Thread 2014 Impact Report by Thread

2014

IMPACTREPORT

www.Threadinternational.com connect@Threadinternational.com

Note from the CEO I’m a big baseball fan. It’s a pretty new thing for me. I learned late how much I like how a ballpark smells in the middle of the summer. I think it’s great that the manager wears a uniform and until recently, arguing with umpires was considered an art form. I like the ridiculous statistics. Nay, I LOVE the ridiculous statistics. WHIP, WAR, LIPS, BASP. These are not government agencies. I am not simply yelling words that sound dirty together. These are the categories by which we measure America’s pastime. Baseball statistics document moments in the game’s history, but any fan would tell you that .406, or 61, or 3000* are a lot more than numbers. They are moments where history was born. I think baseball has a lot to tell us about where our planet, and our species, is headed. Some statistics I learned from 2014: The average monthly C02 measurement at the Mauna Loa observatory crossed 400ppm for the first time (last year we had a few days above 400, but not an entire month). Rather than bore with you the gory details, I’ll just give it to you plainly. This is really, really bad. We’re talking disaster on biblical proportions. Dogs and cats, living together. It’s not a theory. It’s not a position. It is a fact. I learned that it takes more than 500 gallons of water to grow enough cotton for the t-shirt you’re wearing right now. Again, I’ll spare you the ridiculous comparisons, save one: that’s enough water to keep you alive for two and half years. Companies we all know and love use it on one t-shirt. Earlier this year, Giancarlo Stanton, who plays right field with Major League Baseball’s Miami Marlins, signed a contract for $325M USD. It’s the largest contract in the history of North American professional sports. Again, I’ll save you the silly comparisons, with one exception. It would take a person in Haiti making minimum wage 338,00 years to make that kind of money. It’s not Stanton’s fault. The market will bear his salary. We’ve said that’s what he’s worth, just like we’ve said a person in Haiti is worth more than 21,000 times less than him. Is it me, or are the statistics telling us we’re in deep shit? (Continued)

*.406 is the 1941 batting average of Ted Williams, who was the last guy to hit .400 and widely considered to be the greatest hitter to play the game.

*61 is the single home run record set by Roger Maris in 1961. It was broken by Barry Bonds (73), Mark McGwire (70), and Sammy Sosa (66), but under the cloud of steroids, so I’m tossing my hat in the ring with Roger.

*3000, besides being a widely used statistic for the number of hits for Hall of Fame caliber hitters, is the exact number of hits my favorite player, Roberto Clemente, had before he was tragically killed in an aviation accident on December 31, 1972, while en route to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.

“That’s enough water to keep you alive for two and half years. Companies we all know and love use it on one t-shirt.”

Thread makes fabric. When companies buy it, we show them the impact it’s having on the planet and on every person it has come into contact with before it got to them - from the trash heap it starts on to when it ends up in your hands - warts and all. We’re not perfect at it, but we’re going to damn well try to be. This year, we learned that companies we’ve been shopping at for years have no idea what kind of impact their materials have. In fact, you would be floored by how many companies don’t know what a lot of the materials they use are made of at all. Considering our future is about to look a lot like the end of a Tom Cruise movie, we’re starting to get a little ticked off about this. So in 2015, we’re going on the offensive, and you can help us. Here’s what we’re going to do: • Not all recycled fabrics are created equal. Big companies use fabric that they say is “recycled”, but the bar is REALLY low. In some cases, only five percent of a product needs to be reprocessed in order to be considered recycled. Even when recycled, if it travels around the world three times and was produced without any regard for the welfare of the people collecting the raw materials, saving hundreds of bottles doesn’t matter - we shouldn’t be turning it into yoga pants. We’re going to start calling companies on that. • We have to use less cotton. We know this is near impossible to do overnight. In 2015, we’ll advocate that companies who have goods that are 100% organic cotton or regular cotton switch, so that at least a portion of the product uses a transparent Thread Ground to Good™ fabric. We’ll track how that changes their impact and share it with you. Here’s what you can do: • Pay attention. Don’t buy stuff you don’t need. If you do, make sure it’s not causing more harm than it’s worth. We’ll do our part to ensure companies are telling you the truth. It’s that simple. • Also, maybe start rooting for the Pirates.

