Ethical outdoor company gives creative control to sewers

Each Cotopaxi Luzon Del Dia backpack is unique, made from fabric scraps chosen by employees, who have creative control over the color of the final product.

Outdoor clothing and accessory company Cotopaxi gives employees in the Philippines complete creative control over the colors of each Luzon Del Dia backpack. Based in the United States, the company funds sustainable poverty alleviation, supporting projects that are led by the communities they serve.

The fabric used in the backpacks is repurposed and would otherwise have been scrapped, thus providing sewers with constantly updated color options. Other ways companies are helping to clean up the environment include making boots and bags from recycled plastic bottles and building a micro-library from plastic ice cream buckets.

How else could ethical environmental cleanups be turned into local employment opportunities?