PACT Luxury Makes You Feel Good
To save the environment is to save your ass, and a new underwear company is making both more comfortable. PACT, which launched last month, integrates organic materials and a low-impact manufacturing, shipping and shopping process to deliver comfort and style ... but not at the expense of the rainforests and ozone layer. Premium organic is poised to become the next iteration of conspicuous luxury (if it's not there already), and hiding a PACT product under your jeans could someday supplant a Patek-clad wrist.
Well, maybe that's wishful thinking from an ol' tree-hugger, but there is no doubt that the premium associated with environmentally friendly products is already beginning to carve out its own space in the world of luxury products.
Manufactured in Turkey – from the farming of organic cotton to finished product, all within a 100-mile radius – PACT underwear requires a lower level of carbon emissions to produce, and every link in the supply chain, the company says, is certified to exceed the highest environmental standards. Where no certification exists, PACT uses social expectations as its benchmark (and not the expectations of a guy who clubs seals for sport). Packaging for shipping bags is compostable and encloses another bag, made from cloth scraps and reusable.
The company eschews filler, plastic and big cardboard boxes.
"We looked at underwear through the lens of 360º design," says Jeff Denby, PACT Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder. "Having fuseproject as an equity partner in PACT illuminates the fundamental importance of design to the PACT brand. Our collaboration is key to generating what we believe are the most innovative ideas at the intersection of business, design and sustainability."
With a partner like fuseproject, PACT gains access to a world of style that you can only find in the mind of Yves Behar, and the company is behind the branding of such products as the Jawbone headset, Herman Miller LEAF Lamp and One Laptop per Child XO laptop.
"In building PACT, we re-thought everything about the way underwear is made and marketed," said Behar. "We're not doing anything artificial or superficial, not with the body, not with the packaging and not with our partnerships. Our vision is to unite fashion and design with doing good in an authentic way, building a company that truly embodies 21st century needs, showing a new way for businesses to operate in the future."
The premium that PACT charges ultimately winds up in the hands of several non-profit organizations – each underwear collection is assigned a particular non-profit. Participants include 826 National, ForestEthics and Oceana, with each receiving 10 percent of its associated product's sales.
"More than ever, consumers want to see their values reflected in the products they buy, from hybrid cars to fair-trade coffee and PACT is applying this mindset to everyday essentials." said Jason Kibbey, PACT CEO and Co-Founder. "Underwear is a necessity. So why not wear the most stylish, best fitting and sustainable pair possible and give back to organizations dedicated to positive change?"
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