Here’s to 2015, and to what’s possible together,

Ian Rosenberger Founder + CEO

Table of Contents

Introduction

Learn the who, what, and why behind our Impact Report.

Ground to GoodTM

Meet the folks who make our fabric possible and discover how each step of our process improves the world, from Ground to GoodTM.

Impact

Explore our methodology and criteria for developing the most responsible products possible.

Goals + Outcomes

See how we stack up against our 2014 goals and how we plan to improve moving forward.

Awards + Fun

Take a look back at the awards, recognition, and general fun the Thread team had sharing our passion and work with the world this year.

Recommended Reading

Put on your reading glasses and dust off your desklamp. Thread shares our favorite resources to help you become a full-fledged sustainability nerd.

Why Fabric?

There are lots of useful ways to re-purpose waste. We decided to start by making fabric. Why?

True transparency in the supply chains that make the fabric and clothing we wear is still REALLY hard to find. For every Patagonia and Everlane that exists, there are several brands who don’t know the origin of their materials and are oblivious to the conditions in which their products are made. The textile industry is one of the dirtiest in the world. In China alone, the textile industry discharges 2.5 billion tons of contaminated waste water every year. Unsafe working conditions supported by fast fashion put millions of lives at risk each day. Several pesticides used to grow cotton, even in the U.S., are classified as ‘known/likely’ carcinogens. Many of the fabrics considered “recycled” rely on industrial seconds, not the bottles we put in recycling bins or other post-consumer waste. Much of this “green” fabric circumnavigates the globe during its production - reducing the impact of any oil saved by having recycled content. We can do better. Responsibility is more than recycling. It’s more than codes of conduct and factory audits. Responsibility is taking ownership of everyone involved throughout the entire process of your product. It goes beyond knowing where our stuff comes from, to knowing it is making people’s lives better. Thread tackles these issues to create the most responsible fabric in the world. We know our supply chains inside and out. We’re on a first name basis with the people involved at each step of our recycling and fabric production. From the time a bottle is picked up to when it ends up in your hands as a bag, or a shirt, or a shoe, Thread fabric has a positive impact from Ground to Good™.

8 Thread Ground to GoodTM 80/20 Polyester/Cotton Blend

Ground to Good Impact

Collection Plastic bottles are collected in Haiti and Honduras by individuals who are paid in cash per pound of plastic collected. Some collectors do this work as a full time job, others use collection as an opportunity for supplemental income.

2700

Income opportunities in Haiti and Honduras

+25.6%

Growth in collection efforts since 2013 based on volume

$17K USD Income generated each month by recycling collectors in Haiti

“There’s been a big change since we started [recycling]. People have the ability to change their lives and it’s a job that pays well.”

- Manuel Garcia

Plastic Collector, Honduras

Collection Centers

In Haiti, Thread has partnered with Executives Without Borders and Haiti Recycling as part of the Ramase Lajan program. These centers, made from refurbished shipping containers, buy recyclables from collectors and sort the materials for transport to a centralized processing facility. In Honduras, a similar collection system exists, where entrepreneuers provide feedstock for local recyclers.

4 Full-time employees at the average collection center

3 New Ramase Lajan centers opened in 2014

111 Jobs supported by Ramase Lajan centers in Haiti

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I appreciate working for Ramase Lajan because they appreciate people. That is obvious.â&#x20AC;?

- Eliane Pierre Richard

Center Owner, Haiti

Plastic Processing

Thread partners with recycling facilities in Port-au-Prince, Haiti (Haiti Recyling) and San Pedro Sula, Honduras (INVEMA) where bottles are washed and ground into valuable rPET (recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate) flake.

