We are building a new platform for retailing by creating stores that sell clothing, but also have a social and community purpose. In Philadelphia, we have created an initial partnership with the People’s Emergency Center (PEC) and The Career Wardrobe. Here, a few ways we are giving back to our community:

• Volunteerism
  We will provide incentives for our staff to volunteer and act as a clearing board to communicate volunteer opportunities to our community through our website and store. We will concentrate on opportunities that do not require long-term commitment and update the times PEC needs help each week.

• Food drives, clothing drives and fundraising
  At our fashion shows and events, we will have food drives to bring in food donations for PEC. We will also offer access to donating to the center. We will also design select SA VA specialty products to support PEC. A portion of each sale will benefit PEC.

• Mentorship
  Sarah Van Aken and other staff teach classes at the center and continue our tradition of sponsoring meaningful internships.

As we grow, we plan to expand these commitments to other organizations.

We have also made these commitments:

• Job creation and skills development
  With the help of Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation we will have expert assistance in hiring and training a workforce that will then earn living wages in our garment assembly facility(s). Through this comprehensive program we create manufacturing jobs in our own community. Our goal is to provide educational opportunities and skills training that will enhance an individual’s ability to earn higher wages and to create the spaces to provide jobs.

• Local Production and conservation
  By manufacturing at regional Garment Centers, we will be reducing our carbon footprint by 75%. Like other apparel companies, we used to buy fabric that is purchased in Europe or Asia and then ship this fabric to a garment facility in Bangladesh. The finished goods would be shipped from Bangladesh to the United States. Then the goods would be shipped from the port of entry by truck to our warehouse facility and then from our warehouse to our retail location. By working out of regional Garment Centers, we eliminate the majority of our carbon footprint because textiles are shipped directly to our garment assembly facility and from this facility to the store. As we grow, we hope to use rail to transport goods regionally. Additionally, we are using 100% recycled and recyclable hangers, natural fiber packaging, and other recyclable or natural materials in our stores. Wherever possible, we strive to salvage interiors of the existing retail store. Our office furniture is often salvaged from vacant offices, and we, of course, recycle at all of our facilities.

• Being Responsible
  We believe that being responsible, as well as taking responsibility, allow us to build authenticity into everything we do. And, we believe that leading an authentic life leads to happiness and a sense of well-being. Transparent business practices, responsible trade, and social awareness—all are ways that we at SA VA take our mission to serve our customers and our community. As we grow, our goal is to replicate our business model locally in communities around the country.

  We would like to make retailing as much about community, collaboration, and social responsibility as it is about making a profit, providing employment, and selling goods.

  We will show you how and why we designed it, where and how it was made, and who it benefited. By shifting our manufacturing from off-shore to domestic production, we are creating jobs locally while cutting down on unnecessary transportation, waste, and time.

  We believe not only in sharing details about basic business practices, we also are willing to disclose some basic financial information and strategic initiatives. Far from exposing us, we believe that transparency helps us in the long run by producing better quality, more innovative products, managing costs, improving business performance—all of which result in improved corporate governance.

Your Privacy
We respect our customer’s privacy. While we will use aggregate information about customers to develop better products, we will always ask our customers if we can use any general information about them so that we can market to them more precisely as a means of reducing waste and duplicating efforts. Our customer privacy beliefs are stated on our website at Privacy