Success Story: Brooklinen Doubles Down on Social Responsibility with Good360 Partnership

Andre Claudio
·3 min read

Success Story is a Sourcing Journal feature highlighting innovative solutions across all areas of the apparel and footwear supply chain.

From chipping away at profit margins to unsellable items taking up storage space, returns pose a significant challenge for companies during the holiday season.

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In 2022, more than half of consumers (52 percent) said they expect to return at least one gift they received through an online merchant, according to The 2022 Holiday Gift Returns Survey from e-commerce brand accelerator Phelps United. Among this group, 47 percent said they anticipate returning at least three gifts minimum, with nearly one in five (19 percent) saying they plan to return at least five. Six percent expected to return more than 10.

With returns being an inevitable part of online shopping, direct-to-consumer home goods brand Brooklinen partnered with Good360 to distribute all returned products to donation centers across the country.

“Good360 has been a longstanding partner with Brooklinen since our inception in 2014,” said Dwayne Richards, senior operations associate at Brooklinen. “Early on, we were keenly aware of the social responsibility we had as a company to give back, not only to our local and national communities, but also to the environment.”

Good360 is a specialist in product philanthropy and purposeful giving on a mission to transform lives “by providing hope, dignity and a sense of renewed possibility to individuals, families and communities impacted by disasters or other challenging life circumstances.” Good360 has distributed more than $14 billion in donated goods worldwide, helping its network of more than 100,000 prequalified nonprofits strengthen communities and improve the lives of millions.

In addition to its partnership with Brooklinen, Good360 has previously partnered with corporate donors including Walmart, UPS, Amazon, American Eagle Outfitters, Gap Inc. and Levi Strauss & Company.

“We decided to [partner] with Good360 due to their diverse network of nonprofits, allowing our returned product to [help] the most people,” said Richards. “It was crucial for us to partner with a company that not only donates physical goods, but also donates transportation, time and other unmet community needs.”

With responsible manufacturing and social responsibility at the heart of the Brooklinen brand, the company’s Good360 partnership has also prevented usable Brooklinen products from entering landfills for almost a decade.

One notable donation the Brooklyn-based brand made is to the Fort Schuyler Presbyterian Church in the Bronx. Through this donation, nearly 300 families who survived residential fires were given Brooklinen bedding.

“As a home essentials brand, Brooklinen understands that housing insecurity disproportionately affects women, people of color and the LGBTQ+ community, making it a pertinent mission of ours to deliver comfort to all,” Richards said.

Sustainable push

In addition to giving back to its community, Brooklinen is working toward producing more environmentally friendly products.

Earlier this year, the brand launched its first organic cotton collection that included sheets, duvet covers, towels, robes and bath mats, certified under the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), a global textile processing standard for organic fibers. The collection also earned Oeko-Tex certification for chemical safety.

Organic Cotton Collection
Organic Cotton Collection

Bedding in the collection features a percale weave of 100 percent long-staple cotton with a garment-washed finish and comes in sizes ranging from full to California king, starting at $65. The bath collection has a horizontal ribbed texture and mid-weight feel available in Turkish cotton, starting at $45. The collection comes in a range of neutrals and bold hues inspired by the natural world.

“We were thrilled to launch our GOTS-certified organic collection earlier this year,” Richards said. “Brooklinen is constantly researching, testing and developing new products to further our commitment toward a more sustainable [future].”