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Granting a New Kind of Future
Giving Back Where It Hits Home
The most impactful changes happen in the towns and cities we call home-and we want to help you make a difference.
That's why we developed an apparel grant program devoted to giving local community organizations and programs around the country a helping hand in their quest to make a difference. Throughout the year, we review applications and donate apparel to 5 recipient organizations every single month. We award each recipient with a retail value of $2,000 in the apparel of their choice.
Giving Back Where It Hits Home
The most impactful changes happen in the towns and cities we call home-and we want to help you make a difference.
That's why we developed an apparel grant program devoted to giving local community organizations and programs around the country a helping hand in their quest to make a difference. Throughout the year, we review applications and donate apparel to 5 recipient organizations every single month. We award each recipient with a retail value of $2,000 in the apparel of their choice.
Giving Back Where It Hits Home
The most impactful changes happen in the towns and cities we call home-and we want to help you make a difference.
That's why we developed an apparel grant program devoted to giving local community organizations and programs around the country a helping hand in their quest to make a difference. Throughout the year, we review applications and donate apparel to 5 recipient organizations every single month. We award each recipient with a retail value of $2,000 in the apparel of their choice.
Learn about Sustainable Style criteria
Starting from The Inside
Professional Development
At S&S, we strive to create a path of opportunity for all our employees. Here, you can build a career from scratch, collaborating cross functionally every day to create a more diverse tomorrow.
Corporate Culture
We're united by a single, shared mission. Our ability to work together makes our dreams fully attainable. As we grow, we'll continue to build on these values, welcoming new ideas and innovative schools of thought that not only make us the team we are but evolve into who we want to be.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Diversity is the foundation of progress. Our values reflect that very notion, and every customer, vendor, and employee should feel surrounded by warm welcomes, the utmost appreciation and respect all because they are simply themselves.
Corporate Philanthropy
Philanthropy is rooted in our history, and we’re proud to support people in the communities we serve. Through our S&S Grant Program, we’re able to reach organizations all over the country and provide them with an apparel grant to support their goals and mission.
Over the years we’ve participated in volunteer days with organizations like Gotta Have Sole and Operation Gratitude, as well as hosted blood drives, supply drives for the Ukraine, and other local charities.
Finally, we’ve initiated a multi-year project with our partners at Tultex to help build water towers in remote and underserved communities in Mexico. Be on the lookout for more to come!
Occupational Health & Safety
We aim to build a culture where all employees contribute to and take ownership of maintaining a safe work environment.
S&S Activewear's goal is not only to minimize operational accidents, but to have zero incidents year-round. To reach this goal, we will continue to pursue Health and Safety improvements through various initiatives.
Safety Training
Ensuring our teams are properly trained in all safety procedures for each job is imperative to their success. We put in over 12,000 hours of training in 2022, ensuring each distribution center is well-equipped with the knowledge of proper machine operating procedures, safe lifting, restocking, and order packing.
Creating a Flexible Workplace
At S&S, we aim to balance flexibility, productivity, and collaboration. Having time to work remotely has benefits for individual productivity as well as balancing work/life demands. At the same time, research tells us that when people work in the office regularly they are more engaged, have a stronger sense of belonging and report overall higher satisfaction with work.
As such, we’ve embraced a hybrid work model that provides the benefits of both remote and in-person work environments.
Energy Management
LEED Certified
Our Lockport, IL distribution center is LEED certified. LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership, and is available for virtually all building types. LEED provides a framework for healthy, efficient, and cost-saving green buildings. It is said that on average LEED certified buildings can use anywhere from 25-30% less energy than traditional buildings.
High-Effenciency Lighting
We use LED lighting in all of our facilities. That’s because LEDs are up to 80% more efficient than CFLs and incandescent bulbs. In addition, our warehouse lighting is activated by motion sensors. When the aisles aren’t occupied, we’re not wasting energy.
Lifetime Solar Energy Generated
7,333,371 kwh
We’ve installed solar paneling systems at our Reno, Fort Worth, Olathe, Lockport, and McDonough distribution centers as well as our corporate headquarters with the goal of fully powering each location with solar energy. To date we have generated over 7.3M kWh of renewable energy across all 6 locations. That’s equivalent to over 12M miles not driven.
Lifetime stats across all 6 locations with solar energy:
583K
Gallons of gasoline not used
5.7M
Lbs. of coal not burned
3.9M
Lbs. of garbage recycled
86K
Mature trees grown
7.3M
kWh of solar energy created
12.5M
Miles not driven
Events and Travel
S&S tradeshows, events, and travel are a large area in which we are constantly looking to improve our waste and carbon emissions offset. By using a sustainability check list to keep quick wins top of mind, our events team prioritizes ecofriendly substitutions for food & beverage waste, water bottle waste, and giveaways.
Where possible, we partner with hotels, airfare, and car rental agencies that keep sustainability top of mind. We consistently encourage our employees to utilize rideshare companies when possible, as well as virtual meetings in place of in-person.
