Q&A with Branch & Roots

Written by Kajsa IngelssonJuly 3, 2017

Our plastic dependency needs to stop! While it’s easy to refuse a straw or bring your own tote bags while shopping, have you ever considered all the other ways plastic sneaks into our lives? Branch & Roots is a new eco fashion company bringing you green sunglasses. Read on to get a look behind their curtains.

What statement of design or aesthetic are you trying to achieve over at Branch & Roots?

Our designs are minimalist. Unlike other brands we don’t logos printed on our products because we believe any brand can stand for a cause, it doesn’t have to be just us. We also hope by not having a logo printed, those who wear it can share in their own words of what they think of the brand when they’re asked about it. In short, we’re keeping the concept and design simple, straight forward.

Can you tell me a little more about your founding and what motivated the start of your hybrid, eco-fashion company?

Fashion is the second leading industry in polluting the planet (more info on that here). The rainforests are one of the pillars holding the world’s ecosystem together. By combining the two facts, we began looking into wood products that uses sustainable wood that would’ve otherwise been discarded, to produce beautiful accessories. More importantly, we aim to use wood products to bring more awareness to rainforest deprivation.

Which rainforests do a percentage of your profits go to?

The donations would be allocated to those more experienced. They’ll know how to use the money best. In this process, it’s not just where the donations are going to, but who.

What are some new and upcoming projects we can expect from Branch & Roots?

We’re exploring the concept of working with artists who create beautiful wooden products. There are a few from Taiwan who we may collaborate with starting in a few months! If there are creators in this space who aim to help others look good and do good, they’re more than welcome to reach out!

Tell us more about the intent of Branch & Roots and what the general mission is.

Coming back full loop, we’d like to keep things simple 🙂  Our motto is look good, do good. With that, our mission is deliver great looking hand made products that helps protect the world’s rainforests.

Describe how your company contributes to the harm reduction of rain forests using fashion as its main method.

Our brand and products are the message. Due to different regulations and policies, we contribute to organizations that have the network, experience and expertise in reducing the harm done to our rainforests.

 Exactly how much waste is caused by wood production? What are the statistics that your company goes by?

It seems like we are dodging this answer, but the truth is there are a lot of of sources and statistics which makes it hard to keep up. Instead of statistics, we go by the fact that our planet is heading in the direction where if humans don’t do something about it, parts of the world will becoming increasingly uninhabitable. Stats or no stats, this is the truth. We’d just like to do our part in reversing that.

Besides sunglasses, watches, bags etc. are there any more items your are looking to produce with recycled wood?

Definitely! If there are independent artists looking to showcase and share their product with the world, we’re more than happy to collaborate in a way that’s a good fit for both. As for the near future, we hope to work with some Taiwanese artists. Stay tuned!

Can you describe the style of Branch & Roots? Who would be the ideal consumer of your product?

Our company is very young and we’re still trying to understand our customers. But from those we’ve had the pleasure of getting to know through social media, they are each unique in their own way by creating their own sense of style unlike any others. They’re young, dynamic, fashion forward and truly great people! Of course we can’t forget about a big heart because they not only buy our products, but they buy into our cause.

Any advice to shoppers who are looking to cut down on waste and wood production, or seeking out better buying alternatives?

Ask questions. That’s how we started. Big companies are telling us what to buy, say, think and it’s very dangerous. Finding out whether a company or product you are supporting is doing harm or good to the planet takes digging. So ask questions! In terms of better buying alternatives, they’ll need to do some digging.

Like other eco-friendly brands, we don’t have a budget to out-market established brands, so it’ll take some digging to find us. On the bright side, social media breaks down the barrier and customers can reach out directly to small but fast growing brands just like us! They just need to dig a bit 🙂 It’s also our job to make our cause and our voice heard.