The First Mile initiative refers to the so-called first mile of the supply chain—essentially where fabrics are sourced. Even companies that use recycled fabrics might not disclose who is collecting the materials, which tends to be a dangerous job—and one done by the most impoverished members of a society. As First Mile’s director of partnerships explains, this focus was an obvious opportunity. “Within business case studies, a lot of attention is paid to the last mile—getting products to the consumer,” says Kelsey Halling. “And in fashion, a lot of attention is paid to cut-and-sew facilities [where products are made]. As you get further down the supply chain, there are so many steps, it gets removed from the brand’s level—even in recycling, if you know where the material is coming from, you wouldn’t know how it was collected. So that’s where we invest our time and energy: running impact programming to ensure a social safety net for people who are working with us.”

Specifically, First Mile commits to total transparency as to where and how materials are sourced (and by whom)—with The Earth Polo, Polo could even, in theory, tell you the individual who collected the bottles. First Mile also offers workers a living wage, and even offers loans to partner companies to ensure they have the financial stability to succeed. Through its business, it can also create demand where previously there was none—again, using Haiti as an example, what once was a problem (excess plastic trash) becomes an enterprise opportunity (selling that plastic to companies that will convert it into something useful). For better and for worse, it’s a source that promises to be around for awhile. “People often ask us, ‘What happens when you run out of plastic?’” says Halling. “I just don’t think that will happen in my lifetime.”

In the case of The Earth Polo, First Mile sourced plastic from its partners in Taiwan. This plastic was turned into a soft mesh