How Fairware is Using Sustainable Merch to Restore Kelp

Your sustainable merch projects can support kelp restoration efforts, helping to rebuild vibrant underwater habitats that are essential for marine biodiversity, coastal communities, and the fight against climate change. Over 40% of kelp forests have vanished in the past five decades due to climate change, pollution, and overexploitation. At Fairware, we’re taking action—blending ethical business practices with meaningful restoration initiatives. Here’s how:

Every order with Fairware helps plant 10 kelp along British Columbia’s Pacific coastline. It’s all part of our initiative to give back while sourcing promotional products that align with your sustainability goals.

Why Kelp Is More Than Just Seaweed

How does kelp tie into our vision of a regenerative business? Kelp is a powerhouse that supports marine ecosystems and combats climate change. These underwater forests are biodiversity hotspots, providing vital habitats for salmon, herring, and sea otters. They also play a critical role in carbon sequestration, acting as natural carbon sinks by absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere and oceans.

For Indigenous coastal communities in British Columbia, kelp holds significant cultural and historical value. By restoring kelp forests, our partner veritree, in collaboration with Coastal Kelp and the Sechelt First Nation (shíshálh swíya), is working to restore and protect kelp beds, promoting ocean health.

Fairware’s Partnership with veritree

At Fairware, we’re firm believers in transparency and measurable impact. That’s why we’ve teamed up with veritree, a data-driven platform that ensures restoration efforts are both practical and verifiable. Here’s what makes veritree special:

• On-the-Ground Monitoring – Local communities collect and upload real-time data using veritree’s tools, ensuring every kelp planted is accounted for.
• Blockchain Verification – Each restorative action is recorded and verified, making the process transparent and traceable.
• Measured Impact – veritree allows us to visualize the results of our efforts, from the restored ocean area to the estimated CO2 offset.

Since launching this partnership, Fairware has planted over 26,000 kelp—equivalent to 225 bathtubs full of these vital seaweeds. And that’s just the start! Our goal is to plant more than 80,000 kelp in the next five years. (March 2025)

Kelp Restoration from Sustainable Merch

We recognize that the promotional products industry has a significant environmental impact. That’s why we specialize in sustainable merch with a purpose. Each item we offer, from reusable water bottles to organic cotton totes, is selected to align with your sustainability goals, minimizing environmental harm while you enjoy products that have functionality and style.

But we’re not stopping at offering sustainable products. We’re leveraging our business to give back in meaningful ways. By choosing Fairware for your custom promotional needs, you’ll get great products and help restore kelp forests, support marine ecosystems, and combat climate change.

What Does Our Kelp Forest Look Like Now?

Thanks to our incredible community of sustainable business owners, we’re making a measurable impact:

• Ocean Area Restored – 2,815 square feet, equivalent to packing 1.6 three-bedroom homes full of kelp!
• CO2 Offset Potential – While kelp’s carbon sequestration varies, its role as a natural carbon sink is undeniable.

The kelp forests along the Sunshine Coast are thriving, and every order with Fairware helps drive this positive impact.

Visit our Impact Hub to view the latest updates!

Join Us in Building a Restorative Future

To us, sustainability means more than just “doing less harm.” It’s about actively regenerating ecosystems and contributing to a better planet. Supporting veritree’s kelp restoration initiative is just one of the ways we’re reimagining what it means to be an eco-conscious business.

In 2023, we joined the Restorative Coalition, an initiative to heal nature, empower businesses as agents of change, and build a more sustainable future for all. For more information or to join the initiative, you can visit  https://coalition.veritree.com.

Whether you’re looking for eco-friendly promotional products or want to support a company making a difference, Fairware has you covered. Browse our products and services to discover how we can help meet your merchandise needs.

Together, we can make a lasting impact—one order at a time.

Get started today, and #HelpTheKelp!