Sprout Watches
Launched on Earth Day, 2010 Sprout Watches is an eco-forward timepiece brand based in Little Neck, New York. A proprietary brand of the E. Gluck Corporation, Sprout Watches is one of the few watch brands with a core focus on sustainable product sourcing, manufacturing and disposal.
Company History
E. Gluck Corporation made its name designing and manufacturing digital and affordable, fashion watches under brand names such as Armitron. With environmental challenges increasing and a lack eco-friendly, sustainable watches available to the consumer, E. Gluck Corporation sought to create a watch that would utilize sustainable materials and have a reduced impact on the environment after usable life. In 2010, Sprout Watches launched with an assortment of twelve styles. Today, Sprout produces over 80 styles incorporating materials such as cork, tyvek, bamboo, corn resin and special, lead-free Swarovski Advanced Crystals.
Philanthropy
Sprout Watches is aligned with several philanthropic organizations, including 1% for the Planet and Riverkeeper. Conceived by Yvon Chouinard, founder of the Patagonia brand, 1% for the Planet continues to build and activate an alliance of businesses financially committed to creating a healthy planet. Proceeds from these member businesses fuel projects throughout the world. Riverkeeper, a Hudson Valley-based organization, protects the environmental, recreational and commercial integrity of the Hudson River and its tributaries in efforts to safeguard the drinking water of nine million New York City and Hudson Valley residents. Riverkeeps initiatives have helped communities throughout the region, including the removal of more than thirty one tons of trash during their last “Sweep” in 2014.
Sprout also designs a line of watches with lifestyle brand, Cuipo. Cuipo’s mission is to preserving prime rainforest around the globe. Each watch in the collection comes with a code that Cuipo will redeem to preserve a meter of rainforest in the purchaser’s name.
Product Materials Used
•Bamboo :Bamboo is a natural fiber. It’s also quick-growth plant that traps greenhouse gases. Its renewable and can grow back after its three to five year harvesting period. It does not require chemicals, pesticides, or fertilizers to thrive.
• Organic cotton - Conventionally,cotton requires large amounts of pesticides which have a documented impact on the environmental. Organic cotton is grown using techniques that have a very low impact on the environment and does not use toxic pesticides or fertilizers.
• Corn Resin-The usable life of corn resin is similar to synthetic plastics. It will not degrade during regular wear and use. Corn resin is derived from the corn plant, a renewable resource. A bio-based product, there are no oil resources used in production. In a compost environment, corn resin is 99% biodegradable to carbon dioxide and water within 365 days.
• Cork-Cork is both biodegradable and renewable. Harvesting cork from the bark of the cork oak tree does not incur any harm to the tree. After harvesting, the tree will absorb more carbon dioxide, and return more oxygen than a non-harvested tree.
• Tyvek®-Tyvek® is a high-density fiber that is water and tear resistant. It is recyclable and can be safely incinerated.
• Mercury Free Battery-A Neurotoxin, Mercury is harmful animals and humans. Sprout watches use only Mercury Free batteries.
• Recycled Fibers -Sprout packaging is made from at least 80% post consumer fibers. It is both recycled and recyclable.
External links
1) Sprout Watches – http://www.sproutwatches.com/
2) 1% for the planet - http://onepercentfortheplanet.org/
3) Riverkeeper - http://www.riverkeeper.org/
4) Cuipo - http://www.cuipo.org/