Sustainability Check
BY DENVIR ENTERPRISES
PART 01 ⏤
Why we’re here.
We founded Denvir Enterprises to give small, diverse businesses an opportunity to win big business.
In our experience, many multi-line reps have lacked passion about the brands they represented, making the interactions very transactional, and the lines disjointed. Most multi-lines also represent large corporations that predominantly cater to cis-white male designers and businessmen.
Our desire at Denvir Enterprises is to represent smaller brands, and to help them define their voice and place in the market. It’s a prerequisite that all DE brands are commercial grade and have a commitment to sustainability. We also encourage our brands to collaborate as often as possible.
As strong believers in the law of abundance, we know that the more each brand and community works together, the more everyone will prosper. We’re excited to launch this initiative that highlights our brands’ commitment to transparency around their manufacturing and sustainability practices.
In putting together this portal, we were inspired by Know Your Alcohol — if you haven’t already, check them out. They’ve successfully created an interactive template that makes the consumer want to know their alcohol.
Navigation
Just in case you need some help getting around.
PART 02 ⏤
It’s more than materials
Few of us really want to know how hot dogs are made.
But most of us do crave a level of transparency around how and where our clothing is made, where our fruits and vegetables are grown, or what our cities are putting in the tap water. At DE, we feel the same way about furniture.
Our manufacturing partners were all founded with sustainability interwoven into their brand ethos, product design, and manufacturing processes.
We’ve worked together to create this platform to offer a transparent and holistic approach to sustainability. It’s not just about the materials! Our brands not only work with environmentally friendly materials, but have also invented (!) methods, materials, or joinery that takes their use of said materials to the next level.
As individuals and companies involved in the production of products in the 21st century, it is imperative that sustainability be a focal point and not an after-thought.
Our partners can help pave the way for the future of manufacturing, showing that it can be done in a scalable way, without compromising form or function.
PART 03 ⏤
The problem:
Pay to play
Uhm, what does that stamp even mean?
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① Stamps and certificates don’t always tell the whole story and more often than not, they exclude the little guys.
② The reliance on certifications for certain projects or by interior design firms was created to do positive things on the whole, but the processes through which businesses acquire certifications excludes small brands due to the time, costs, and resources required to get certified.
The goal of these certifications is to ensure a level of transparency and sustainability on projects, resulting in better air quality, safer forest regulation, and much more.
We are totally on board with these goals, and we believe more cost-effective solutions are coming. But let’s be real –– the furniture industry is difficult to enter in the first place! Products are expensive to create and manufacture as well as costly to stock.
③ Programs are designed to exclude small brands, making these certifications attainable to only large corporations who have the cash to buy-in, and in turn, can be specified on accredited commercial projects.
④ Many times small producers are doing more than large brands, but without these certifications, they are blocked from projects with these specific requirements.
⑤ This just in! It’s not always helping big business either. Who is it designed to help?!
“Despite its not-for-profit status, Greenguard charges $3000 for each product certification application; $1000 per category tested (and $500 to have it tested each year afterward); and an additional licensing fee.” ⏤ Metropolis Magazine
“Overall, [Greenguard] has the potential as a program to be a positive force,” says David Rinard, Director of Corporate Environmental Performance for Steelcase. “But when you’re a company who has as broad a product line as Steelcase,” he says, “[The certification costs] start to add up pretty quickly.” ⏤ Metropolis Magazine
If large brands like Steelcase take issue with the price point due to their extensive catalog, and small brands (like most DE brands), can’t afford to put capital towards testing, who is winning? It seems like these tests and certifications become prohibitive for just about everyone, except Greenguard, that is ;)
PART 04 ⏤
Greenwashing
Greenwashing is the process of conveying a false impression or providing misleading information about how a company’s products are more environmentally sound.
Greenwashing is considered an unsubstantiated claim to deceive consumers into believing that a company’s products are environmentally friendly.
Corporations that have been in business for decades are operating under legacy systems and take years to effect change. They might be switching to sustainable materials one product at a time, but what does their process look like for handling claims (i.e. broken furniture)? Are parts easily replaceable? What do they do with production waste?
So what are the answers to these questions? We don’t know ⏤ do you? Probably not.
PT 05 ⏤
The solution
Before the launch of Denvir Enterprises, we, like many of you, were frustrated with the lack of transparency and thoughtful production practices surrounding the interiors industry.
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Presently at DE, we’re on a mission to create transparency and encourage the interiors industry to pay attention to what they are specifying, why, and what businesses they are giving their money to. After all, this is a 200 billion dollar industry!
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Supporting small and diverse businesses that prioritize sustainability from the jump has the potential to change the course of the industry, and the world. As the new kids on the block, we, and our brands, are nimble and can pivot quickly. Our brands work with streamlined materials and methods, with the intention of creating systems that can scale as they grow.
To implement such systems is a huge challenge for large corporations and legacy brands after decades of production resulting in large collections, made out of dozens of materials and various manufacturing methods, which are often dispersed all over the globe. Not to mention dead product stock sitting in warehouses all over the world.
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↪ You might ask
“These small businesses will probably grow into larger businesses and maybe even big corporations. Won’t we just encounter the same problems in the future?”
Great question!
By establishing an open dialogue between our manufacturers and you, the consumer, we hope this sustainability movement continues to evolve and progress.
We will do our part to source and manufacture sustainably, and to share that information. You’ll need to do your part by holding those you purchase from accountable and then share that information. We are creating new standards, and it’s vital that both the manufacturer and the consumer participate. We want to hear from YOU! Scroll to the bottom to participate in our open discussion.
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PT 06 ⏤
Let’s get into the nitty-gritty
DE brands are small businesses and each of the brands represented, including DE, pay their employees above minimum wage.
Furthermore, DE does not and will not use any unpaid interns. #fightfor15
Secondly, we prioritize partnering with diverse businesses and collaborating with a diverse set of consultants. Racism is systemic and inextricably intertwined in our economic system. Beyond the obvious reasons to work with a variety of people, there is clearly an advantage in terms of the final product and quality of output. If we limit ourselves to certain perspectives, the outcome will be equally limited. If we explore a wide array of opinions, thoughts, and cultures, the more exciting and dynamic the results will be. And thank goodness! At DE, we detest the status quo.
… Extra! Extra!
BAUX’s Wood Wool manufacturing site in Maryland holds both a US Small Business Administration certificate and a Women-Owned Small Business (SBA-WOSB). BAUX’s Wood Wool and Pulp manufacturing sites in Sweden both qualify as an SBE.
Nomadory is focused on creating transparency within the global supply chain by identifying all parties invovled in the manufacturing process from the raw material to the finished good. Social accountability for Nomadory starts with knowing, only when you know can you start the process of making improvements and creating change.
Sun at Six’s factory in Guanghzou, China holds a Social Accountability SA8000® certification. What’s that you ask? SA8000 is an auditable certification standard that encourages organizations to develop, maintain, and apply socially acceptable practices in the workplace. It was developed in 1989 by Social Accountability International, formerly the Council on Economic Priorities, by an advisory board consisting of trade unions, NGOs, civil society organizations, and companies. The SA8000's criteria were developed from various industry and corporate codes to create a common standard for social welfare compliance.
▷ Denvir Enterprises is a queer-non-binary owned business
⋯ DE
▷ Women-Owned
⋯ Debbie Bean
▷ Minority-Owned
⋯ Esaila
⋯ Gantri
⋯ Sun at Six
⋯ Sun at Six
▷ Women and Minority owned:
⋯ Nomadory