Invema Utilizes alternative energy sources including solar power to run their operations

Haiti Recycling

Has been reprocessing waste in Haiti for more than 35 years

95 Jobs are supported at Thread partner processing centers

â&#x20AC;&#x153;... We look forward in 2015 to continue our mission to create jobs and clean the environment, pursuing our ultimate goal of closing the recycling loop right here in Haiti.â&#x20AC;?

- Stephan Sajous Haiti Recycling 14

Start

U.s. to Asia recycled polyester Supply

Thread Haiti to U.S. Supply

11,339

90%

miles traveled to create recycled polyester fabric

reduction in total travel and carbon emissions compared to Asian recycled supply chains

Collection Centers

Processing Center

3.8M

307,510

plastic bottles diverted from streets, canals, and landfills every month in Haiti

pounds of rPET flake exported as a raw material in 2014 from Haiti

New polyester and polyester-blended Thread fabrics were developed in 2014

All Thread Polyester

Is made with is 100% post-consumer recycled content

100% Of

Thread Fabric Was made in the United States

Fabric Making After arriving in the U.S., Threadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flake is extruded into filament and fiber, spun into yarn, and knitted or woven into fabrics. These responsible fabrics are then sold to apparel and accessory manufacturers looking to improve the impact and transparency of their products.

IMpact Thread vs Based on 1,000 yards

Gallons of WateR used

Pounds of Co2 Pesticides used Emissions (lbs)

500

5,070

vs.

income opportunities

Bottles Collected

Revenue Generated (USD)

2,700

16,000

$300

vs.

Haiti+Honduras

Data Unavailable

in Developing Countries

Data Unavailable

LocalImpact Thread’s impact extends to our hometown of Pittsburgh. Investment, interns, and partnerships have come from the region. We belong to this start-up community and can’t wait to see (and meet) even more social businesses as they launch and grow here.

Our Neighborhood Threadquarters is located in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh. We’re proud to support the local doers, makers, and shakers, transforming S’Liberty into the pride of Pittsburgh.

Our Office In 2014, we moved from our first home, The Beauty Shoppe, to our own office in the Werner building. We spent the first week sitting on the floor since we had no furniture. As we built our space and made it our own, we used recycled found elements wherever we could to create the vibe (and walls) of Thread.

Our Community Thread offers employees 40 hours per year in paid time off to volunteer for causes that are important to them. In 2014, Threadheads spent a total of 1,033 hours on and off the clock volunteering for non-profit organizations such as:

Team Tassy Penn State Dance Marathon The Midwife Center Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community PLanned Parenthood

Impact ENVIRONM

Environmental WORKPLACE OPERATIONS & CONTEXT adaptivity + knowledge

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

SUPPLY CHAIN

dialogue | empowerment | stewardship

supplier | inclusivity | resource use

The social and environmental impact of strategic business decisions are given as much consideration and importance as economic impact when making operational decisions

Create recycling and waste management

Suppliers/vendors/contractors are kept informed of Thread’s social impact and know the story of the materials they are working with – where it comes from, who it is helping, where it’s going after them

Track environmental impact of supply chain

Alternative forms of transportation (biking,

Stay tuned into environmental best practices and attend conferences hosted through the B Corp network, Sustainable Brands, the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, and other similarly focused networks

absorption | diversity + gender balance |

walking, public transit) are encouraged and practiced across the company

strategies for events hosted by local non-profits

energy usage Supply chains keep millions of pounds of

Preference is given to suppliers who are tracking their social and environmental impact, who run their operations with that impact in mind, and who set goals around that impact

Thread works with suppliers to better understand their triple bottom line impact and to help them set goals around future social and sustainability initiatives

