Sustainability in Apparel will require Environmental Stewardship and Significant Social Responsibility to Equity Brand Interests.

With Domestic Garment Manufacturing visible to Statistics Canada as a high potential growth Industry.  Canadians have challenges to face beyond the estimated 35 Kilo (80lbs) per person of textile waste entering landfills each year.

If the consumer economy is dependent on disposable “Fast Fashion” the natural inclination is to seek out “Made in Canada” as part the “Act Local – Think Global” catchphrase works to promote.  But in this “ethical” “sweatshop-free” coin a phrase put a sticker on it. promote you have a blue box ambition.  Are we really getting anywhere?

What is Direct Current Manufacturing Inc. doing with regards to sustainability was a question recently put forward by a student study project originating from Queens University motivate me as a CEO to apply additional effort to a topic that we have been participating to follow along with in spirit since about 2010 but since that time the industry as a whole has in my opinion not very much progressed.  Attending to respect the agreement made to answer a short list of question several hours of self-study and a review was given to the topic in preparation for my interview.

By adopting an expanded view we discovered an ability to approach the conversation with open-mindedness with new thinking and answer to say in fact there was nothing being done towards sustainability and this reality fostered thought for greater concern and the development window to a pathway for greater change was opened.

I want to thank this student who was artful in reaching out to me at my desk to request participation in the simple survey questions being asked.  It has always been my habit to reply or contribute in some way even if only to satisfy the curriculum criteria need in brief the student can carry on to say they have completed their task.

At other times I have invested greater amounts of time to help students complete there projects.  The dividend has been received in long-lasting relationships, kindly thank you notes and on one occasion a coupon for a few Big Mac’s arrived sent from a father who appreciated our input in his daughters project the man a MacDonalds Franchise Owner operating a business that is also uniquely engaged in this topic… 15 years ago I thought very little of it and saved the compliment as a souvenir.

Sometimes I refuse student requests if the query is empty as I am reluctant to the casual take of hypothetical requests for quotations in speculation of some imaginary upstart… Predictable as this is – when that time of year comes and the business professor releases the group to spam my inbox pretending to be clients seeking a quote I cringe and reluctantly reply to state policy with regret – I opt out.

What this student did was stimulate thought.  A credit to her course master.  I became the student and my experience guided thought to better understand the potential of what can be done.

The resulting potential is great and I look forward to implementation and sharing with others.  A Project Plan has been created.  The Student has been invited to contribute to making a change.  I am extremely confident that our company and others can pick up the pace to join in the discussion and action necessary to improve.

Were we began by responding to what programs are in place.  What effort is being taken has transitioned to thinking about what source is the genesis of this question as being sustainability or sustenance.  The answer we suspect in fact contains a much broader sensibility to feel around to accept the obligation as being societal as much as it an industry concern.  I doubt greatly there is any sustainability that will come from a patchwork plan towards maintaining the status quo.

The student has learned that asking a question has pioneered a path to discover there is a job to be done.  This is exciting – we think this is great!  Get it wrong and we’re all going to be living in a massive junk heap.