News

Sands Boutique is your one-stop shop for high-quality, sustainable swim and beach-wear. Their magnificent swim and outerwear lines truly capture the essence and spirit of the American Riviera. If you have been struggling with having to choose between your concern for the environment and fairly priced, luxury clothing, this woman-owned business located in downtown Santa Barbara is for you! Lana, the owner of Sands Boutique, deeply cares about the impact of consumerism on our environment, and is mindful of that when sourcing the materials for their designs.

Growing up in Santa Barbara, Lana felt a sense of responsibility to serve her community in a positive way that had minimal impact on the planet. Her empathy implored her to structure her brand around sustainability, and thus Lana’s own Sands Swim line is made of 100% recycled Italian fabric. All materials are made out of marine plastics that would have otherwise littered our beaches or harmed marine life. Additionally, Sands Boutique is proud to state that all items are designed and produced in the United States because ensuring the longevity of labor sourcing in-house and locally is very important to Sands Boutique. She notes that, "sustainable fabrics...are more expensive to produce and not as easy to source", but that does not stop her from pricing her items as affordably as possible, as well as only purchasing materials from sellers that adhere to ethical labor practices.

Although Sands Boutique prided itself on its eco-friendly operations even before becoming a Certified Green Business, getting certified has helped the clothing store further advance in its sustainability journey. Sands Boutique uses recycled bags to avoid excess waste, eco-friendly shipping to reduce transportation emissions, uses LED lights to conserve energy, and has even opted for a digital print, which uses a dry powder process, instead of a wet print, which is a wet ink process, to save a significant amount of water. Since getting certified, Sands Boutique has experienced unparalleled growth and progress, which is reflected not only in all aspects of the company's business procedures, but also in Lana's personal life. She notices that, even outside of business operation, she feels more inclined to be an active force in bettering her community, whether that be by volunteering locally or engaging in environmentally conscious behavior at home.

When asked about how the certification process was for her, Lana said, “The certification process was actually really fun! The questionnaire not only made us feel good about what we were doing right but made us aware of what we could be doing better.” She notices that although she was already participating in comparatively progressive sustainability practices, taking that extra step to get certified broadcasted the Boutique’s commitment to the Green Business movement. Sands Boutique has answered the community’s call to action, and is now happy to be a part of an environmentally responsible business landscape with businesses who share a passion for sustainability and our planet.

Shop Sands boutique here: https://www.sandsboutique.com/

Interested in getting certified? Sign up today!