Thread is a certified B Corp, so networks and learns from like-minded organizations, and utilizes the resources available through B Labs on sustainability and social responsibility

in terms of water usage, emissions, and

plastic waste out of landfills, streets, and canals of developing countries every year

Thread’s regional supply chain is geographically close, cutting down on transportation emissions by 90% when compared to similar supply chains utilizing Asian manufacturing Thread builds localized supply chains, cutting down on delivery times and transportation emissions

Thread works with Sustainability consultants at Third Partners, LLC to complete LCAs and inform operational sustainability strategy

ECONO

Economic WORKPLACE OPERATIONS & CONTEXT adaptivity + knowledge

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

SUPPLY CHAIN

dialogue | empowerment | stewardship

supplier | inclusivity | resource use

Current financials, projections, and future milestones are discussed regularly amongst all staff

Thread employees attend meetings, discussions, and workshops around the economic development of Pittsburgh

Thread gives investors the option to reinvest their profits earned from Thread back into the communities in which we operate in the form of charitable contributions

Supply chain creates valuable exports for developing countries, and supports U.S. based textile businesses whose industry has been shrinking domestically to compete with manufacturing abroad

absorption | diversity + gender balance |

Employees have access to company financials/can schedule meetings to discuss them in detail

Employees are invited to sit in on meetings with legal counsel/accountants/investors to better understand economic circumstances of the company

Thread supports other social business – especially those in the B Corp network – when looking for contractors, suppliers, and future customers

Updates to investors written from the CEO are shared with employees

Executive team is 40% female, 60% male

SOCI

Social WORKPLACE OPERATIONS & CONTEXT adaptivity + knowledge

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

SUPPLY CHAIN

dialogue | empowerment | stewardship

supplier | inclusivity | resource use

Sustainability, social business, and economic development trends via articles, white papers, op-eds are shared amongst the team and discussed

Thread employees volunteer and serve as speakers and panel experts for events and workshops focused on social business, sustainability, and international development

Thread shares our social/Sustainability data, vision, and goals with all of our stakeholders. Everyone we work with understands and supports the responsible aspect of our business

Thread has developed several public-private partnerships to ensure maximization of our supply chain’s social impact

Social and environmentally focused documentaries and books are consumed and discussed by staff. Some make it on to the “required reading” list for interns and new hires

Thread spends considerable time on the ground and in the field of the communities we work in

Thread is the first social investment for many of our investors. We work with them build understanding of social businesses

Supply chains currently support 2,700 income opportunities for bottom of the pyramid populations in Haiti and Honduras

absorption | diversity + gender balance |

Impact – the data, metrics, and goals for the year ahead are reviewed and discussed at every quarterly strategic planning session

Social and Environmental updates are included in investor reports

Economic success is not possible at the expense of our partners. All stakeholders involved in the company must be benefitting economically for our business model to be sustainable and to be fulfilling our mission

Based on audit results, Thread provides advice, consulting, and support to suppliers to improve their scores and uphold Thread standards

Social, Environmental, and Economic impact is calculated and monitored at every step of the supply chain

This year, Thread worked with Socially Good Business, an organization that supports sustainable and socially responsible brands through internal programming and virtual tools.

KEY

tMap MENTAL

social initiative

ENTITY SUSTAINABILITY

raw inputs | utility of | post-purchase engagement

manufacturing

Thread has yet to find a recycled fabric in the market that is BOTH environmentally and socially responsible with the data to back up both claims

Thread shares origin, sources, and traceability of product materials with customers and end consumers

economic initiative

Zoom in for detail

PRODUCT

All Thread fabrics are at least 50% recycled content, with several being 100% recycled polyester

environmental initiative

Committed to using office supplies made of recycled content. 80% of office furniture is refurbished/2nd hand

Recycling occurs on-site

COMMUNICATION

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

building SEID demand

nurturing | intrapreneurship | roles of sustainability

Thread educates our consumer around the fact that not all recycling is created equal

