Sustainable businesses around the world are joining Good Market, Fairware included. In 2022, we became a member of the Good Market, and it’s helped shape our values and sustainability practices. Over 2,785 member enterprises in 96 countries are working together to create a global economy that’s good for the people and the planet.
We wanted to introduce you to this organization, so if your company also prioritized people and the planet, you might consider joining the movement and having a listing in their member marketplace.
What is Good Market?
Good Market supports a change in our global commerce narrative. It’s creating a global community of social enterprises, cooperatives, responsible businesses, civic organizations, networks, and changemakers working towards a common goal: to change society’s views from profit-driven to one where we collaborate and focus on others and the global good.
Their member database includes organizations that:
- Choose: They consciously prioritize well-being, nature, relationships, creation, and civic engagement; buy from better organizations; and incorporate these new practices at their own pace throughout their professional and personal lives.
- Communicate: They choose to communicate and help others develop their own stories through sharing ideas, experimenting, and celebrating the work others are doing.
- Collaborate: They choose to work with others to prioritize the people and planet, partner and trade with each other, and coordinate campaigns and initiatives to bring awareness of these good practices globally.
Good Market standards.
Fairware is a member of Good Market under the fashion category, given so much of our custom branded merch is apparel and fashion related. This means we’re dedicated to the following:
- Prioritizing people and the planet, over profits
- Supporting strong social and environmental goals
- Communicating and sharing our values with others
- Living a sustainability strategy every day, not just for a single project or campaign.
- Selling products from sustainably sourced materials
- New materials must not be made from toxicants, genetically modified materials, synthetic nanoparticles, or antimicrobials. (learn more in the Good Market Ingredient and Material Guide)
- Actively working to reduce material consumption and waste (such as having a end of life policy).
The Good Market fashion category
Depending on your business offerings and products, you join Good Market within a specific category. Within your selected category are guidelines for your participation, the products you sell, or the services you offer. Good Market sets guidelines for the brands they’ll approve based on the social movement values and to push a message of greater transparency in retail markets.
Fashion is traditionally a wasteful industry, with so much energy used to grow, manufacture, and ship products and all the related carbon emissions created during the process. Being a member of Good Market in the fashion industry means you’re committed to operating a fashion business in the most sustainable way possible.
The guidelines for fashion companies include definitions and guidelines for the following:
- Materials (including defining upcycled, recycled, organic and biodegradable)
- Bleaches, Dyes, and Finishes
- People (including living wages, fair trade, inclusivity, and artisans)
- Other animals (including defining vegan and cruelty-free verification)
- Circular Economy (including alterations and repairs, second-hand and rentals, and trade-in/trade-back programs to reduce waste)
Why companies should join Good Market
One voice isn’t always enough to make large-scale changes like this. That’s why joining Good Market is needed to drive change at scale. When you join the collective, you get support and guidance to redefine your business processes and be more conscious of caring for the environment and the people. They also help keep you accountable for your social and sustainability goals.
Why Fairware joined Good Market
We joined Good Market to carry a torch for the sustainability conversation. It’s another way we stay accountable to our sustainability and ESG goals so we can prioritize our people (our staff, suppliers, and customers) and support sustainability in all areas of our business.
At Fairware, we’re passionate about using our business as a force for good, and Good Market membership helps us move towards living sustainability every day.
Learn more about our Fairware sustainability values and initiatives.
