Thread 2014 Impact Report

2014IMPACTREPORTwww.Threadinternational.comconnect@Threadinternational.com

Note from the CEOI’m a big baseball fan.It’s a pretty new thing for me. I learned late how much I like how a ballparksmells in the middle of the summer. I think it’s great that the manager wearsa uniform and until recently, arguing with umpires was considered an artform. I like the ridiculous statistics. Nay, I LOVE the ridiculous statistics.WHIP, WAR, LIPS, BASP. These are not government agencies. I am not simplyyelling words that sound dirty together. These are the categories by which wemeasure America’s pastime. Baseball statistics document moments in thegame’s history, but any fan would tell you that .406, or 61, or 3000* are a lotmore than numbers. They are moments where history was born.I think baseball has a lot to tell us about where our planet, and our species,is headed.Some statistics I learned from 2014:The average monthly tCim02em(leaasstuyreeamr ewnet at the Mauna Loa observatory crossed400ppm for the first had a few days above 400, but not anentire month). Rather than bore with you the gory details, I’ll just give it to youplainly. This is really, really bad. We’re talking disaster on biblical proportions.Dogs and cats, living together. It’s not a theory. It’s not a position. It is a fact.I learned that it takes more than 500 gallons of water to grow enough cottonfor the t-shirt you’re wearing right now. Again, I’ll spare you the ridiculouscomparisons, save one: that’s enough water to keep you alive for two and halfyears. Companies we all know and love use it on one t-shirt.Earlier this year, Giancarlo Stanton, who plays right field with Major LeagueBaseball’s Miami Marlins, signed a contract for $325M USD. It’s the largestcontract in the history of North American professional sports. Again, I’ll saveyou the silly comparisons, with one exception. It would take a person in Haitimaking minimum wage 338,00 years to make that kind of money. It’s notStanton’s fault. The market will bear his salary. We’ve said that’s what he’sworth, just like we’ve said a person in Haiti is worth more than 21,000 timesless than him.Is it me, or are the statistics telling us we’re in deep shit? (Continued)*.406 is the 1941 batting *61 is the single home run *3000, besides being a widelyaverage of Ted Williams, who record set by Roger Maris in used statistic for the numberwas the last guy to hit .400 1961. It was broken by Barry of hits for Hall of Fameand widely considered to be Bonds (73), Mark McGwire caliber hitters, is the exactthe greatest hitter to play the (70), and Sammy Sosa number of hits my favoritegame. (66), but under the cloud of player, Roberto Clemente, steroids, so I’m tossing my had before he was tragically hat in the ring with Roger. killed in an aviation accident on December 31, 1972, while en route to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.

“That’s enough water to keep you alive for two and half years. Companies we all know and love use it on one t-shirt.”

Thread makes fabric. When companies buy it, we show them the impact it’shaving on the planet and on every person it has come into contact with beforeit got to them - from the trash heap it starts on to when it ends up in yourhands - warts and all. We’re not perfect at it, but we’re going to damn welltry to be.This year, we learned that companies we’ve been shopping at for years haveno idea what kind of impact their materials have. In fact, you would be flooredby how many companies don’t know what a lot of the materials they use aremade of at all.Considering our future is about to look a lot like the end of a Tom Cruisemovie, we’re starting to get a little ticked off about this.So in 2015, we’re going on the offensive, and you can help us.Here’s what we’re going to do:• Not all recycled fabrics are created equal. Big companies use fabric that they say is “recycled”, but the bar is REALLY low. In some cases, only five percent of a product needs to be reprocessed in order to be considered recycled. Even when recycled, if it travels around the world three times and was produced without any regard for the welfare of the people collecting the raw materials, saving hundreds of bottles doesn’t matter - we shouldn’t be turning it into yoga pants. We’re going to start calling companies on that.• We have to use less cotton. We know this is near impossible to do overnight. In 2015, we’ll advocate that companies who have goods that are 100% organic cotton or regular cotton switch, so that at least a portion of the product uses a transparent Thread Ground to Good™ fabric. We’ll track how that changes their impact and share it with you.Here’s what you can do:• Pay attention. Don’t buy stuff you don’t need. If you do, make sure it’s not causing more harm than it’s worth. We’ll do our part to ensure companies are telling you the truth. It’s that simple.• Also, maybe start rooting for the Pirates.Here’s to 2015, and to what’s possible together, Ian Rosenberger Founder + CEO



