Sustainability Progress Report 2022

Upcycled Collection

In 2022, we partnered with Looptworks: a Portland, Oregon based business that completely re-purposes used or excess materials into new, limited edition products—a process known as upcycling.

1. We took returned and lightly damaged Catalina Collection products and, instead of sending them to a landfill, shipped them to our friends at Looptworks.
2. We carefully and meticulously took apart and deconstructed the returned products, turning them into material for new products.
3. We then took the deconstructed materials to assemble new limited edition one-of-a-kind products: the Upcycled Patchwork Tote and the Upcycled Laptop Sleeve.

In 2023, we will design even more upcycled product styles made from other Lo & Sons collections (like the Rowledge and the O.G. 2 in our Signature Collection).

Product Materials

Recycled Poly

In 2022, our efforts to use recycled materials such as recycled poly saved over 1,410,00 plastic bottles from the landfill. We nearly doubled our savings from the previous year (719,000). By recycling these bottles into fiber rather than sending them to a waste management site, we avoided emitting 26 tons of carbon dioxide in 2022, having the same effect as taking 5.5 cars off the road. 

Nappa Leather

By working with a Gold Rated tannery to make Nappa leather, we saved over 117,000 kilowatt hours of electricity and over 303,000 gallons of water, which is equivalent to:

• The water used by 15,182 showers
• Drying 29,357 loads of laundry

Cactus Leather

This year, we introduced the Waverley 2, the Pearl, the Leather Wallet, and the Small Wallet in a plant-based vegan leather option made from nopal cactus. By choosing nopal cactus instead of plastic-based vegan leather materials, we reduced greenhouse gas emission by 71%, energy consumption by 63%, and water usage by 99%. In 2022, 7% of our units were made in Cactus leather.

Recycled Nylon

In 2022, we transitioned 21% of our bags made from virgin nylon to recycled nylon, such as our best-selling Rowledge and new arrival Nouvelle, and we plan to transition 60% of our nylon bags to recycled nylon in 2023.

Lining

All solid linings are made from 100% recycled poly. All linings with a woven jacquard pattern are made from 50% recycled poly and in 2023, we plan to make the transition to 100% recycled linings for all of our styles. 

Web

In 2022, we introduced a new crossbody bag: the Nouvelle, and used recycled web for the shoulder strap in this new style.

Hang Tags

In 2022 we introduced recycled cardstock hang tags and in 2023, 100% of our hang tags will be recycled and printed with soy ink.

Mesh

In 2023, 100% of the mesh used in our bags, such as for the interior pockets, will be recycled.

Packaging

• In 2022, we transitioned 85% of our plastic packaging to 100% recycled/recyclable material and in 2023, we plan to transition to 100% recycled/recyclable.
• In 2022, we transitioned 70% of our dust bags to recycled fabric and drawstring and in 2023, we plan to make the 100% transition.

Manufacturing

In 2022, 18.5% of our production was done at a factory that runs on solar energy and uses a Water-SUSTReclamation-System, which can convert over 100 tons of wastewater to clean water per day with a conversion rate from wastewater to clean water of 100%.

Operations

• In 2023, we will partner with Happy Returns to consolidate returns and reduce the number of shipments needed, thus decreasing our carbon emissions.
• In 2022, we also opened a second fulfillment center near Detroit to service our customers on the east coast, thus reducing the distance a product needs to travel and further reducing our carbon footprint.

Learn more about our sustainable business practices here.