What 1% means to Fig, and more about 1% for the Planet

I grew up in Vermont. Core preschool memories involve feeding leftover snacks to our friendly onsite pig and doing yoga with our teachers before naptime. My European mother sewed all of our Halloween costumes (my all time favorite was when my best friend Ali and I were both crayons). We rode bikes everywhere. Food that came from the “farm to [your] table” is not a new concept for me. Above all, I gained a deep and profound love for nature and respect for the great outdoors. Few things can take your breath away like the morning of a first snow, or seeing the leaves change colors in the Fall. And yes, I know how to milk a cow and tap a tree for maple syrup. Vermont is in many ways my happy place, and Fig is a love letter to my childhood and finding joy in the simple things.

I also spent time growing up in Heidelberg, Germany, where we would often go to be with my grandparents and German relatives. In some ways, Heidelberg is not unlike Vermont: it’s breathtakingly beautiful and may be the only other place on earth without a real Target. Europe is also where I fell in love with fashion, bright colors, and joyful patterns and prints. Shopping was an indulgence, but I learned that the best purchases were those made as an investment in premium quality pieces that were equally as good for your health (finally, all these years later, my Birkenstocks are having their moment!). We never considered whether something was “certified organic” or “non-toxic” as this is largely the norm (and most certainly for basics like children’s underwear) in much of Europe. 

Fast forward to many years later when I started shopping in New York as a new mom for my children. Now, I will admit as any true New Yorker must, that my closet has a pair or two of bad-for-the-environment-and-bad-for-my-health pair of oh so good-for-my-soul shoes (I’m looking at you, my prized pair of hot pink rhinestone Manolos that I wore to my wedding). But diapers and underwear for my kids seemed to fall into a different category of environmental guilt for me. Thankfully, cleaner diaper brands came on the market around the time my oldest was born making that hurdle easier to clear. But once we started potty training and transitioning into underwear, I struggled to find basics that were easy to purchase, fit well, made from GOTS Certified organic cotton, and playful enough that my kids wanted to wear them.  

For a while, I hilariously carted back suitcases full of kids tops and undies from Germany everytime we went to visit family. But my Carrie Bradshaw moment of truth hit me on a final trip back when I asked “if women in Germany can have quality eco-friendly kids fashion without all this stress, why can’t we?” And that was when this idea that there might be a better way stuck. So I started asking, and answering more of my own questions as they related to solving this bigger problem until one fine day, Fig was born, and here we are: delivering better basics for a brighter future.

Developing our collections in a way to provide a safer, non-toxic option for parents that is also better for our planet and people was mission number one. But all along I’ve known that to really make a difference, our commitment had to be greater. 

  

Fig is proud to be a member of 1% for the Planet, a network of businesses dedicated to donating at least 1% of their annual sales directly to environment organizations. Every donation is certified and businesses must meet their 1% commitment to maintain their membership. Every dollar counts. Collective action adds up. At Fig, we take our commitment to sustainability and preserving the resources of our planet seriously. This is one small step in the right direction, and we look forward to sharing with you more about the many ways we try to do our part.

For details on the organizations we are currently donating to, or to partner with us on our sustainability efforts, please reach out to us at hello@figforkids.com. In keeping with our pledge to protect the health of our children and the future of our planet, we have aligned with Toxic Free Future to support their efforts in providing real-world solutions and policy reform for a cleaner environment.