Goods made with Thread fabric include tags educating the consumer to the impact of their purchase

Employees are empowered to seek out and share best practices in sustainability both within the team and with their own personal social networks

Employee suggested sustainability efforts are encouraged, supported, and trialed by the company

90% of documents, records, and communications are sent/saved electronically

Utilize Trip Zero when booking hotel rooms to help offset emissions caused by travel

Thread is committed to remaining headquartered in Pittsburgh as an engaged member of the start-up community in the city

OMIC PRODUCT

ENTITY SUSTAINABILITY

raw inputs | utility of | post-purchase engagement

Thread fabric is providing sustainable income opportunities to bottom of the pyramid populations in developing countries

Office headquarters is located in a mixed-income neighborhood - providing development to a growing business district

COMMUNICATION

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

building SEID demand

nurturing | intrapreneurship | roles of sustainability

Thread educates our consumer around the belief that trade vs. aid is a more sustainable approach to helping

Thread supports and facilitates peer mentoring opportunities amongst our suppliers, and employees working at every step in our supply chain

supporting economies and industries. Preference is given to local independent businesses

IAL PRODUCT

ENTITY SUSTAINABILITY

raw inputs | utility of | post-purchase engagement

The stories of the people responsible for making our products are shared with end consumers

Thread educates our customers on their impact, sharing our impact data as well as the comparison between their productsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; impact before Thread and after Thread

Thread offers employees 40 hours of paid time off to be spent volunteering for non profit organizations

Thread partners with local Univiersites and High Schools to offer real world project experience to classes and students

non profit orgs and committees Product also brings business back to the U.S. textile industry, which has been decreasing recently due to competition overseas

COMMUNICATION

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

building SEID demand

nurturing | intrapreneurship | roles of sustainability

Thread educates our consumer around what we believe the definition of social-enterprise to be, how it works, and how they can become engaged with it

Experts in other companies are sought out as advisors/mentors for employees

Thread challenges the final customers of products Powered by Thread by asking what good they will do beyond purchasing the product

Education amongst employees is encouraged by sending employees to conferences, workshops and classes

Metrics utilized in marketing are chosen for their ability to be easily understood and applied by consumers who may not have extensive background in sustainability or social responsibility

Employees are encouraged to position themselves as thought leaders in social enterprise/impact/business

Communication strategies educate and inform consumers from sharing articles via social media, to writing educational pieces on the Thread blog Director of Marketing works directly with the Director of Impact to ensure that all messaging is backed up by data. Especially regarding the positive impact of Threadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supply chains

Socially Good Business helped us to formalize company impact standards and the processes to better quantify and track the impact we are having both at Threadquarters and abroad.

Moop+Thread

This year, we started our first product partnership with Pittsburgh-based bag manufacturer, Moop. Over the course of nine months, our â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;naturalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; green fabric was introduced into four products as a liner - making these handcrafted bags more responsible. Messenger No. 1 A large messenger bag for carrying laptops, tablets, books, and daily gear. Envelope Clutch No. 1 The perfect bag to tuck under your arm and head out for the night. Small and useful. Large enough to hold your wallet, keys, phone, a small notebook, and gloves. Paperback A smaller bag perfect for an e-reader or lovingly worn and dog-eared-to-all-yourfavorite-passages books along with daily purse items. Shopper No. 1 A large, open-top shopper tote - best for beach trips, lakeside hangouts, farmers markets, campouts, weekend getaways, or packing up with gym gear.

About Moop Moop specializes in canvas bags, designed and manufactured, start to finish, in Pittsburgh. Wendy Downs founded Moop on the principle of good design, quality construction and durable materials, made in house. She is committed to a process of in-house manufacturing and supporting fellow small businesses through materials sourcing.

+331% $171.77 +12.5% Impressions

Earned Media Sentiment

Thread website traffic, Facebook likes, Tweets, etc. increased by 331% in the first month of our shared product launch.