Table ofContents

Introduction07 Learn the who, what, and why behind our Impact Report. Ground to GoodTM09 Meet the folks who make our fabric possible and discover how each step of our process improves the world, from Ground to GoodTM. Impact19 Explore our methodology and criteria for developing the most responsible products possible. Goals + Outcomes29 See how we stack up against our 2014 goals and how we plan to improve moving forward. Awards + Fun33 Take a look back at the awards, recognition, and general fun the Thread team had sharing our passion and work with the world this year. Recommended Reading35 Put on your reading glasses and dust off your desklamp. Thread shares our favorite resources to help you become a full-fledged sustainability nerd.

WhyFabric?There are lots of useful ways to re-purpose waste.We decided to start by making fabric.Why?True transparency in the supply chains that make the fabric and clothing wewear is still REALLY hard to find. For every Patagonia and Everlane that ex-ists, there are several brands who don’t know the origin of their materials andare oblivious to the conditions in which their products are made.The textile industry is one of the dirtiest in the world. In China alone, the tex-tile industry discharges 2.5 billion tons of contaminated waste water everyyear. Unsafe working conditions supported by fast fashion put millions of livesat risk each day. Several pesticides used to grow cotton, even in the U.S., areclassified as ‘known/likely’ carcinogens.Many of the fabrics considered “recycled” rely on industrial seconds, not thebottles we put in recycling bins or other post-consumer waste. Much of this“green” fabric circumnavigates the globe during its production- reducing the impact of any oil saved by having recycled content.We can do better.Responsibility is more than recycling. It’s more than codes of conduct and fac-tory audits. Responsibility is taking ownership of everyone involved through-out the entire process of your product. It goes beyond knowing where our stuffcomes from, to knowing it is making people’s lives better.Thread tackles these issues to create the most responsible fabric in the world.We know our supply chains inside and out. We’re on a first namebasis with the people involved at each step of our recycling and fabricproduction. From the time a bottle is picked up to when it ends up in yourhands as a bag, or a shirt, or a shoe, Thread fabric has a positive impact fromGround to Good™.

8Thread Ground to GoodTM 80/20 Polyester/Cotton Blend

Ground to GoodTMImpactCollection Plastic bottles are collected in Haiti and Honduras by individuals who are paid in cash per pound of plastic collected. Some collectors do this work as a full time job, others use collection as an opportunity for supplemental income.

2700 Income opportunities in Haiti and Honduras +25.6% Growth in collection efforts since 2013 based on volume $17K USD Income generated each month by recycling collectors in Haiti “There’s been a big change since we started [recycling]. People”have the ability to change their lives and it’s a job that pays well. - Manuel Garcia Plastic Collector, Honduras 10

Collection CentersIn Haiti, Thread has partnered with Executives Without Borders and Haiti Recycling as partof the Ramase Lajan program. These centers, made from refurbished shipping containers,buy recyclables from collectors and sort the materials for transport to a centralizedprocessing facility.In Honduras, a similar collection system exists, where entrepreneuers provide feedstockfor local recyclers.

4 Full-time employees at the average collection center 3 New Ramase Lajan centers opened in 2014 111 Jobs supported by Ramase Lajan centers in Haiti“I appreciate working for Ramase Lajan because they appreciate people. That is obvious.” - Eliane Pierre Richard Center Owner, Haiti 12

Plastic ProcessingThread partners with recycling facilities in Port-au-Prince, Haiti (Haiti Recyling) and SanPedro Sula, Honduras (INVEMA) where bottles are washed and ground into valuable rPET(recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate) flake.

