Todd Copeland founded Copeland Consultancy in 2020 to help companies build and implement sustainability strategies. He meets with clients seeking guidance on how to implement more sustainable business practices. For example, a company may “really want to meet customer and employee expectations, but they are overwhelmed by the breadth and urgency of the issues,” he explained. For Copeland, this type of work involves customizing a strategy with materiality assessment and stakeholder engagement, setting goals and a roadmap.

Other clients may currently have a sustainability strategy and goals, but need help making measurable progress. Copeland may then implement specific initiatives in products, materials, chemicals and supply chains supported by a method of modeling and measuring the impacts of those changes.

At the Spring edition of the Functional Fabric Fair, Copeland will lend his sustainability expertise at Day 0.

Textile Insight: Tell us about a couple of your recent projects.

Todd Copeland: “My background is in textiles, so many of my projects involve textiles, and most clients are brands, retailers, suppliers, and manufacturers of textile-based consumer products. I studied polymer and textile chemistry at Georgia Tech, worked in materials R&D for automotive interiors at Honda, and spent 14 years at Patagonia working on sustainability in materials innovation, corporate strategy and the supply chain. Most client projects are behind the scenes and the results of the work emerge in sustainability reports, product launches, company policies, and supply chain initiatives.

One company I have worked with for many years is sock manufacturer Nester Hosiery (and their U.S. wool sock brand Farm To Feet). Since 2023, they procure 100% renewable electricity for their North Carolina operations from a solar panel installation less than an hour’s drive away from the factory. This was announced publicly with Sol Systems and REI. Nester has been optimizing their sustainability performance across the board for years, which they communicate B2B using the Higg Index.

Another long-time client, Ergobaby, initially asked me to measure and report their carbon footprint as one of their early sustainability initiatives at a time when I was looking for better ways of getting around with two very young daughters! I found their baby carriers to be very thoughtfully designed, and very similar to backpacks from a materials standpoint, so I have been able to provide guidance on materials strategy as well as provide content and support for their first few sustainability impact reports.”

Tell us a bit about the workshop you’ll be running on “How to Acknowledge and Reward Sustainability Excellence in Materials.”

“This is the third Functional Fabric Fair to have a Day 0 Sustainability Workshop, which I am planning and facilitating with my co-conspirators Jill Dumain and Kevin Myette. At the two events last year, the agenda was building practical knowledge about sustainability topics that are most relevant for the textile industry. This year the agenda is going more into the details of those foundational topics and discussing some of the challenges that hinder our collective progress. Speakers including brands, fabric manufacturers, and other subject matter experts will be sharing their knowledge, and an interactive activity will help attendees think differently about assessing and valuing sustainability excellence in the materials supply chain and collaborating on solutions. The knowledge gained on Day 0 should be immediately applicable to the business conversations that happen between buyers and suppliers on Day 1 and 2 of the Fair.”

What are some of the mistakes that companies make when it comes to sustainability initiatives — either in materials or in other ways?

“The most common mistake is when companies think that there is a quick fix for sustainability, like a one-off product offering or a seasonal marketing campaign. A real sustainability strategy requires long-term commitment to identify the most relevant issues, make improvements and communicate authentically about progress and challenges. I certainly don’t want to be discouraging, because every company can – and should – have a sustainability strategy because it’s something most customers and employees expect, and it’s a critical part of managing business risk. I’m just saying to be realistic about the timeline required to make meaningful change, and to not take a ‘flash-in-the-pan’ approach that often gets called out as greenwashing.

The other mistake is trying to market the perfect ‘sustainable’ material, product, or company. While I recognize the importance of communicating sustainability attributes to customers (B2B and B2C) so they can make informed purchasing decisions, when claims seem too good to be true then they probably are! Everything has an impact, so look at the big picture and try to make it better. And keep in mind that sustainability is a space of ever-evolving knowledge and continuous improvement.”

You are a sustainability advisor to the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA). At this transformative time, where do you see the outdoor industry headed and how will it evolve?

“Since 2016, I have served as a sustainability advisor to the OIA and participated in and led working groups for nearly a decade prior. Through the OIA, I witnessed the uncomfortable process of fierce business competitors joining together to collaborate on sustainability issues that were too big for any one company to address. Although we haven’t yet achieved all that we set out to do, I’ve seen amazing progress and widespread influence as the results of that collaboration. It’s worth remembering that many of the sustainable business practices that are commonplace today were pioneered at outdoor companies, because their customers, employees, and even owners were passionate outdoor recreationists who wanted to protect the natural environment where they spent their time. In nature you can see firsthand the devastating impacts of pollution, resource extraction and climate change. The unpredictable weather patterns and warming trends we see today pose existential threats to outdoor businesses, not to mention recreational access to public lands.

This is on top of an economy-wide rollercoaster ride since 2020, which isn’t over yet. Fortunately, there are many outdoor companies producing great products with innovative materials and a strong commitment to sustainability. Within the OIA membership, there is a lot of new engagement on sustainability through the Climate Action Corps and the Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition. I contributed content to the latest guidance resources which I think will be very helpful for the membership, and I strongly encourage companies to join the OIA and get involved with the CAC and CCMC. The trail-blazing leadership combined with genuine camaraderie is still alive and well in the outdoor industry.”