The estimated value of mentions in news articles, blogs, and social media reached an estimated $170 per yard sold in the first month.

We used a supernerdy 3rd party tool (NetBase) to estimate that positive brand sentiment for Thread+Moop keywords grew by 12.5%.

2X Products In six months, our partnership grew to double the number of Moop products featuring Thread fabric.

Sign up to receive information on new product launches or Contact our sales department to introduce Ground to GoodTM fabric to your products

Auditing Impact Thread is committed to our triple bottom line measuring our effect on people, planet, and profit to ensure that we have the greatest impact where it is most important. To ensure that our Ground to Good™ fabric is the most responsible in the world, we require all of our operational partners to sign Thread’s Code of Conduct, ensuring that the facilities we partner with operate in line with our core values and understanding of responsible business.

Supplier Audit Criteria

Production and Quality

• Inventory tracking system in place • Materials testing

Thread’s Impact Department audits our partners annually. Partners receive reports detailing their scores as well as short and long-term recommendations for improvement.

"The apparel industry is notoriously opaque. This is one of the biggest reasons Thread exists - to provide brands with certified transparent supply chains from Ground to GoodTM."

- Kelsey Halling

Director of Impact

Thread staff provides support and assistance in achieving these goals. We believe that continuous improvement is integral to the success and sustainability of our supply chains.

Social Impact

• Investment in community development • Employees provided with professional development opportunities

Labor • No child labor or indentured servants • No discrimination or harassment • Fair compensation

Health + Safety • Emergency preparedness system • Emergency medical supplies • Protective equipment provided and mandatory

(at least min. wage + bonuses)

Process • Performed annually by Thread staff • Results and improvement plans are shared with partners • Thread works with partners to implement improvement plan over the next year • Thread expects partners to improve audit scores each year • Failure to improve audit score in one year will be reflected in the following annual assessment • Audits ensure that all of the terms in Thread’s 'Code of Conduct' are being met

Environment • Waste management/recycling programs in place • Energy, water & GHG’s measured with reduction targets for each

Working Conditions • Regular inspection of electrical and safety components • Employee safety training • Lighting/Ventilation meet OSHA standards

Partner becomes a certified Thread supplier

Metrics and Goals Each year, Thread sets annual financial, environmental, and social goals. Below are the metrics we strove for in 2014:

Goal Actual

Job* Creation in Haiti Goal: Support 225 indirect jobs. Actual: Supported 223 indirect jobs. *Full or Part-time employment, not including supplemental income earned by collection

Support Haitian + Honduran Businesses Goal: Support $500k USD in revenue for business in Haiti and Honduras. Actual: Supported $134,530 USD in revenue for business in Haiti and Honduras. Increase Income Opportunities Through Collection Goal: Support 3,000 income opportunities across Haiti and Honduras. Actual: Supported 2,700 income opportunities. Increase Pounds of Waste Exported as Valuable Material Goal:

Export 2 million pounds of waste as valuable raw material. Actual: Exported 351,510 lbs of waste as raw material. Provide Professional Development and Training Hours Goal: Provide 150 hours of professional development and training for staff working in Thread certified supply chains. Actual: Provided 50 hours. Employment Opportunities for Women Goal: Maintain a 10% female gender breakdown in Thread-certified supply chains. Actual: Maintained a 12.5% female gender breakdown. 100% Post-Consumer Content Goal: Maintain 100% post-consumer recycled plastic in all Thread polyester. Actual: All Thread polyester is 100% post consumer material.

Areas of Improvement Transparency is the key to responsibility. As a start-up, our priorities and strategy can change quickly (and sometimes drastically) from quarter to quarter. While the ability to act and move quickly is a trait we value, we also recognize that this can derail long term goals. For example, we decided to move less material in 2014 than we had originally planned (see left) in order to focus resources on fabric R&D. While we met or exceeded some of our goals this year, there are others that we have not yet completed. Mapping out 2015â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goals required real conversations and hard decisions among our team and stakeholders to ensure that we were both challenging ourselves as a company and setting up sound strategy for the year to come.

