The following post is done in partnership with the Nitty Gritty podcast, a production of Bond Street.
It’s a misconception that in order to be successful in business, that success—as measured by monetary gain—must come at the expense of something else, like workers rights or the health of the environment. Pillaging as the easiest path to profit. Which is probably why those seeking the path of least resistance continue to operate with only the bottom line in mind. All too often, nefarious companies make headlines for destroying local waterways, recalling toxic products. Entrepreneur and staunch environmentalist Brian Linton set out to not be one of those companies—not just on Earth Day, but all year round. As the founder of United By Blue, Linton provides buyers with an alternative: conscientious consumption for the avid outdoorsman (and woman).
A practice-what-you-preach kind of ethos guides the brand. As Linton sees it, if you’re selling gear meant to help you soak in the beauty of the great outdoors, you should doing your best to preserve some of that greatness for generations to come. This belief touches everything United By Blue does. Their textile lineup includes recycled, organic, and biodegradable fabrics. Their packaging runs the anti-plastic gamut, using everything from banana-fiber paper to hang tags made from elephant dung. One pound of trash gets removed from the ocean with every product United By Blue sells, and the company is on the verge of breaking its one million-pound mark of collected debris. They’re committed to the planet, even if that means having to make decisions less concerned companies might just glaze over.
In the latest edition of The Nitty-Gritty—brought to you by Bond Street and Triple Pundit—Linton talks to us about learning sales going door-to-door along the Eastern Seaboard, how a company’s responsibility extends far beyond cash, and the future of United By Blue. Enjoy the full episode below:
