The Sak Commits to a Sustainable Future

NEW YORK, Feb. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2019, The Sak reached an incredible milestone: a successful 30 Years of Craft. As The Sak kicks off the next thirty years, the company has already begun to embrace their vision to make the world better through thoughtfully crafted accessories, ethical practices and by building a social fabric that ignites a global community towards a greater purpose.

A Commitment to Sustainable and Ethical Design

Aligned with The Sak's mission to be socially and environmentally responsible (with a goal of 100% sustainability by 2029), the company aims to lower the environmental impact by working towards more sustainable production standards. To accomplish this, The Sak is focused on three pillars: products, people, planet:

Lowering the environmental impact of our products: Working towards more ethical standards to ensure that the materials and processes in our supply chain are sustainable.
Supporting our people: We have been trailblazers in the industry to ensure our employees have a meaningful work/life balance, as well as creating a lasting connection with our artisans, partners and consumers. 
Caring for our planet:  Growing our circle of nature related charities to make a positive impact on our ecosystem.

ReSak:  Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Repair + Restore
Additionally, The Sak has partnered with several eco-friendly companies and organizations to help measure and reduce the environmental impacts of products throughout their life cycle. These initiatives include:

• REPREVE®: REPREVE is the leading, branded performance fiber made from recycled materials (including plastic bottles). We have partnered with Repreve to develop proprietary materials: recycled Eco-Twill, 100% recycled jersey crochet and recycled polytwill lining. This month, Sakroots will be launching a recycled Eco-Twill collection called Seascape which features REPREVE outer material and lining. This collection benefits SeaTrees by Sustainable Surf, an ocean-health-focused platform designed to reverse climate change by providing habitats for threatened species such as sea turtles and other ocean life. The Sak has a goal to have 100% of their lining made from sustainable materials by 2023.
  
  
• Oceanworks: Oceanworks reimagines recycled plastic as a resource that can be regenerated into products over and over creating a closed material cycle. Their mission will significantly reduce the need for virgin plastic and create a Circular Economy for ocean plastics. The Sak uses Oceanworks Guaranteed yarn sourced from recycled fishing net material in a special  hand-crocheted capsule collection launching in Spring 2020.
  
  
• Leather Working Group certified tanneries: The objective of the Leather Working Group (LWG) is to develop and maintain a protocol that assesses the environmental compliance and performance capabilities of leather tanneries and promotes sustainable and appropriate environmental business practices within the leather industry.  87% of the leather The Sak uses is sourced from these tanneries that take into account environmentally friendly processes, labor conditions and sustainable water usage. The Sak plans for 100% of their leather to come from LWG certified tanneries by 2021.
  
  
• Natural Materials focus:  The Sak introduced vegetable tanned leathers and up-cycled leathers, while Sakroots features body materials made from linen, cotton and jute.   
  
  
• Forest Stewardship Council: All hangtags on our products are now 100% FCS (Forest Stewardship Council) Certified. FSC is an international non-profit organization that sets the standard for what is a responsibly managed forest both environmentally and socially. Further, Sakroots  shipping bags are biodegradable. The Sak and Sakroots plan to have 100% sustainable packaging by 2021.
  
  
• PETA: PETA was founded in 1980 and is dedicated to establishing and defending the rights of all animals. 100% of The Sak crochet and Sakroots is PETA Approved Vegan Certified using materials free of animal byproducts.

In addition, The Sak supports its female artisans who hand make our timeless crochet products, supporting their craft to safeguard their unique skills. The Sak has established a private fund which supports the healthcare and education of the female artisans of Negara and surrounding villages. A portion of sales of the limited-edition collection goes directly to the fund.

A Commitment to A Sustainable Livelihood:
It is essential to The Sak Brand Group ethos that all employees have a meaningful work/life balance and are provided with the resources to actively  live out the company's values. The Sak offers all employees a generous flex-time policy, which allows for the opportunity to work from home on Mondays and Fridays increasing personal time. Further, this helps to  reduce the brand's carbon footprint by eliminating the need for employees to commute on those days.

In addition to paid volunteer hours, generous vacation policies, mentorship programs, in-office wellness amenities and more, the company presently offers an eco-friendly work environment that promotes sustainable practices such as in-office recycling, the use of non-plastics, and more.  

"Last year we celebrated a brand milestone: our 30^th Anniversary, but now we have to look to the future," said Mark Talucci, CEO and Founder of The Sak and Sakroots. "As I look back over the last three decades and where the world was when we started versus now, I recognize the importance of reframing the way The Sak functions as a global citizen with an added pledge for environmental stewardship, authentic craftsmanship and philanthropy."

For more information on The Sak Brand Group and their sustainable practices, please visit TheSak.com

About The Sak
The Sak is the original California lifestyle brand built on authentic design, handcrafted details and environmentally responsible practices.  Each high-quality leather and hand-crocheted bag is created thoughtfully to reflect our love of craftsmanship, artistry and global influences.  The Sak is sold in over 10,000 retail locations worldwide.

About Sakroots
Sakroots is a free-spirited lifestyle brand for young-minded women who have a passion for fashion, art and nature. Sakroots delivers fresh and exciting products through unique artist driven patterns, each tied to a nature-related charity that share our social mission to make the world better and gives our customers the opportunity to donate to their charity of choice on www.sakroots.com. Sakroots matches all donations, dollar for dollar.  Learn more about our matching program, Art for a Cause, at: www.sakroots.com/art-for-a-cause.

Press Contact
THINK – Sheila Smith
[email protected]
212-343-3920

SOURCE The Sak