“Don’t throw anything away. Away is not far from you.”

The quote above hangs in our studio as a reminder that each action we take (no matter how big or small) impacts our environment. Designed by our friend Robert Rausch a few years ago, the simple quote was stamped on an event invite as a means to provoke thought about what people use and, consequently, throw away each day. At Alabama Chanin, we are taking strides to become a zero waste company—where the results of one production process become the fuel for another. It is our continuing goal to maintain a well-rounded, (w)holistic company that revolves around a central theme: sustainability of culture, environment, and community.

Not only do we reuse and recycle each scrap of fabric, but we also participate in other sustainable and environmental practices on a daily basis. We recycle paper and cardboard, collect and save glass in the café, compost all food waste, repurpose scrap paper, plant trees, and are even starting a garden at The Factory. Waste not, want not.

When knotting our thread, we leave long tails so that the thread will not weaken after hundreds of washes and wears. This practical design element ensures that our garments will remain intact for this generation and the next and the next. The same forethought should be given to Mother Earth. We want to make lasting impacts that help preserve our environment for this generation and all that follow.

To this effect, most of our employees apply our sustainable workplace philosophies to their personal lives—creating community gardens, composting anything and everything, organizing days with their families to pick up roadside trash, and carpooling and eating lunch at work to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

Do your part to protect the planet and help create a sustainable future. The Earth Day Network is asking everyone to lend their voice to an action that will help improve the global community. Learn more (and make a pledge) on their website.

Read more about Alabama Chanin’s sustainable philosophies and round business model here.