Brand Highlight: “NOAH & BODE,” Transparent and Ethical Brands to Check Out

NOAH

New York clothing brand Noah isn’t afraid to let their stances be heard. The clothing brand, founded by Brendon Babenzien, a former creative director at Supreme, grounds itself in the idea that you may have to lose sales in the name of doing what is right. For Noah, this has looked like raising prices to donate a portion of each sale to the 1% For the Planet foundation and sending out newsletters titled “Our Packaging Sucks.”

One of Noah’s grounding beliefs is that the environment is to be protected at all costs. Each season they release a fabric guide detailing the material’s origin and the percentage of recycled materials in each product. Their products are made with high quality and built-to-last materials, yet their unboxing experience might be more comparable to opening a package from eBay. There are no extra goodies or luxuriously folded wrapping paper to accompany your purchase, but rather a recyclable cardboard box and some cushioning if the order is fragile. Noah sent out a newsletter to customers in May of 2017 addressing their packaging, or lack thereof. They acknowledged that opening their products may lack the thrill and experience that other brands create, but that the excitement gained from a better unboxing experience doesn’t outweigh the environmental costs. 30% of all municipal waste comes from packaging material, and Noah decided they wanted no part in that. Their steps to achieve more environmentally friendly consumerism are impressive, but Brendon Babenzien will be the first to tell you that they aren’t fully sustainable. (No, seriously, they sent out a newsletter with this as their headline.)

In this newsletter, they discuss their measures to reduce waste and contribute to the cause. Additionally, they acknowledge that consumers should continue to be conscious that their purchases at Noah have an environmental impact and urge them not to over-consume. Noah’s environmental policy is impressive. They have started a great discussion on “ethical consumerism,” something we should all consider before making our next impulse purchase.

BODE

Noah has said that no clothing brand can be completely sustainable, but tell that to Emily Adams Bode. Bode NYC has made an entire brand out of upcycling vintage textiles, resulting in unique designs on classic silhouettes. Many of Bode’s products are unique to the piece. For example, Bode has a cardigan made from a 1970s horse blanket. They also have a button-down created from napkins from the 1930s. These unique pieces make up most of the brand’s sales are entirely sustainable because no new materials are being used. The few products that Bode produces in higher quantities are modeled after the originals created from vintage textiles. Here, they have their materials sourced from local workshops with low carbon and water footprints. This remarkable sourcing, combined with Bode’s outstanding designs, led founder Emily Bode to win GQ Breakthrough Designer of the Year in 2019. Bode is the epitome of buy less, buy better, so check them out next time you’re on the hunt for some new clothes.

I admire brands like Noah and Bode that have decided to involve sustainability in the core of their production. There’s a difference between transparency and environmental impact, but these two brands have taken both head-on.