This week we talk with Phil Ozorkiewicz, founder of OJOS Eyewear,  about sustainable fashion and social entrepreneurship.  OJOS is an amazing company because it uses unique products of exceptional quality to help solve global environmental issues in several ways.  For every pair of sunglasses sold, OJOS plants 10 trees in countries that suffer from deforestation .  OJOS also uses their carrying pouches as a means for social stewardship. All “impact pouches” are made via a micro-financed grassroots campaign with indigenous women in India to create jobs and support a way of life. These pouches are made with organic cotton, all of OJOS packaging and print is made with 100 percent recycled papers, and  the company’s unique display cases are  made from pine-wood reclaimed from Colorado.  On top of all that, OJOS voluntarily taxes themselves a 1% “Earth Tax” to donate to worldwide organizations that work to protect, preserve, and sustain healthy environments.

Phil does a great job explaining how he structured his company to impact the earth and its citizens  in so many ways through generating revenue.  He strongly believes that you still can be profitable while still striving to be as sustainable as possible.  OJOS Eyewear sought out B-Corp certification early on, and Phil talks to the benefits of the decision and the choice to be cause-based.

“It wouldn’t be right and we wouldn’t be able to live with ourselves if we didn’t create these environmental and social initiatives as the structure of our company.” - Phil Ozorkiewicz

Tune in for Part 2 of this interview with Phil on Wednesday, March 25th.

Sign on for the Social Change Nation Newsletter HERE

Check out Social Good Shopping Guide and Directory HERE

Love audio??? Josh has gotten everyone a free audiobook download! Click here to get your free book! And click here to get you some LSTN Headphones - they’re the cause-based headphones we use around here for all the podcasts & audiobooks we listen to!