We've all done it - ordered the T-shirt from an H&M targeted ad or dropped by Target for groceries and picked up a cute new swimsuit while we're there. Fast fashion is popular because it's cheap and easy; it feels like a small choice when it's less of your wallet share.
But the cost of fast fashion is high in so many ways - even if we don't see it on our credit card bills. Every year, over 18,000 tons of textiles end up in waste and recycling streams - just in the city of Phoenix, AZ.
And while the Environment is Raise Green's central ESG focus, so too are the Social implications associated with the human rights abuses that accompany it - the reason fast fashion is so cheap is because the people who make it are paid as little as possible. The Swiss NGO Public Eye estimated back in 2019 that Zara's profit from making a hoodie is more than double the amount that goes to all workers involved in the supply chain.
That's where United By Zero comes in. UBZ knows that consumers are caught between an interest in buying clothes online, and the desire to find cleaner, ethically-made clothing. UBZ has two core products for sustainability-minded shoppers:
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A Chrome browser extension which recommends similar products to those you are shopping for from our vetted catalog of sustainable alternatives. A personalized list of sustainable products is generated right in your browser window that you can purchase with one click.
2. A scoring methodology created and vetted by PhDs that's personalizable for each individual based on what you care about most. The scoring methodology was created by a team of 6 PhDs, and UBZ wrote the software to apply the statistical methodology that personalizes the scores.
UBZ users can choose things like labor conditions, water use, and chemicals of concern as factors in the tool's recommendations - it's like a personal shopper looking out for you and your values!
If you’re looking to put your dollars to work for good, investing in United By Zero could lead to social, environmental, and economic impact, while potentially earning a return on your investment. This project is currently doing an Indications of Interest opportunity, looking to gauge investor engagement before taking a full offering live. Now is the time to indicate your support for these climate defenders and charity leaders, without entering a binding contract of investment. For more information on this project, visit https://invest.raisegreen.com/offering/unitedbyzerosustainableshopping/details.
