Skip to contentB Corp:
2023 Impact Report
A Letter from Ryan & Nadira
Since the incredible milestone of receiving our B Corp certification in 2017, we’ve been continually working to improve our accountability, sustainability and efforts to positively benefit our business and the lives of everyone it touches. We’re thrilled that the movement is growing so quickly; in the past two years alone, there were more than 6,000 applications for certification, proving that more companies–and most of all, consumers–recognize and demand businesses use their platform for good. As one of the 40+ B Corps in the Triangle and 6,000 across the world, we’re honored to be part of such a change-making force.
2022 was a fresh start of sorts–the first year that displayed a bit of “normalcy” since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. With this excitement, we aimed to exceed our annual standards and breathe a new life into the intentionality and experience of V&V in several aspects–reducing our plastic consumption and waste, increasing the number of pieces made of natural fiber and organic textiles, and growing our collection of woman-owned brands. We continued our partnerships with local charitable organizations, contributing over $2400 to Urban Ministries of Durham and SEEDS, as well as set new goals for community engagement in the future. We’re so proud of the progress we’ve made and that yet to come.
Care is our number one value, both for each person who chooses to shop with us and for our invaluable team. As a B Corporation, however, our responsibility is to you, our community. Read on below to learn more about our successes and opportunities for growth from the past year, as well as our hopes for the year ahead.
Merci infiniment!
Our Collection
B Corp Standard |
2022 Actuals |
|
50
of the entire collection made in North America + Europe |
56.28%
a 2% increase over 2021 |
|
50
of apparel collection made of 100% natural fiber textiles (materials that break down at the end of their life). |
54.46%
a nearly 15% increase over last year! |
Growth Goal |
2022 Actuals |
|
1%
of apparel collection made of certified organic fiber textiles. |
8.27%
almost double that of 2021 |
New Goal |
2022 Actuals |
|
50%
of apparel collection made up of Woman-Owned Brands |
76.71%
a huge increase from 2021! |
Successes
In 2022, nearly 77% of our pieces came from woman-owned brands, far exceeding our goal of at least 50%. C’est magnifique! As a woman-owned and -run business ourselves, we prioritize and are honored to provide a platform that elevates brands led by influential and inspirational women. This also means that, each year, more women are creating and taking their businesses to the forefront. We’re thrilled to be part of such a wonderful revolution.
Additionally, more than half our pieces–almost 55% of our collection–were crafted from 100% natural fiber textiles. This means that, rather than lingering in a landfill for years at the end of their life, each garment will fully break down. Hybrid synthetics like poly blends don’t break down and instead leach harmful gasses for years. We also don’t count “natural” materials that require intensive chemical processes (like tencel) in this number, just pure natural textiles like cotton, linen, silk and more that look and feel absolutely incredible.
We also almost doubled the amount of our collection made from certified organic textiles. Over the past three years, we’ve gone from 1% to now more than 8% of our pieces crafted from certified organic materials. This means that the crops put less of a strain on the environment (free from pesticides and other chemicals), AND that there’s been a major increase in the availability of these sustainable and beautiful materials to independent designers. We are delighted to know that the industry is making strides and prioritizing our planet. Purchasing just one organic cotton t-shirt (rather than a normal basic cotton blend) saves more than 2,400 liters of water per year*, a perfect illustration that this intention is worth the effort.
Challenges
In 2022 the collection was still entirely purchased via virtual appointments—a new routine put in place since the onset of the pandemic, making buying and truly feeling each piece much trickier. Our Spring 2023 collection, landing in store and online now, was the first purchased in person by our Buying Team since early 2020.
On the Horizon
We’re always on the lookout for new, independent designers innovating the industry through their creativity and perspective. With the ability to once again shop collections and explore new designers in person each season, we’re looking forward to adding more diverse, incredible pieces and designers to our collection. We’re also shifting our standard of certified organic textiles to comprise at least 5% of our collection in the future.
“
Through the pandemic, we were limited to virtual buying, which taught us a lot about our priorities and process. We're delighted that, since fall of 2022, we've been able to buy in-person again. Truly nothing can replicate getting to touch, feel and experience a collection, but our favorite part is getting to reconnect with the teams and people behind each piece.
Our Community & Team
B Corp Standard |
2022 Actuals |
|
Meet or beat our annual donations YOY to our community partners |
Donated $1020 to SEEDS, $1493 to UMD’s new Let’s House Durham initiative |
|
Offer health insurance to all full-time employees |
We’ve committed to changing the culture of retail. Check out what we offer to our employees below. |
Growth Goal |
2022 Actuals |
|
Each team member gets 24 hours of “on the clock” volunteer hours with the charity of their choice |
Added to benefits package |
Successes
The retail industry is infamous for providing few-to-no benefits and inconsistent schedules, but we set out to change that. At V&V, we are our team, and we care for them as such. In addition to consistent schedules, all our employees are offered competitive benefits that allow for a balanced life–both on and off the clock. Our benefits include:
- Living Wage certification–our hourly employees start at a pay rate that is 22% higher than our local living wage rate.
