Smartwool Elevates Commitment To Sustainability
Smartwool has announced it has appointed Robin Hall to the newly created role of director of sustainability. The appointment elevates the brand’s commitment to environmentally responsible business practices and being a good steward of the planet.
Through this new post, Hall will work with all of the teams at Smartwool including product development, operations, supply chain and sourcing. Smartwool is owned by VF Corporation in the division of VF Outdoor. Hall will liaise with her counterparts at other VF brands and with VF’s sustainability group.Hall has worked for Smartwool for a decade, most recently as the director of retail. She has also held roles in finance, project management, and strategy.
“Robin has helped grow this brand to where it is today, with over ten years of living and breathing the culture while serving the company in various roles,” said Jennifer McLaren, president of Smartwool. “Because she has a deep understanding of all areas of the company, she is the ideal person to ensure that sustainability is considered in every decision we make.”
Hall added, “My task is to deeply embed sustainability into everything that we do at Smartwool – from weaving sustainability initiatives into employee goals and objectives, to turning the lights off and reducing single use plastic at the office. I’m excited to lead our efforts in sustainability.”
She will baseline current and accelerate future wool farming regenerative practices by collaborating with and strengthening Smartwool’s partnership with New Zealand Merino, find natural alternatives to virgin nylon, polyester and elastane, and work more deeply with Smartwool’s supply chain operations and logistics to ensure the company is reducing carbon emissions around transportation, packaging materials, and distribution.
Smartwool’s foundation is in its sustainable fiber – merino wool. For more than two decades, Smartwool has purchased and used ZQ certified merino, the world’s leading ethical wool, in its products. All ZQ certified wool is held to the highest standard in five areas, which are third party audited: Animal welfare, environmental stability, quality fiber, traceability and social responsibility. Smartwool has a longstanding partnership with ZQ, who consistently tightens is sustainability standards and uses research and development to create distance between other wool offerings.
Together in the future, Smartwool and ZQ are engaging on a deeper level to perform new research that further extends the responsible wool supply. In addition, Smartwool is working with ZQ wool growers to build strong communities and help to ensure that their merino farms thrive for generations to come.
In addition to the wool, Smartwool has always had sustainability in its DNA. From its internal Sustainability Team to its community engagement, Advocacy is a core value which ensures that the Smartwool team does everything it can to sustain and preserve the environment.
