Charles River Apparel (asi/44620) is invested in being a good steward of its namesake – the Charles River.

As part of that charge, the Top 40 supplier, based in Sharon, MA, sponsored and participated in the Charles River Watershed Association’s (CRWA) 24^th annual Earth Day cleanup in the Franklin State Forest.

Charles River Apparel (asi/44620) employees participated in an Earth Day cleanup of the Charles River watershed.

“We care deeply about the environment and are particularly proud to support CRWA as they continue to protect and enhance the Charles River while advocating for environmental transformation and solutions,” said Jason Lipsett, Charles River Apparel’s marketing director. “The annual cleanup is an important initiative, and we are grateful to all the volunteers who come together each year for this event.”

The Charles River watershed – the land that channels stormwater and other waste into the river – extends over 308 square miles, with Boston making up about 30% of that area. Over the weekend, CRWA estimated that volunteers collected more than 57,000 pounds of debris and trash across the 80 sites.

“Each year, we are so humbled by the extraordinary efforts of our community to care for our beloved Charles River,” said Emily Norton, executive director of CRWA. “Thanks to the generosity of time and effort of our volunteers, we are able to transform our parks and forests, restoring our river’s ecosystem for people and wildlife alike.”

While cleanups make an immediate difference, long-term pollution prevention remains a complex effort, so the CRWA also provides green jobs training, partners with indigenous people, works to build green infrastructure and advocates for the removal of defunct dams across 35 Massachusetts cities and towns. Volunteers serve a crucial role in the effectiveness of their efforts, according to the CRWA.

In addition to participating in the cleanup, Charles River Apparel employees met with Norton to learn more about how they can mitigate pollution in their own communities. The supplier notes that the cleanup and training are part of its larger mission to become more sustainable in both the apparel styles it offers and its own business practices. According to its website, Charles River Apparel is implementing electric charging ports and UPS carbon-neutral shipping. Its sustainability roadmap also includes plans to install solar panels at its headquarters, update packaging materials and support local environmental efforts through donations and volunteerism.

The supplier’s Eco Collection includes styles made from recycled plastic water bottles and sustainably grown cotton. Charles River Apparel says it also works with Nexgen Packaging to create sustainable hangtags, labels, stickers and swift tacks for packaging its apparel.

With 2021 North American promotional products revenue of $42 million, Charles River ranked 38^th on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest suppliers in the industry. The 2023 list of Top 40 suppliers will be released this summer.

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