects our shared values—to create an apparel company that’s good for both people and the planet.
I know sustainability is an overused word, and personally, I don’t love it (it can be broad, lack meaning, and to be honest, doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue). But I do love the concept. At The House of LR&C, we interpret and apply this concept in its furthest-reaching and most comprehensive form—socially, economically, and environmentally. We believe this is the key to making real impact, a guiding principle that’s uniquely us: make a positive/high impact on people and a neutral/low impact on our planet.
In some ways, being a sustainable brand is easier for us because we don’t have to dismantle existing processes or convince a group of shareholders to change course. For us, sustainability is already the heart of the company. That said, it’s true that as a start-up in a crowded, greenwashed market, we’re charting the new and bumpy territory of creating relevant, desirable, and truly sustainable fashion—while also achieving more accessible margins.
We’re more than up for the challenge, though, because we’re committed to this ongoing journey. So, while we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished in our first year—and we’ll celebrate progress as we make it—we know we’re just getting started. And because we believe it’s crucial to stay transparent and accountable, we’ll keep you updated on what and how we’re doing as we go.
There’s a lot more to come, but for now, I’m excited to share our first sustainability update with you. Thank you so much for being here.
Always working towards better,
Therese Hayes, CSO