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In 2007, Montreal brothers Byron and Dexter Peart founded WANT Les Essentiels—a fashion brand focused on timeless leather goods that are now sold everywhere from Shopbop to Mr. Porter. Ten years later, the duo was getting increasingly frustrated with the industry’s trend-driven throwaway culture and profit-first mentality.
They knew there was more to be done. “It started with us writing down these three statements on a whiteboard: good people, good design, good impact,” says Dexter. Those six simple words became the mission of their new online shop, Goodee, and inform which brands they source, the collections they design, and the stories they tell with them. Today, the website is filled with playful terrazzo-esque recycled chairs, graphic pillows sewn in Kenya, and rainbow chandeliers made from plastic bottles.
“We strongly believe that most people are good-spirited and well-intentioned,” explains Dexter. “However, we tend to find conversations of sustainability overwhelming and daunting.” With Goodee, they’re looking to change that. Inspired by the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, every single item on the site is labeled and graded on various sustainablility factors: poverty reduction, gender advocacy, recycled materials, the list goes on. It’s never been easier to find products that align with the causes you’re passionate about. Here are just a few to get you started.
Community Engagement
Colombian artisans displaced by guerrilla warfare hand-pick every color and pattern that goes into this massive, made-to-order fixture’s 12 pendants. Psst: The shades are woven from recycled plastic bottles.
Recycled Materials
EcoBirdy is dedicated to making children’s furniture a little more sustainable with its set of table and chairs crafted from ecothylene, recycled plastic. It’s been sorted by color to create that vibrant, speckled effect.
Natural Materials
Crafted by Mexican artisans from soft palm leaves, this striated hamper stores laundry in style, without using any harmful finishes.
Corporate Reporting
Inspired by the ancient Greek-Egyptian tradition of craftsmanship, Skagerak (the brand behind this terracotta flowerpot) is also committed to carbon reduction, using natural materials, and updating the public annually on its progress. That’s something to feel good about.