Invema Utilizes alternative energy sources including solar power to run their operations Haiti Recycling Has been reprocessing waste in Haiti for more than 35 years 95 Jobs are supported at Thread partner processing centers“... We look forward in 2015 to continue our mission to create jobs and clean the environment, pursuing our ultimate goal of closing the recycling loop right here in Haiti.” - Stephan Sajous Haiti Recycling 14

Start StartU.s. to Asia recycled Thread Haiti to U.S. polyester Supply Supply 11,339 90% miles traveled to reduction in total travel create recycled and carbon emissions polyester fabric compared to Asian recycled supply chains

Collection Processing Centers Center 3.8M 307,510plastic bottles diverted pounds of rPET flake from streets, canals, exported as a raw material in 2014 and landfills every from Haiti month in Haiti

8 New polyester and polyester-blended Thread fabrics were developed in 2014 All Thread Polyester Is made with is 100% post-consumer recycled content 100% Of Thread Fabric Was made in the United StatesFabric MakingAfter arriving in the U.S., Thread’s flake is extruded into filament and fiber, spun into yarn,and knitted or woven into fabrics. These responsible fabrics are then sold to apparel andaccessory manufacturers looking to improve the impact and transparency of their products.

18

IMpactThread vsBased on 1,000 yardsGallons of Pounds of Co2WateR used Pesticides used Emissions (lbs) 500 0 5,070 vs. vs. vs.

income Bottles Revenueopportunities Collected Generated (USD) Haiti+Honduras 16,000 in Developing Countries 2,700 vs. $300 vs. vs. Data DataUnavailable Unavailable 20

LocalImpactThread’s impact extends to our hometown of Pittsburgh. Investment, interns, andpartnerships have come from the region. We belong to this start-up community andcan’t wait to see (and meet) even more social businesses as they launch and grow here.Our Neighborhood Threadquarters is located in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh. We’re proud to support the local doers, makers, and shakers, transforming S’Liberty into the pride of Pittsburgh.Our Office In 2014, we moved from our first home, The Beauty Shoppe, to our own office in the Werner building. We spent the first week sitting on the floor since we had no furniture. As we built our space and made it our own, we used recycled found elements wherever we could to create the vibe (and walls) of Thread.Our CommunityThread offers employees 40 hours peryear in paid time off to volunteer forcauses that are important to them. In2014, Threadheads spent a total of 1,033hours on and off the clock volunteeringfor non-profit organizations such as: Team Tassy Penn State Dance Marathon The Midwife Center Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community PLanned Parenthood

