We know that sustainability lies in bed with transparency and pricing. It’s important to us that you know our values and mantras in sustainability as well as the formula to our pricing.
We promise to be transparent in hopes that you’ll promise to keep us accountable to support our ongoing effort to be more conscious of our social and environmental impact.
Our Sustainability Values and Mantras
We believe making small, thoughtful changes in the way we do things as a business can have a positive impact by motivating people to choose a conscious and sustainable lifestyle.
Our Values
- INTEGRITY
- UNIQUENESS
- FRIENDLINESS
- BEAUTY
- CRAFTSMANSHIP
- CANADIAN MADE
- CREATIVITY
- KINDNESS
- TRUSTWORTHY
Our Mantra
The ebb and flow of our internal introspection and external connection is inherently intertwined. With the Merge brand and shop it is an extension of this poetic relationship and ecosystem. What we do to uplift ourselves in turn pours outward to our community and environment, and vice versa. Through the pillars of ritual, memory, sustainability, and coastal connection we realize the internal and external cannot exist without the other (a merge if you will.)
Transparent Pricing
A rule in slow, conscious consumerism is that sustainable and ethical production ain’t cheap. Our slow living community knows how to red flag bottom of the barrel prices– and we bow down to your integrity.
Our Prices
The price journey of one of our Organic Cotton Art T’s:
- Materials $7.25
- Labour $10.25
- Artwork $4.50
- Transport $1
We make our products with tender love and care that incorporate costs that can’t quite be listed in tidy fashion – R&D, employee wages, retail space, utilities, marketing, and others are accounted for in our markup price.
Standard wholesale sales aim for a 30-50% profit margin, while direct-to-consumer products aim to be sold at a 55-65% margin. Luxury brands will have markups higher than 65%.
When we come across retail products that are inexpensive like fast fashion, it tells us that somewhere along the supply chain someone isn’t getting paid enough. In these cases, it’s generally the garment worker or artisan. So, the individuals that need the profit the most, are profiting the least.
We value cultivating relationships with stockists, manufactures and makers that upholds integrity, honesty, and fair pay. You’ll see that reflected in our prices.
Learn more about our sustainability practices here.
Our Makers & Our Factories
Our clothing, self care, and home goods are mostly handmade or manufactured in Canada because it means:
- Supporting small makers
- Joy in collaboration
- Close-knit supply chain
- Shared vision of quality, design, and aesthetics
- Ensured fair working conditions
- Harmonious values
- Mutual levels of curiosity
- Authentic communication
From Quebec, Ontario, to BC, we work alongside skilled artisans to bring Merge's products to life. Every one of them has different expertise to bring to the table, and we’re honoured to work with such talented people.
OUR SKILLED ARTISAN PARTNERS:
1. Dougherthy Glassworks for our handblown stackable glassware collection. Located in Vancouver, BC.
2. Kay Ceramics for our Sunday Pottery Line. Located in Ucluelet, BC.
3. Olann Handmade for our knitwear collection. Located in Sooke, BC
4. Rauw Jewelry for our nostalgic jewelry collection. Located in Vancouver, BC.
5. Punch Jewelry for our sea glass jewelry collection. Located in Vancouver, BC.
OUR CANADIAN MANUFACTURES
1. Our self-care line recipe (formulation and chemistry) is produced in British Columbia.
2. Our Art tees collection is locally screen-printed in Tofino, BC. Designs are made in-house or in collaboration with artists.
3. Our addictive Balmy Summer scent is formulated and produced in Quebec.
4. Our Merge brand apparel is made in Ontario. That includes the fabric milling/knitting, cutting, and sewing. Designs are made in-house.
If you have insights on how we can improve our sustainability practices, please feel free to reach out at hello@shopmerge.ca.