Cutting back on water consumption
By installing low flow toilets and waterless urinals at our facilities, we’ve saved an estimated over 120,000 gallons of water per year.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Freight Optimizer
Designed to create efficiency and cutout excess carbon emissions, our freight optimizer tool allows customers to choose the shipping option best for their needs and for the planet.
Zone Skipping
In an effort to cut gas emissions and lessen shipment travel, we’ve implemented zone skipping, or otherwise known as freight consolidation. This means our shipments are presorted at the point of origin based on its final destination before the carrier takes possession.
Waste Management
Recycling
Boxes: We make a huge effort to reuse boxes still in good condition for shipping our orders. We’re proud that we only ship a small percentage of our orders using brand-new boxes, greatly reducing our cardboard waste.
Paper Recycling Baskets: We’ve also chosen to place paper-recycling bins throughout our offices, so it's a cinch for employees to recycle their paper waste.
Recycling Stations: Our office lunchrooms include individual receptacles, so our employees and guests proactively recycle their paper, aluminum, and plastic.
Textiles: We want to help find a solution to the growing problem of textile waste, so we partnered with Give Back Box to create a textile recycling program. To date we’ve donated over 70,000 pounds of clothing.
Reduction of Single Use Plastics
Water Refilling Stations: We've installed water refill stations in most of our facilities so employees can use their refillable water bottles. We're happy to say we've saved over 610,000 water bottles to date since the installation of these stations.
Giving Back Where It Hits Home
The most impactful changes happen in the towns and cities we call home-and we want to help you make a difference.
That's why we developed an apparel grant program devoted to giving local community organizations and programs around the country a helping hand in their quest to make a difference. Throughout the year, we review applications and donate apparel to 5 recipient organizations every single month. We award each recipient with a retail value of $2,000 in the apparel of their choice.
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Our Sustainable Style Categories
Sustainable Materials
Materials that are obtained from renewable or recycled resources and have minimal negative impact on the environment during their production and manufacturing.
Sustainable Manufacturing
Sustainable manufacturing is the creation of manufactured products through processes that minimize negative environmental impacts while conserving energy and natural resources.
Socially Conscious Manufacturing
Socially conscious manufacturing means the manufacturing process is thoroughly reviewed, often certified, to verify high standards of ethical treatment of employees throughout all facets of the supply chain, such as the manufacturing process of fibers and materials.
Responsible Mindset
Responsible mindset means designing a business to include corporate giving to charity or other giveback programs in support of people, communities, and/or the environment.
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Learn about regulatory requirements
CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65
CPSIA Product Safety
ANSI/ISEA Safety Standards
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
How to Qualify
If you're a nonprofit organization, school, or religious organization with a 501(c)(3) designation, you can apply for a grant. Applicants must be prepared to submit a copy of their designation letter. Past recipients are eligible to receive another grant after one calendar year.
How to Apply
Application periods run from the 1st - 15th of every month. Entries submitted during that period will be considered for a grant. Each applicant will receive an email stating the determination status of their entry within a week of the application period closing.
What You Need to Know
What Is Give Back Box?
Give Back Box operates as the logistical muscle behind many large retailer donation programs by connecting businesses with charities across the US and abroad. They provide consumers with an easy way to donate old clothing and household items (or in our case extra samples or damaged inventory), therefore extending the life of donations and alleviating landfill overflow.
Give Back Box works with charities that support causes like domestic violence, mental health, and economic growth.
What Can I Donate?
You can donate things like sample overflow, old or damaged inventory, displays, and everything in between. In addition, if you have old clothes to get rid of at home those donations are always welcome.
When Can I Donate?
This program is a year-round effort, and it's completely free to you. There is no limit on how many labels you can download. This means you can send in as many boxes as you need to, as often as you need to.
How Do I Send My Donation?
For US based donators, please visit this site to download your pre-paid shipping label.
Once you’ve packed your recycled box to the brim, attach your label and drop off your box at a UPS location.
Want to Get Your Customer Involved?
Download a generic version of the Give Back Box flyer or share the link below with your customer to create their own Give Back labels.
Pack It Up
Print Label
Ship It Out
Other Questions You Might Ask?
What is the weight limit and box size requirement for my donation?
The maximum weight is 70 pounds. The combined length and girth of a piece (the length of its longest side plus the distance around its thickest part) may not exceed 108 inches.
What donations are not accepted?
Please do not send large electronics, any liquids, fragile, hazardous, or volatile items, or ammunition in boxes.
Can I choose the charity that gets my donation?
Yes! You have the option to select which charity receives your donation, however additional fees may apply. Visit this site for more information https://givebackbox.shop.
But what about carbon emissions?
Give Back Box operates using reverse logistic solutions, meaning your donation will only get to the charity if there is already a truck going that way. This prevents extra driving, which means less carbon emissions, and promotes cleaner air.
