St Augustine Florida
All of the paper we use, including office, hang tags, catalogs, p.o.p. materials are made from 100% recycled paper. This reduces water consumption, energy and saves trees.
We recycle all of our paper and cardboard and reuse most of our boxes, which cuts down on the quantity of new boxes we have to purchase.
On April 22nd, 2015 (Earth Day) we added 15KW (58 solar panels) to our St Augustine warehouse. Currently this is powering 100% of our electric needs. Powering business by the sun is a dream come true and because of you we were able to achieve this.
Check our Solar output.
Ditching single-use plastic is one of our primary goals at all levels of Conner Hats.
Americans use 1500 plastic water bottles every second. For us, this really drives home the fact that we need to do our part to limit the production of plastic.
Reducing single use plastics is important for many reasons
Huge amounts of plastic end up in our waterways and ocean. Birds and sea life mistake it for food and many die from ingesting or choking on plastic. It also breaks down into very small pieces which can be eaten by fish. We then eat the fish and the PCB’s, dioxins and other toxic chemicals can end up in us.
Things we can do to help might seem small, but everything helps. Choose products that use no or minimal plastic packaging. Recycle everything you can. Say no to plastic straws. Use Reusable bottles and cups. Use reusable grocery bags.
Besides a whole new line of hats made from recycled plastic bottles we have also stopped the use of single-use plastic connectors to connect our hang tags; we use a biodegradable string instead.
We asked our Conner Hats metal emblem supplier to stop individually bagging each tiny emblem in a plastic pouch, instead they are sent flat on sections of cardboard. This alone stops the production of thousands of tiny single use plastic pouches.
All of our woven labels are made from recycled P.E.T. (plastic bottles) and we pay more to have the heat seal glue for these labels to be nontoxic.
We are currently switching to a 100% non-petroleum biodegradable poly bag to protect hats in the warehouse and shipping. This is a bag you can compost in your garden. Most importantly for us, it will completely biodegrade over time in a marine environment. It's made from Thistle and sunflower seeds. Think of the millions of plastic poly bags that go directly to landfills and end up in the ocean!
It’s our job to care about what touches your head that’s why many of the sweatbands and linings are made from third party tested organic cotton with non-toxic dyes. We feel it is our responsibility as a company to use organic cotton wherever possible.
All of our deluxe stretch terry hat bands have been third party tested and do not contain AZO dyes or Formaldehyde.
As of January 5th, 2015 we are in the process of changing some of the harsh chemicals used to make our straw and wool hats.
Our safety standards are guided by the question:
“Is the hat safe enough for a baby to chew on?”
Update – February 2016 – All of our dyes and paints are third-party tested nontoxic lead free
Our USA wool felt hat production meets our non-toxic standards. The stiffener is made from food grade shellac and the color dyes are safe for the environment, all exhausted waters used are put in the public sewer for normal treatment.
Our wool hat production in China has been third- party tested and no Azo dyes are used and no toxic chemicals in the hat bodies. We trust our factories to keep our high standards but just in case we re test every six months to be sure.
First of all, it’s important to realize that the difference between organic and conventional cotton isn’t just the lack or use of pesticides and insecticides in the farming process. Conventional cotton is also subjected to numerous chemical baths and treatments when the fabric is loomed and prepared for cutting. Additionally, conventional cotton uses dyes that sometimes contain heavy metals. We use only nontoxic dyes in our organic cotton.
Conventional cotton farming takes a huge toll on our planet, being responsible for a full quarter of the insecticides used worldwide. Some of the most toxic pesticides are also used on cotton, and people consume those pesticides in foods containing cottonseed oil.
Choosing organic cotton helps to support organic farmers and gives motivation to conventional farmers who are trying to convert to organic practices. Spreading the word to friends and family also helps to raise global awareness about the benefits of choosing organic cotton. Hopefully, over time, this can reduce the amount of chemicals consumed by conventional cotton farming and help contribute to a healthier planet.