Serving Sustainability
When meteorologist-turned-entrepreneur Jackie Meretsky wanted to create a sustainable tennis apparel line, she had her work cut out for her. “I made that decision really without knowing just how challenging and expensive it is,” Meretsky says. But she found a winner: all of her Jgame garments are made with recycled polyester from water bottles, and everything from the brand is made in New York’s garment district under ethical working conditions. “I don’t think you can really separate having an ethical business from a sustainable business,” she says. Meretsky’s hard work has caught on: Canadian tennis player Gaby Dabrowski wore Jgame while playing in Wimbledon in 2022. Meretsky, who splits her time between the Big Apple and Miami, is also partnering with First Serve Miami, providing her activewear to kids who lack resources to compete in the game.
Shop for Good
For fashionphiles supporting sustainable brands, there’s The Canvas in Wynwood (not to be confused with nearby Canvas MIA). The new 5,000-square-foot concept store boasts upcycled clothing and accessories, vintage pieces, and new eco-friendly finds. “It has to start with the design,” says Devin Giomartin, CEO and founder of The Canvas. “If you are designing something, it doesn’t matter how sustainable it is if it’s not a good product. You just put something into the world that’s not going to have a home and it’s going to end up in a landfill.” The Sunshine State outpost follows five New York locations of The Canvas. This branch features Miami-centric looks from Clandestina, Aline Yaneli, Sandrine B. Jewelry, A Line of Kope, Argot Swim, Lovyt, and Zellerfeld. More than 300 companies are on the waiting list to have their goods sold at The Canvas, and all must comply with at least two of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Skin in the Game
At 10 feet long and weighing around 500 pounds, the South American pirarucu is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world—and it is the inspiration for a new line of leather goods from Coral Gables–based Piper & Skye. Joanna MacDonald founded the brand with a mission to create handbags using leather from only invasive or overpopulated species (including pirarucu and American alligator). To further Piper & Skye’s eco-mission, all the skins sourced for its collection—ranging from cardholders to duffle bags—are humanely and legally harvested by suppliers who align with the brand’s goals of human rights, fair wages, and reducing the use of hazardous chemicals. When it comes to how she leads her company, MacDonald cites this quote from her grandfather:“‘Business is not about numbers; it’s about people and relationships.’ I extend that even further from people to planet. It’s organically built into my nature to care.”
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