2015 Goals 2014

2015

223

350

$111K

$3.22M

2700

4500

Support indirect jobs*

Support Business in Haiti and HonduraS:

INCOME OPPORTUNITIES*

Difference: +127

DifferencE: +3.11M

Difference: +1,800

*Full or Part-time employment, not including supplemental income earned by collection

350K lbs

3M lbs

*Through supplimental collection income

12.5% of workforce

$165K 20%

of workforce

100% 100%

Waste Exported

Employment Opportunities for Women

Recycled Polyester is Post-Consumer

Difference: +2.65M

Difference: +7.5%

Difference: +0%

Financials

2014 was a critical year for Thread. It positioned us for continued growth in 2015. We raised an additional $112,500 in capital, allowing our company to make serious investment in the research and development of fabric production. As of December 2014, we are pleased to have 8 unique fabric offerings available with more currently in the R&D phase for specific partners. We are grateful to our investors for their support and belief in the mission and vision of Thread.

Total Funding to Date $312.5K Individuals

$25K

$450K Institutions+Incubators

Thrival Pitch Contest

2014 Financial Performance Fabric

Costs of Goods sold Payroll and Benefits

Travel

Revenue

Expenses

R&D

PLastic Flake

Thread prides itself in complete financial transparency within the company. All Thread employees have access to financials, which are reviewed by the entire staff on a quarterly basis.

Funding Breakdown Angel Investment Individual investors have contributed to the early phases of Thread’s development. We can’t overstate the importance of these early investors who believed in our business and gave us the first injection of capital to allow us to get from bottle to bolt.

Incubator/Seed Funding Incubators provide early-stage or “Seed Funding” to young start-ups, often in conjunction with professional services and mentorship to help business ideas come to fruition. These investments are crucial for helping develop business plans, minimum viable products (MVPs), and securing additional funding to grow. The Idea Foundry was Thread’s first investor in 2011, adding us to a new socially and environmental venture portfolio that became the InterSector.

Institutional Investors Pittsburgh’s institutional investment community was crucial to our business growth in 2014. Their commitment to supporting entrepreneurship and job creation in Pittsburgh continues to allow great ideas and inventions from the region to become viable businesses and create jobs in Pittsburgh and beyond.

Awards+ Fun This year, Thread was honored to be recognized by several institutions and communities in both our hometown of Pittsburgh and around the country. We are proud to be headquartered in an amazing town, grateful for the support and innovation of the start-up community here, and humbled by the friends, colleagues, and competitors we found ourselves surrounded by at these events.

Thrival/PNC ‘The Pitch’ Lee pitched his heart out and won $25K furnished by PNC Bank at the 2014 Thrival Festival.

Ledbury Launch We were one of three finalists in a nationwide competition sponsored by Ledbury, coming in a (very) close second place.

Pittsburgh Magazine Featured us in their ‘Made in Pittsburgh’ issue and invited our CEO, Ian, to speak as a panelist at their event in October.

Tech 50 Thread was named as finalists for the Pittsburgh Tech Council ‘Start-up of the Year’ Award, and attended the ceremony with Pittsburgh’s business community.

Manufacturer of the Year Thread won the 2014 award for businesses with 1-5 employees at the Pittsburgh Business Times 12th Annual Awards Banquet.

Holiday Gift Guides This holiday season, the Moop+Thread collaboration was added to a number of holiday gift guides along with brands like: The North Face , Timbuk2, TOMS, & more.

ReCommended Reading If you made it this far, you’ve probably come to the conclusion that we’re a bunch of responsibility nerds. You’re right. Most of us came into this world from other fields and use every opportunity to expand our knowledge. Below are some of our favorite books and articles from 2015 to help your inner responsibili-geek shine.

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