GROUNDTRUTH grew from a shared belief in the power of collaboration, and three sisters’ drive to help protect people and the planet. They have worked for five years on the development of the GROUNDTRUTH concept, which evolved through their experiences on the road, in the field and in business.
We talk to the Scott sisters to find out all about GROUNDTRUTH.
Tell us about how GROUNDTRUTH was born?
We are three sisters with a deep rooted drive to create measurable positive change, bringing together our diverse skill sets, from feature documentary filmmakers to artisan textile specialists – we founded GROUNDTRUTH in 2017 and have worked to create a progressive and sustainable company which is at the forefront of green innovation. Together, we saw the opportunity to design problem-solving travel goods that help reduce plastic pollution and improve working conditions for the people that make the products. Our design philosophy is tailored for those with diverse lifestyles – our bags and accessories are robust enough for the great outdoors and while being refined enough for the demands of city life.
By innovating new sustainable materials and with technical and contemporary designs, we hope to help drive the fashion and manufacturing industry forward to a much greener and healthier future!
When people purchase your products, what difference are they making?
There is an astonishing amount of plastic pollution that is engulfing our planet. Our local recycling plant in Jakarta, where our bags are made, receives of 2000 tonnes of plastic every week. A lot of this plastic is shipped from other countries.
Looking at our products, one would never guess that they are made from recycled plastic bottles. Every single element in our range is crafted from 100% recycled material, using post-consumer plastic recovered from landfill sites, waterways and oceans worldwide. To date we have used over 480,000 recycled plastic bottles to craft our debut range – it’s a start!
By using 100% recycled materials, we are also able to reduce our consumption of natural resources – an approach which extends throughout our supply chain.
Tell us about the difference in your production processes compared to other less sustainable fashion products?
Drawing on our experience working as documentary filmmakers and textile specialist, we have researched and documented every step of the process of building our supply chain ecosystem. Over the course of three years we have forged and established lasting relationships with our partners to create a secure and transparent supply chain and workflow.
We have partnered with Bluesign®, a leading system which encourages the textile industry to increase their efforts in sustainable processes and provides a safer and more sustainable environment for people to live and work in. Our partners adhere to the Global Recycled Standard, helping to minimise harmful emissions while reducing the use of water and energy – these steps help to ensure that our products are produced in the most ecologically protective way possible.
Through rigorous research and strong partnerships we now have an advanced portfolio of recycled materials, biodegrading packaging and an achievable set of environmental KPIs. From business travel to production to material manufacturing – we offset our entire carbon footprint with Wildlife Works and their Mai Ndombe project, located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which protects over 740k acres of the world’s second-largest rainforest.
Even though our products are created from plastic waste – they are built to last, and help fight the fast fashion industry, we offer a 15 year warranty and an end of life product return policy!
What is your favourite destination on earth?
This is a hard one for us all as we truly love and appreciate this entire beautiful planet and have travelled to all corners of the world. We love the great outdoors, uncovering countries and learning about new cultures – this love is definitely a guiding force within GROUNDTRUTH.
What do you think the future of travel accessories looks like?
One positive aspect of the Covid-19 pandemic is a greater focus on outdoor activity and the increasing awareness of sustainable living. There is an ever growing increase in awareness of the origins and sustainability behind the products that people buy – this is good news!
The shifts we are currently witnessing in the customer base is a healthy certainty that the current consumption model is changing. Nearly 50% of fast fashion retailers have reported a recent decrease in customer purchases as consumers look for brands that take a stand for the environment which is a great integration that the shift in consumers are changing.
Another shift that we are expecting to see is data-driven decisions: by leveraging data on consumer trends, brands will create products that consumers are most likely to purchase. Losing the regular seasons and becoming consumer focused, trends will come from the customers rather than the designers. We feel that these changes will help path the way for a brighter and more sustainable future, but customers need to continue to demand transparency and true sustainability.
What is next for GROUNDTRUTH?
We have some pretty exciting projects on the go including our newly innovated captured carbon textiles and components, launching early next year. The next generation RIKR bags are an elevated version of the much loved existing range created from 100% recycled plastic. The new designs include components and textiles made from recycled Polyethylene (household plastic) and captured CO2 – unique to the market.
We are also currently working on our next range – the UNDA, an ultimate range of waterproof bags and accessories fit for any journey. This range will be crafted from our newly innovated captured CO2 developments amongst other exciting textiles. We definitely want to build GROUNDTRUTH to become a global hub of innovation, design and green innovation. Stay tuned!
To discover more, visit: groundtruth.global
All imagery courtesy of GROUNDTRUTH.
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