Recently, I was invited to speak at the University of Oregon’s Summit for Sustainable Organizations. The topic I chose was one I wasn’t entirely sure I the students would be interested in..
What does sustainability look like at different scales of business?
I went from working at Patagonia—a company known globally for its environmental leadership—to starting my own brand, Coastal Range Collective.
And the contrast is… humbling.
Raise your hand…
I opened my talk with a simple question.
“Who here has ever worn this label?”
I pointed to the Patagonia logo on my fleece. Nearly every hand in the room went up.
Then I asked:
“Who has heard of Coastal Range Collective?”
One hand.
The exercise showed the students the immense contrast of scale.
What Scale Makes Possible
At a large brand, scale isn’t just about size—it’s about influence. It’s about having the buying power to influence manufacturers to evaluate best business practices for the planet.
With that level of reach, you can:
- Shift entire supply chains
- Invest in material innovation
- Partner across industries
- Normalize better practices
I had the privilege of working on teams helping bring more responsible materials and processes to market—at volume. That kind of impact is powerful. And necessary.
What Happens When You Start Over
Then you step into a startup… and everything changes.
You’re not influencing factories—you’re trying to meet minimums.
You don’t have teams of experts—you’re making decisions yourself.
You’re not driving industry change—you’re trying to stay afloat while doing things the right way.
So naturally, the question becomes:
Can a small brand really make a difference?
Where Small Brands Create Impact
The answer is yes—but it looks different.
At a smaller scale, impact shows up in the choices you make every day:
- Choosing preferred and recycled materials when possible
- Producing in smaller batches to avoid excess
- Designing with longevity in mind
- Staying close to your customer to reduce waste
You may not move the entire system—but you move within it, intentionally.
The Full Circle Moment
Here’s what struck me most while preparing for this talk:
Small brands like mine are able to make better choices because larger brands did the hard work first.
Because companies like Patagonia invested in innovation, built demand for better materials, and proved that sustainability can coexist with business success…
Those options now exist for the rest of us.
That’s the ecosystem.
Big brands push change at scale.
Small brands adopt, refine, and carry it forward.
Building Coastal Range, Intentionally
Starting Coastal Range Collective has been one of the most humbling transitions of my career.
I went from working alongside world-class teams of scientists, designers, and developers…
to building something largely on my own, with the help of my husband and a small network.
But the intention hasn’t changed.
If anything, it’s become more focused.
The goal is to build thoughtfully.
To produce less, but better.
To make decisions that reflect the values I learned—and continue to believe in.
And as the brand grows, to scale without losing that foundation.
A Thought for Earth Day
Sustainability doesn’t belong to big brands or small brands.
It belongs to all of us.
As consumers, we have more influence than we think.
We choose what to support.
We decide what gets to grow.
So whether it’s a global brand or a small startup—support the ones trying to do things the right way.
Buy less. Choose well. Take care of what you own.
And protect the places you love.
Because at every scale, those choices matter.
