Gap Inc.’s Post

Happy National Black Business Month! Black business owners make up about 10% of U.S. Businesses, yet have a substantial impact on our local economies, culture, and communities. How are you celebrating or supporting this month?

How you can learn a lesson from Inside the Factory. I started watching this show several years ago with the kids. It's perfect family viewing, informative, educational Reithian stuff. In one episode I was stunned to find every cherry on every bakewell I've ever eaten had been placed by hand by a real person. That's a lot of cherries in my lifetime. The German pencil factory is also a favourite episode. This morning LinkedIn served me up this post from the founder of the jeans company who featured last night. It must be truly gratifying to have grown a business from scratch to the scale that was featured in the show. The stats on the amount of cotton yarn they produce and dye indigo each day ran into the millions of kilometres. The weaving, the pattern cutting, the assembling of the products. Each step meticulously cared for. Every contributing factor has been identified then tried and tested and refined until each part can be the absolute best it can be. It didn't happen overnight. There's a lovely parallel to be drawn from this process and the fact that it results in such a high-quality outcome. That's how I work with my clients. I don't want to rush through a cookie cutter process. I want to identify each factor that is preventing you from being the person you want to be, understand it, and test ways that work for you and help you reach your goals in a way that isn't going to deplete you. It doesn't happen overnight, we don't rush, but we are efficient with our time together. We co-create the results that you want. You walk away equipped to create a new chapter in your story, feeling shiny and new, zipped up and ready to go. If you're ready to focus on perfecting all your personal processes drop me a DM or head to my profile and book yourself an appointment. #pr #corporatecommunications #coaching #personaldevelopment

🤝 Collaborating with Icebug AB to Ensure Labour Rights 🤝 Vanbestco Ltd. recently met with Icebug AB to discuss Fair Wear Foundation's Labour Standards. Hosted by Icebug's Sustainability Manager, Maria Munther, and attended by Vanbestco's Sustainability Specialist, Yi-Lin Ye, the meeting aimed to safeguard workers' rights across Tier 1 suppliers. Understanding our role as a solution provider, we value collaborating with Icebug, who shares our commitment to sustainability and ethics. Under Maria's guidance, we explored strategies to enhance human rights, ensuring a fair and respectful work environment for all supply chain workers. This collaboration demonstrates our joint dedication to social responsibility, driving positive change in the footwear industry while prioritizing human rights. Stay updated on our progress as we work with stakeholders to promote ethical practices 💪💪💪 #Vanbestco #Icebug #Sustainability #FairWearFoundation #HumanRights #LabourRights #SupplyChains #EthicalPractices

It's World Shoemakers Day, and I couldn't shake off the memory of the man who once told me to abandon the idea of making shoes because it is dirty work. A path he saw fit to question as if the craft that brought me joy and purpose was somehow a mark against me. As much as I have been praised for doing this work, I have been put down much more for it. I chuckled at the audacity of those who believed they could strip away my wow factor as if my identity could be bartered. If only they knew that shoemaking isn't just a skill; it is a symbol of resilience, a reminder of the problem-solving teenager who dipped her toes into the world of shoes to address a need at her secondary school. Shoemaking isn't just a craft; it is my response to a problem, my initiative to make a difference. In those moments of creativity, I discovered the power of my hands—the power to shape my destiny and the destiny of those around me. Shoemaking isn't just a profession; it is a silent rebellion against the notion that a woman's aspirations could be boxed into societal expectations. It is the essence of who I am—a woman with the skill and passion to craft, create, and leave an indelible mark on the world. As World Shoemakers Day is commemorated today, I am reminded that it's not just about making shoes; it's about owning my narrative, defying expectations, and leaving an imprint that transcends societal norms. #FeyisayomiJ

Steven Kurutz, author of the book “American Flannel,” talks about the story today during the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) 20th anniversary Annual Meeting at The Watergate Hotel in #Washington, D.C. He has been a features reporter for The New York Times for more than a decade.  “American Flannel” is described as “the little-engine-that-could story of how a band of scrappy entrepreneurs are reviving the enterprise of manufacturing clothing in the United States.” For decades, textile and apparel manufacturing was a pillar of U.S. industry. But beginning in the 1980s, Americans went from wearing 70 percent domestic-made apparel to almost none. Even the very symbol of American freedom and style – blue jeans – got outsourced. With offshoring, the nation lost not only millions of jobs but also crucial expertise and artistry.   Dismayed by shoddy imported “fast fashion” – and unable to stop dreaming of re-creating a favorite shirt from his youth – Bayard Winthrop set out to build a new company, American Giant, that would swim against this trend. Kurutz, in turn, began to follow Winthrop’s journey. James W. McKinnon of NCTO member Cotswold Industries Inc. was also a source for the story. Kurutz discovered other trailblazers as well, from the “Sock Queen of Alabama” to a pair of father-son shoemakers and a men’s style blogger who almost single-handedly drove a campaign to make “Made in the USA” cool. “American Flannel” is the story of how a band of visionaries and makers are building a new supply chain on the skeleton of the old and wedding old-fashioned craftsmanship to cutting-edge technology and design to revive an essential American dream. #AmericanTextiles #WeMakeAmazing #Yarns #Fibers #Textiles #Weaving #Knitting #Fabrics #MadeInAmerica #MadeInUSA #Nearshoring #Reshoring

Deciding to be a Waymaker can be done in a manner of seconds. Being a Waymaker takes time, intention, and vulnerability. It takes us becoming like the Sankofa—aware of the past to inform a successful path forward. Here’s to more of us all doing just that in this new year.    #WaymakerLife #InclusiveLeadership #WorkplaceEquity #TheWaymakersChangeGroup #betheway #wearethewaymakers

STOP THINKING AND START BUILDING

On #EmployeeAppreciationDay, we’d like to take a moment to highlight and thank our 45,000 employees across the globe, who, thanks to their dedication and support, make Gildan what it is today: a leader in responsible apparel manufacturing. Saying thank you is a small but powerful gesture, so why not join in on the celebration? Tag a colleague in the comment section down below and tell us why you appreciate working with them! 👇#LifeatGildan #MakingApparelBetter

✍️ Chapter 1: The story of "Livas" begins in the year 1980, at 227 Tooley Street in Central London. ⭐️ Here, John and Chrisoulla Ioannou, drawing inspiration from their family's textile tradition and their experience working in factories, turned their dream into reality; to create a factory that produces quality clothing with integrity, passion, and respect. ✊Over the years, we have grown and adapted to market needs, but our values have remained the same. #LivasHistory #30Years #LivasTeam #Excellence ▀▄🄻🄸🅅🄰🅂 🄲🄻🄾🅃🄷🄸🄽🄶▀▄ ———————————————————————— #LivasClothing #QualityReliabilitySince 1️⃣9️⃣9️⃣4️⃣

Denim and Pearls - Promises, Promises - 0808 Promises, Promises 💫✨ Life is a series of commitments we make to ourselves and others. Some we keep, some we break, and some are waiting to be fulfilled. It's all part of the journey. Let's reflect on the promises we've made, both big and small. Have you followed through on your resolutions? Have you kept your word to a friend? Have you honored the commitments you've made to yourself? Remember, it's never too late to turn promises into actions. Take a step today, no matter how small, toward fulfilling those promises. Let's make our word a reflection of our integrity, and may our actions speak louder than our words. Remember to like and share... #Promises #Commitment #Integrity #ActionsSpeakLouder #KeynoteSpeaker #Integrity #Business #Life #DenimAndPearls https://lnkd.in/gp9mzB9k