- Health insurance with optional visual and dental coverage for salaried employees.
- A four-day work week, with one flex day, for salaried employees (70% of our workforce).
- Fully vested IRA/match option for employees earning more than $5,000 per year.
- Consistent and reliable scheduling for all employees.
- PTO of at least two weeks (increasing throughout tenure) for salaried employees.
- Three months maternity leave for salaried employees, with four weeks paid.
- Disability insurance for established salaried employees, with optional interest-free payroll advances for emergencies.
- Available mentoring, coaching and educational opportunities for all employees.
Merci beaucoup for supporting small, local business and making these benefits readily available to each member of our team.
In 2022, we were once again able to join with Urban Ministries of Durham, one of our longtime community partners, to support their new initiative, Let’s House Durham. According to UMD, if each person in Durham donated just $15.76, we could house each person in need in the county for one year. Our donation amount of $1493 accounted for 91 of these “bricks” building a better future for our unhoused neighbors.
We also supported SEEDS, our local urban community garden, since they were able to resume in-person programming. SEEDS provides valuable educational and employment opportunities to Durham youth, teaching gardening, community building, leadership and agriculture through after school, summer, and year-round programming. With your support, we were honored to donate $1020 to this incredible organization.
Challenges
Due to some lingering COVID restrictions and shifts back to in-person events, we were unable to meet our annual team goal of utilizing 50 “on the clock” volunteer hours.
On the Horizon
We’re confident that throughout 2023 we’ll be able to jump back in and partner with some of our favorite local nonprofits like SEEDS and UMD to lend a helping hand and give back to our incredible community. We’re grateful to provide 24 paid volunteer hours to our team each year and are working together to plan opportunities to volunteer both individually and as groups.
“
It's rare that companies live out what they preach, but V&V is a true exception, from educating ourselves and our customers on the importance of sustainability, community and intention, to creating a store and online experience that really transcends traditional retail. Our team respects each others' needs and aspirations, both present and future, and is always working collaboratively toward our goals, supporting each other—and our customers—with care, intention and a healthy dose of lightheartedness.
Our Planet
B Corp Standard |
2022 Actuals |
|
100
Offset of the power for store and office space via wind power credits from Arcadia Power. |
100
Offset through wind power credits from Arcadia Power |
Growth Goal |
2022 Actuals |
|
50
Cut our outgoing plastics by half |
50
Cut our outgoing plastics by half |
Successes
In 2022, we were able to once again completely offset our energy usage through purchasing wind power credits from Arcadia Power. This means that each bit of electricity used was offset by Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), the measure for renewable energy in the electricity market that increases the demand for sustainable energy as well as provides renewable energy options in locations that may not otherwise have access. You can learn more about Arcadia Power (and how you can use it in your home or rental!) here.
We also met our set goal of offsetting our shipping plastics by 50%! This year, we made the switch to paper-based interior bags for all outgoing orders. Prior to this, both our inner and outer shipping bags were made of plastic. We’re so glad to make this change and cut down on our dependence on plastic. Durham County is unable to recycle shipping plastics, bags and film, so we began a new mission to ship our plastics to a recycling center out of state. In 2022 alone, we were able to recycle 135 pounds of plastic that would otherwise end up in landfills. Little actions like these make a big difference!
Challenges
We still depend on plastic in some areas and are hoping to further reduce this in the coming year.
On the Horizon
While we’re thrilled with our shift to a combination of paper and plastic for our outgoing orders, we know there’s always room to improve. We’re actively looking for options that cut down on our outgoing plastic as well as encourage our suppliers to cut down on incoming plastics to create a completely sustainable shipment option.
“
We've really prioritized our core values when seeking out designers and pieces for our collection. Especially over the past year, we've put an emphasis on seeking out woman-led brands that create with care for the environment and their teams. We're proud of the growth we've made this year and excited to continually expand our collection to highlight remarkable artists and pieces.
Call to action
We’re immensely proud of all we accomplished this year, but we’re always pushing ourselves to do more, changing our industry one day at a time. Each of these small actions, from diverting plastic from landfills to prioritizing renewable energy options, adds up to something so much greater. In 2023, we are committed to doing all we can to make choices that prioritize the environment and the wellbeing of our community, near and far.
We believe in voting with your dollars–you have the power to make change with every purchase. As the consumer, we hope that you’ll join us in choosing B Corps and other businesses that go beyond seeking financial success, choosing true transparency, sustainability and intention in every facet. Thank you for supporting our B Corp–we can’t wait for what 2023 holds.