22

Environmental ImENpVIaROcNtMWORKPLACE OPERATIONS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT SUPPLY CHAIN& CONTEXT adaptivity + knowledge dialogue | empowerment | stewardship dialogue | empowerment | stewardship supplier | inclusivity | resource useabsorption | diversity + gender balance |The social and environmental impact of strategic business Create recycling and waste management Suppliers/vendors/contractors are kept informed Track environmental impact of supply chaindecisions are given as much consideration and importance strategies for events hosted by local of Thread’s social impact and know the story of in terms of water usage, emissions, andas economic impact when making operational decisions non-profits the materials they are working with – where it energy usage comes from, who it is helping, where it’s going after themAlternative forms of transportation (biking, Stay tuned into environmental best practices and Supply chains keep millions of pounds ofwalking, public transit) are encouraged attend conferences hosted through the B Corp Preference is given to suppliers who are tracking their plastic waste out of landfills, streets, andand practiced across the company network, Sustainable Brands, the Sustainable Apparel social and environmental impact, who run their operations canals of developing countries every year Coalition, and other similarly focused networks with that impact in mind, and who set goals around that impactThread is a certified B Corp, so networks and Thread’s regional supply chain is geographicallylearns from like-minded organizations, and Thread works with suppliers to better understand their close, cutting down on transportation emissionsutilizes the resources available through B Labs triple bottom line impact and to help them set goals around by 90% when compared to similar supply chainson sustainability and social responsibility future social and sustainability initiatives utilizing Asian manufacturingThread works with Sustainability consultants at Third Partners, Thread builds localized supply chains, cutting down onLLC to complete LCAs and inform operational sustainability delivery times and transportation emissionsstrategyEconomic ECONO WORKPLACE OPERATIONS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT SUPPLY CHAIN & CONTEXT adaptivity + knowledge dialogue | empowerment | stewardship dialogue | empowerment | stewardship supplier | inclusivity | resource use absorption | diversity + gender balance | Thread employees attend meetings, discussions, and Thread gives investors the option to reinvest their pro ts Supply chain creates valuable exports for developing Current financials, projections, and future milestones are workshops around the economic development of earned from Thread back into the communities in which we countries, and supports U.S. based textile businesses discussed regularly amongst all sta Pittsburgh operate in the form of charitable contributions whose industry has been shrinking domestically to compete with manufacturing abroad Employees have access to company financials/can Thread supports other social business – especially schedule meetings to discuss them in detail those in the B Corp network – when looking for contractors, suppliers, and future customers Employees are invited to sit in on meetings with legal counsel/accountants/investors to better understand SOCI economic circumstances of the company Updates to investors written from the CEO are shared with employeesExecutive team is 40% female, 60% maleSocialWORKPLACE OPERATIONS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT SUPPLY CHAIN& CONTEXT adaptivity + knowledge dialogue | empowerment | stewardship dialogue | empowerment | stewardship supplier | inclusivity | resource useabsorption | diversity + gender balance |Sustainability, social business, and economic development Thread employees volunteer and serve as speakers and Thread shares our social/Sustainability data, vision, and Thread has developed several public-private partnershipstrends via articles, white papers, op-eds are shared amongst panel experts for events and workshops focused on social goals with all of our stakeholders. Everyone we work with to ensure maximization of our supply chain’s social impactthe team and discussed business, sustainability, and international development understands and supports the responsible aspect of our businessSocial and environmentally focused documentaries and Thread spends considerable time on the ground and inbooks are consumed and discussed by sta . Some make it on the field of the communities we work in Thread is the first social investment for many of our Supply chains currently support 2,700 income opportunitiesto the “required reading” list for interns and new hires investors. We work with them build understanding of for bottom of the pyramid populations in Haiti and Honduras social businessesImpact – the data, metrics, and goals for the year Social and Environmental updates are included Based on audit results, Thread provides advice,ahead are reviewed and discussed at every quarterly in investor reports consulting, and support to suppliers to improvestrategic planning session their scores and uphold Thread standards Economic success is not possible at the expense of our partners. All stakeholders involved in the company must be bene tting Social, Environmental, and Economic impact is economically for our business model to be sustainable and to calculated and monitored at every step of the be ful lling our mission supply chainThis year, Thread worked with Socially Good Business, an organization that supports sustainableand socially responsible brands through internal programming and virtual tools.

