Retail Revolution: Wholesalers leading in sustainability
Sustainability is no longer a buzzword in retail — it’s an expectation.
Even as purse strings tighten, consumers look for items that are high quality, durable and make an impact. They are increasingly more aware of the impact of their purchasing decisions, and a study by global firm PwC reports that despite a staggering 90% of consumers being concerned about inflation and cost of living, they are still willing to spend 10% more than average on sustainable items.
Sustainability and ethical retail aren’t just trends for consumers anymore — they’re shaping the future of shopping forever. Here we present two wholesalers making their impact not just on the industry, but on the planet as well.
TOWN PRIDE
Sustainability can have a variety of implications, including ethical souring, conscious consumerism and responsible community involvement. Town Pride is committed to doing it all.
In fact, the company follows the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals in its business models, including eco-friendly production and philanthropy.
“A lot of people think of sustainability as just recycled materials or slow fashion,” said Tamara Moran, president of Town Pride. “But sustainability covers a whole bunch of things. It includes give-back initiatives, helping to end homelessness and food insecurity, in addition to a cleaner planet and recycled materials.”
Moran hopes that Town Pride’s success is proof that wholesalers and retailers alike don’t have to choose between profit and purpose — they can achieve both.
The company was originally born out of a need for locally inspired products.
“In the town I live in, there was no place to buy things that celebrated local love or town pride,” Moran said. “I wanted to fill that gap.”
But a greater mission arose behind the brand: supporting local causes. “We’re a very philanthropic town, and I wanted to be able to donate back to all the different charities in town,” she said.
As Town Pride has grown, so has its sustainability mission — and that is now woven into every aspect of production, from packaging to the materials used.
“We limit our packaging as much as possible,” Moran explained. “We use recycled materials, like boxes for shipping and paper for tags. We also limit the amount of plastic in our packaging.”
Beyond that, the company offsets its carbon footprint.
“We partner with UPS conservation efforts, which means we pay a little extra to offset our shipping impact,” she added.
When it comes to the products themselves, knit items —such as sweaters, blankets and pillows — are made from recycled cotton. Wooden signs are made from recycled wood. Additionally, Moran said Town Pride is one of the first companies to develop and knit home goods with hemp yarn. Not only do these factors pledge eco-consciousness, they ensure durability.
Moran observes that consumer spending habits have shifted in recent years, more greatly prioritizing quality over quantity.
“People are less likely to buy things that don’t have a use or that will just end up in a landfill,” Moran said. This rise in slow fashion and intentional purchasing has also been key in Town Pride’s success.
“Instead of buying lower-quality, inexpensive items, consumers are looking for better-quality goods that last longer and serve a real purpose,” she explained. “That’s a huge change, and it’s one of the reasons our brand has grown.”
One of the biggest hurdles when committing to sustainability — whether a wholesaler, retailer or even consumer — is cost. But Moran said that for Town Pride, it’s always simply been a “non- negotiable.
“We don’t look at pricing like, ‘How much cheaper would it be if we didn’t do things sustainably?’” Moran said. “That’s not how we operate.”
Instead, Town Pride sets fair prices while ensuring its products meet the company’s strict sustainability standards and factors it all into operating costs upfront.
“We are always going to manufacture in the USA,” she said. “We are always going to be as sustainable as possible. So instead of asking, ‘What’s the price difference between sustainable and non- sustainable?’ we ask, ‘How can we offer the best price while still following our principles?’”
She added, “If more manufacturers thought this way, we’d be able to grow USA manufacturing and the sustainability movement much faster.”
Beyond sustainability, Town Pride is committed to social impact. For example, the company donates its samples, one-offs and overstock to The Fabulous Find, a nonprofit resale boutique that donates all proceeds to charities. To date, the store has donated over $3 million to organizations such as women’s shelters, animal rescues and food assistance programs.
“We’re really excited about this partnership,” Moran said. “It allows us to repurpose our excess inventory in a way that makes a real difference.”
