Oakland
GDS Cloth Goods
GDS makes functional, beautiful life goods from organic and upcycled textiles. By sourcing from farms and mills, working with local production partners, and making textile education fun, we contribute to the restoration of the environment, and sustainable jobs in a more equitable fashion industry.
SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES
Materials & Ingredients
Organic cotton. Recycled cotton.
Packaging & Delivery
When you order from us online, you receive a mailer that is made with 40-90% post-consumer recycled paper that is 100% recyclable and compostable. Similarly, the envelopes that package Ebb filters are made from FSC® Certified, Green-e Certified, Green Seal™ Certified, and are made with 30% or more Post-Consumer Fiber. These packs can also be recycled or composted. Our wholesale boxes are also made from post-consumer recycled paper that is 100% recyclable and compostable.
Quality & Value
This comes down to design and construction. The aprons are designed with both form and function in mind. They are aesthetically pleasing, comfortable to wear, made from durable materials, and finished with quality seam work. It isn’t an exaggeration when we say our aprons are as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside. There isn’t a single exposed seam, which makes broken stitches and ripped seams a difficult thing to happen. We also offer a repair service for our products.
Ebb reusable coffee filters were developed to brew specialty grade coffee. In an effort to strike a balance between environmental sustainability and quality, the filter has a limited lifespan. They were developed with experts in the specialty coffee industry with a focus on approximating the filtration of paper filters to make it as easy as possible for home users to make a clean and easy transition from single-use paper to reusable cloth.
Waste Reduction
We minimize waste through our zero-waste design techniques. This is especially the case with our aprons. For other products, we reclaim our waste by developing products that make use of that “waste.”
Local Supply Chains
All our cut and sew production takes place within 12 miles from our studio. The mill that supplies our recycled denim is in Guatemala. Otherwise, we produce the fabric for Ebb filters in South Carolina. The organic cotton for that fabric is grown in Texas by a group of organic farms.
Energy Efficiency
As small producers our energy footprint is not yet a major concern. In the future, as we grow and bring production back under one roof, a major focus will be on leasing a space were we can have solar power as our main source of energy.
Labor & Education
Yes, we feel that sustainability doesn’t end at environmental practices and local production. Unfortunately, exploitation of labor is institutional and it continues to take place even within the US. We visit the farms, mills, and the contract sewers we work with to see for ourselves under what conditions people are working.
We also feel strongly that we have a responsibility to educate the public about the decisions we make. This isn’t solely for the purpose of differentiating our products. We believe this information is powerful and consumers should know it. Education about production is political within a Capitalist society and that itself can lead to greater economic sustainability.
Goals & Aspirations
We have already reached our biggest sustainability goal in 2019, which was to convert the studio using only sustainable textiles. Looking ahead, one goal is to add a 3rd sustainable fabric to the product offerings in 2021. Perhaps still 5 years out, it is our goal to bring production back in-house where we would have even more control over our sustainability practices (such as solar power). Also along that time line, we aspire to be a vital part of our community through education of fiber and fashion production for people of all ages.
Certifications & Memberships
GDS is a member of Fibershed and the Good Food Foundation.
ADDITIONAL READING & PODCAST LINKS