KEYtMapMENTAL social initiative environmental initiative economic initiative Zoom in for detail PRODUCT ENTITY SUSTAINABILITY COMMUNICATION EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT raw inputs | utility of | post-purchase manufacturing building SEID demand nurturing | intrapreneurship | roles of engagement sustainability Committed to using o ce supplies made of recycled content. Thread educates our consumer around the fact thatAll Thread fabrics are at least 50% recycled 80% of o ce furniture is refurbished/2nd hand not all recycling is created equal Employees are empowered to seek out and share best practicescontent, with several being 100% recycled polyester in sustainability both within the team and with their own Recycling occurs on-site Goods made with Thread fabric include tags educating personal social networksThread has yet to find a recycled fabric in the market that is the consumer to the impact of their purchaseBOTH environmentally and socially responsible with the data 90% of documents, records, and communications are Employee suggested sustainability e orts are encouraged,to back up both claims sent/saved electronically supported, and trialed by the companyThread shares origin, sources, and traceability of Utilize Trip Zero when booking hotel rooms to helpproduct materials with customers and end consumers o set emissions caused by travel Thread is committed to remaining headquartered in Pittsburgh as an engaged member of the start-up community in the cityOMICPRODUCT ENTITY SUSTAINABILITY COMMUNICATION EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENTraw inputs | utility of | post-purchase building SEID demand nurturing | intrapreneurship | roles ofengagement sustainability Thread educates our consumer around the belief thatThread fabric is providing sustainable income opportunities to bottom O ce headquarters is located in a mixed-income trade vs. aid is a more sustainable approach to helping Thread supports and facilitates peer mentoring opportunitiesof the pyramid populations in developing countries neighborhood - providing development to a growing supporting economies and industries. amongst our suppliers, and employees working at every step business district in our supply chain Preference is given to local independent businessesIALPRODUCT ENTITY SUSTAINABILITY COMMUNICATION EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENTraw inputs | utility of | post-purchase building SEID demand nurturing | intrapreneurship | roles ofengagement sustainabilityThe stories of the people responsible for making our products Thread o ers employees 40 hours of paid time o to be spent Thread educates our consumer around what we believe the Experts in other companies are sought out asare shared with end consumers volunteering for non pro t organizations de nition of social-enterprise to be, how it works, and how they advisors/mentors for employees Thread partners with local Univiersites and High Schools can become engaged with itThread educates our customers on their impact, sharing our to o er real world project experience to classes andimpact data as well as the comparison between their products’ students Thread challenges the final customers of products Powered by Education amongst employees is encouraged byimpact before Thread and after Thread non profit orgs and committees Thread by asking what good they will do beyond purchasing sending employees to conferences, workshops the product and classesProduct also brings business back to the U.S. textileindustry, which has been decreasing recently due Metrics utilized in marketing are chosen for their ability to be Employees are encouraged to position themselvesto competition overseas easily understood and applied by consumers who may not as thought leaders in social enterprise/impact/business have extensive background in sustainability or social responsibility Communication strategies educate and inform consumers from sharing articles via social media, to writing educational pieces on the Thread blog Director of Marketing works directly with the Director of Impact to ensure that all messaging is backed up by data. Especially regarding the positive impact of Thread’s supply chainsSocially Good Business helped us to formalize company impact standards and the processes tobetter quantify and track the impact we are having both at Threadquarters and abroad.

Moop+ThreadThis year, we started our first product partnership with Pittsburgh-based bagmanufacturer, Moop. Over the course of nine months, our ‘natural’ green fabricwas introduced into four products as a liner - making these handcrafted bags moreresponsible. Messenger No. 1 A large messenger bag for carrying laptops, tablets, books, and daily gear. Envelope Clutch No. 1 The perfect bag to tuck under your arm and head out for the night. Small and useful. Large enough to hold your wallet, keys, phone, a small notebook, and gloves. Paperback A smaller bag perfect for an e-reader or lovingly worn and dog-eared-to-all-your- favorite-passages books along with daily purse items. Shopper No. 1 A large, open-top shopper tote - best for beach trips, lakeside hangouts, farmers markets, campouts, weekend getaways, or packing up with gym gear.About Moop Moop specializes in canvas bags, designed and manufactured, start to finish, in Pitts- burgh. Wendy Downs founded Moop on the principle of good design, quality construc- tion and durable materials, made in house. She is committed to a process of in-house manufacturing and supporting fellow small businesses through materials sourcing.

+331% $171.77 +12.5% 2XImpressions Earned Media Sentiment ProductsThread website The estimated We used a super- In six months, ourtraffic, Facebook value of mentions nerdy 3rd party partnership grew tolikes, Tweets, etc. in news articles, tool (NetBase) double the numberincreased by 331% blogs, and social to estimate that of Moop productsin the first month of media reached an positive brand featuring Threadour shared product estimated $170 per sentiment for fabric.launch. yard sold in the first Thread+Moop month. keywords grew by 12.5%.Sign up to receive information on new product launches orContact our sales department to introduce Ground to GoodTM fabric to your products

Auditing TMImpact Supplier AuditThread is committed to our triple bottom line - Criteriameasuring our effect on people, planet, and profit toensure that we have the greatest impact where it is Production andmost important. QualityTo ensure that our Ground to Good™ fabric is the • Inventory trackingmost responsible in the world, we require all of our system in placeoperational partners to sign Thread’s Code of Conduct,ensuring that the facilities we partner with operate • Materials testingin line with our core values and understanding ofresponsible business.Thread’s Impact Department audits our partnersannually. Partners receive reports detailingtheir scores as well as short and long-termrecommendations for improvement.\"The apparel industry is notoriously opaque. Social ImpactThis is one of the biggest reasons Thread exists- to provide brands with certified transparent • Investment in communitysupply chains from Ground to GoodTM.\" development- Kelsey Halling Director of Impact • Employees provided with professional development opportunitiesThread staff provides support and assistance inachieving these goals. We believe that continuousimprovement is integral to the success andsustainability of our supply chains.