Town Pride was also recently verified by Hey Social Good. “They do a deep dive into a company’s sustainability and social responsibility practices,” Moran said. “We were honored to receive their Sustainable Achievement Award for the second year in a row.”
Looking ahead, Moran sees sustainability continuing to shape the retail industry.
“There’s a growing emphasis on craftsmanship, transparency and ethical labor practices,” she said. “Retailers who align with these values will build stronger customer loyalty.”
For consumers, the shift toward sustainability and ethical retail is more than a fleeting trend; it’s the future. “If we all do our part, we can create lasting change,” Moran said. “That’s what Town Pride is all about — building a brand that makes a difference.”
WILDWOOD LANDING
Many believe that what separates a good business from a great business is when the latter is led with heart — and that’s exactly the case for Wildwood Landing.
Wildwood Landing creates tea towels, beach towels and other textiles, such as apparel and pillows, as well as custom items. While it brings fresh, on-trend designs to the market, its business model — built on kindness, laughter and sustainability — is equally as refreshing in the world of retail.
Founded by Lori Stephanoff, the company has made its mark in the retail industry by offering thoughtful, eco-friendly products that bring joy to customers while minimizing environmental impact.
“Our motto, our vision, is really that simple — to bring laughter and to be kind,” Stephanoff said. “Sometimes I feel like that’s cliché, but it’s so true, because everybody needs laughter and everybody needs kindness.”
Wildwood Landing started out of necessity and a simple plan to help her family.
“We started the company out of a very real need, a desire to help my son and my daughter-in-law when they first got married,” she explained. “Through doing all that, I realized that I had tapped into a creative part of me at the age of 50 that I didn’t really use before.”
Stephanoff wanted a company name that was ageless as the business grew and changed. She chose Wildwood Landing as a nod to the street she still lives on today.
“I didn’t know what this would be,” she admitted. “I just called the business Wildwood Landing so it could evolve into whatever we needed it to be.”
Sustainability is indeed at the core of Wildwood Landing, but for Stephanoff, that all comes down to a single word: stewardship.
“In everything that I do, I’m very mindful. I want to be a good steward of my company, of my employees, and my retailer relationships, so that drives me in every decision I make,” she said.
The company’s commitment to sustainability is an extension of its kindness-driven mission.
“We started the company with kind words, funny sayings, and then we introduced and launched our microfiber collection because kindness extends to our planet, too, right?” Stephanoff explained. “So we’re trying to take care of people, and we’re trying to take care of our planet at the same time.”
Wildwood Landing’s microfiber collection is a standout among its eco-friendly offerings. The collection includes hand towels, pool towels and beach blankets, all made from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.
“The hand towels take about five water bottles to make, the pool towels use about 28, and the blankets use 48 recycled plastic bottles,” Stephanoff said. “I’m a very visual person, and I just kind of see all those plastic bottles in a landfill and think, ‘gosh, we have to do something about all this plastic.’”
Wildwood Landing launched 26 designs in its microfiber collection at the January markets — and the company is excited to roll more out — but four in particular did extremely well: Daisy, Blossom, Fruit Punch and Blue Poppy. Each product is reversible, with the patterns created by Stephanoff’s daughter-in-law, an artist and graphic designer.
While giving back to the planet is important to Wildwood Landing, the company also donates a portion of every purchase directly to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital — a true extension of its mission.
“I think people want to be a part of something bigger than themselves, and that can look like a lot of different things,” Stephanoff said. “Sustainability is not a passing trend. It’s something that people are becoming more and more aware of, and it’s going to keep growing.”
When envisioning the future, Stephanoff aims to cultivate a thriving business that continues to leave a positive mark on the world.
“I have grandkids, so I want to leave the next generation — and the generations after that — with a healthier planet, with clean air, with pure water,” she said. “Those are real concerns, and I want to do my part.
