How Canyon Goods aims to bring sustainable change to fashion

As sustainability becomes a more substantial movement in the fashion industry, it seems like a natural reaction for brands to make efforts that leave a lasting, positive impact on the environment. And with sustainable online marketplace Canyon Goods, founder Sara Dinkin is doing exactly that.

What initially started out as a vintage shop on Etsy has now become a platform for sustainable clothing, apothecary, and lifestyle products, featuring ethical artisan brands for consumers to discover.

Below, Dinkin shares how Canyon Goods has evolved into what it is today, how she curates the brands the marketplace features, and her plans for the brand’s future.

Can you share a bit about what you were doing before Canyon Goods?

Before starting Canyon Goods, I was working with a stylist as an assistant for a couple of years and that is where I started to really love the world of fashion. I then branched out and started styling on my own for about 8 years. During that time is when I saw how damaging fashion is for our planet and starting to ideate around the idea of how I could help be more sustainable in my own profession. From styling, I started to also collect a lot of vintage pieces and decided to start an Etsy shop called Canyon Goods to specifically sell those vintage pieces to give them new lives and start to be involved in the recycled fashion space.

What prompted you to start Canyon Goods and its focus on sustainability?

I took a look at my career path and the fashion industry as a whole and asked myself how could I make a difference and create a much-needed change? The way I see it, sustainable fashion is our only option to conserve the planet at this point. While styling I started to research climate change and how fashion was impacting the planet and was horrified at what I found. I began to look for sustainable marketplaces, that solely focused on selling sustainable goods and could not find any that I 100% aligned with, so I decided to start my own. Through my research, I discovered amazing luxury sustainable brands that were not being highlighted or showcased in e-retail stores and not getting the exposure they deserved. So I launched Canyon Goods to provide shoppers with a new destination for luxury ethical commerce.

How do you curate or determine the merchants or businesses that are available in your store?

I spend a lot of time doing brand research online, on Instagram, reading articles and discussing with friends who work in fashion. Before working with a prospective brand I study their practices and ethical standards to ensure they align with the Canyon Goods mission. In terms of Canyon Goods’ standards on sustainability, I measure the items the site carries based on the following criteria: is the item recycled, organic, cruelty-free, fair trade, artisan-made, charitable, made locally in the USA, or vegan.

Who are the brands you're working with for Canyon Goods?

Some of the brands I work with include luxury vegan shoe line Taylor + Thomas, Kamba Swim who is a British designer focused on reducing waste, CALLE DEL MAR a woman-owned and operated apparel brand made from conscious materials, SEEKER an ethically sourced, low impact, gender inclusive apparel brand, jewelry designer Tiffany Kunz and many more.

How do you feel Canyon Goods contributes to the greater picture of sustainability?

Sustainability comes in many shapes and sizes. In order to be completely transparent and to continue to educate Canyon Goods’ customers, I provide a breakdown of what makes the brands carried on Canyon Goods sustainable. I’m committed to selling only brands that follow ethical standards and are transparent in how their products are made. This overall helps lead customers to more educated purchases and pushes them to shop entirely sustainable in all areas of their lifestyles.

You offer both vintage findings as well as sustainably made brands. Can you tell us how these independently align with your standards?

With Canyon Goods, I offer brands that hold a responsibility to people and the planet. The idea of providing shoppers with quality vintage options helps to extend the life of a garment. With vintage, it’s better to continue the garment’s use rather than thrifting it or throwing it out to then end up in a landfill. Next to purchasing sustainable fashion items that directly help reduce or offset one’s carbon footprint, shopping vintage is a sustainable way to prolong the life of a garment. To further this commitment, I give customers the opportunity to shop their ethics by breaking each sustainable practice down by standard on the site.

Right now, you're offering your products online. Is there any potential to have in-person shopping experiences? If so, what will that look like?

To launch the brand I hosted a clothing swap in Los Angeles to give shoppers a look at the brands featured on Canyon Goods and also to promote sustainable shopping practices. In the future, I do plan to host small pop-ups and shoppable events, but as of now I’m solely focused on the website.

Canyon Goods just launched, but are there any plans to expand further?

Right now I plan to focus a lot on the Canyon Goods ‘style stories’, pairing influencers with the brands we sell. I also aim to launch a mini docu-series. Further down the line I want to curate pop-up shops throughout the country and eventually I plan to expand into other categories such as home decor and menswear.

Images: Lindsey Byrnes for Canyon Goods