Labor • No child labor or Health + indentured servants Safety • No discrimination or harassment • Emergency preparedness system • Fair compensation • Emergency medical supplies • Protective equipment provided (at least min. wage + bonuses) and mandatoryProcess• Performed annually by Thread staff Environment• Results and improvement plans are • Waste management/recycling shared with partners programs in place• Thread works with partners to • Energy, water & GHG’s implement improvement plan over measured with reduction the next year targets for each• Thread expects partners to improve audit scores each year• Failure to improve audit score in one year will be reflected in the following annual assessment• Audits ensure that all of the terms in Thread’s 'Code of Conduct' are being metWorking Conditions Partner becomes a certified Thread• Regular inspection of supplier electrical and safety components• Employee safety training• Lighting/Ventilation meet OSHA standards

Metricsand GoalsEach year, Thread sets annual financial, Goalenvironmental, and social goals. Below Actualare the metrics we strove for in 2014:Job* Creation in HaitiGoal: Support 225 indirect jobs. Actual: Supported 223 indirect jobs.*Full or Part-time employment, not including supplemental income earned by collectionSupport Haitian + Honduran BusinessesGoal: Support $500k USD in revenue for business in Haiti and Honduras.Actual: Supported $134,530 USD in revenue for business in Haiti and Honduras.Increase Income Opportunities Through CollectionGoal: Support 3,000 income opportunities across Haiti and Honduras.Actual: Supported 2,700 income opportunities.Increase Pounds of Waste Exported as Valuable MaterialGoal: Export 2 million pounds of waste as valuable raw material.Actual: Exported 351,510 lbs of waste as raw material.Provide Professional Development and Training HoursGoal: Provide 150 hours of professional development and training for staff working in Thread certified supply chains.Actual: Provided 50 hours.Employment Opportunities for WomenGoal: Maintain a 10% female gender breakdown in Thread-certified supply chains.Actual: Maintained a 12.5% female gender breakdown.100% Post-Consumer ContentGoal: Maintain 100% post-consumer recycled plastic in all Thread polyester.Actual: All Thread polyester is 100% post consumer material.29

Areas of ImprovementTransparency is the key to responsibility.As a start-up, our priorities and strategy can change quickly (and sometimes drastically)from quarter to quarter. While the ability to act and move quickly is a trait we value, wealso recognize that this can derail long term goals. For example, we decided to move lessmaterial in 2014 than we had originally planned (see left) in order tofocus resources on fabric R&D.While we met or exceeded some of our goals this year, there are others that we have notyet completed. Mapping out 2015’s goals required real conversations and hard decisionsamong our team and stakeholders to ensure that we were both challenging ourselves asa company and setting up sound strategy for the year to come.2015 Goals 2014 2015223 350 $111K $3.22M 2700 4500 Support indirect Support Business in INCOME jobs* Haiti and HonduraS: OPPORTUNITIES* Difference: +127 DifferencE: +3.11M Difference: +1,800*Full or Part-time employment, not including *Through supplimental collection incomesupplemental income earned by collection350K 3M 12.5% 2$016%5K 100% 100% lbs lbs of workforce of workforceWaste Employment Recycled PolyesterExported Opportunities for Women is Post-ConsumerDifference: +2.65M Difference: +7.5% Difference: +0%

Financials2014 was a critical year for Thread. It positioned us for continued growth in 2015.We raised an additional $112,500 in capital, allowing our company to make seriousinvestment in the research and development of fabric production.As of December 2014, we are pleased to have 8 unique fabric offerings available withmore currently in the R&D phase for specific partners. We are grateful to our investorsfor their support and belief in the mission and vision of Thread.Total Funding to Date $312.5K $450K $25KIndividuals Institutions+Incubators Thrival Pitch Contest2014 Financial PerformanceR&D Fabric PLastic Flake Costs of Goods soldExpenses RevenuePayroll and Travel BenefitsThread prides itself in complete financial transparency within the company. All Threademployees have access to financials, which are reviewed by the entire staff on aquarterly basis.

Funding Breakdown Angel Investment Individual investors have contributed to the early phases of Thread’s development. We can’t overstate the importance of these early investors who believed in our business and gave us the first injection of capital to allow us to get from bottle to bolt.Incubator/Seed FundingIncubators provide early-stage or “Seed Funding” to young start-ups, often inconjunction with professional services and mentorship to help business ideas cometo fruition.These investments are crucial for helping develop business plans, minimum viableproducts (MVPs), and securing additional funding to grow.The Idea Foundry was Thread’s first investor in 2011, adding us to a new socially andenvironmental venture portfolio that became the InterSector.Institutional InvestorsPittsburgh’s institutional investment community was crucial to our business growthin 2014. Their commitment to supporting entrepreneurship and job creation inPittsburgh continues to allow great ideas and inventions from the region to becomeviable businesses and create jobs in Pittsburgh and beyond.

Awards+FunThis year, Thread was honored to be recognized byseveral institutions and communities in both ourhometown of Pittsburgh and around the country.We are proud to be headquartered in an amazingtown, grateful for the support and innovation ofthe start-up community here, and humbled by thefriends, colleagues, and competitors we found our-selves surrounded by at these events.Thrival/PNC Ledbury Launch Pittsburgh Magazine We were one of three Featured us in their‘The Pitch’ finalists in a nation- ‘Made in Pittsburgh’Lee pitched his heart wide competition issue and invited ourout and won $25K sponsored by CEO, Ian, to speak as afurnished by PNC Ledbury, coming in panelist at their eventBank at the 2014 a (very) close second in October.Thrival Festival. place.

Tech 50 Manufacturer of the Holiday Gift GuidesThread was named as This holiday season,finalists for the Pitts- Year the Moop+Thread col-burgh Tech Council Thread won the 2014 laboration was added‘Start-up of the Year’ award for businesses to a number of holi-Award, and attended with 1-5 employees day gift guides alongthe ceremony with at the Pittsburgh with brands like: ThePittsburgh’s busi- Business Times 12th North Face , Timbuk2,ness community. Annual Awards TOMS, & more. Banquet.

ReCommendedReading If you made it this far, you’ve probably come to the conclusion that we’re a bunch of responsibility nerds. You’re right. Most of us came into this world from other fields and use every opportunity to expand our knowledge. Below are some of our favorite books and articles from 2015 to help your inner responsibili-geek shine. about Thread ( Click for more )For more Thread news, visit threadinternational.com/news

Recommended ArticlesRecommended Reading Tech 50. Let My People Go The Sixth ExtinctionMoquunetaninestuBreyroenmdolorepT-rue Story Surfing Elizabeth KolbertMTroadtucaiynttKdariiaodnedlsuesprt,tantecraeboproersiaT-y Montagne Yvon Chouinard tis 36

MovingForward2014 was the year of fabric. We studied it, created it, and made it the focus of ourcompany’s operations, meetings, and marketing.We believe it is so important to know where your stuff comes from – and that knowledgeincludes what your stuff is made out of and how it impacts our world.So while you’ve explored the social, environmental, and financial goals we had for ourcompany, we’d like to break down our impact based on 1,000 yards of our very first fabric- 100% recycled polyester 500d. The same fabric that’s in the Thread + Moop bags.1,000 YardsThis is what we can do with 1,000 yards. Imagine what we can do with 100,000 yards.With 1 Million yards. What if the majority of apparel and accessories brands startedusing Ground to GoodTM fabric in their product - thinking beyond what they make andconsidering the how, why, and who?We’re talking about a multi-billion dollar industry supporting dignified jobs and wastemanagement in developing countries. We’re talking positive impact on a massive scale.We’re talking about changing the lives of populations.That’s what we look forward to in 2015 - producing fabric at a large scale for brands youknow and trust - sharing how the impact of Thread and all of our partners grows expo-nentially as we scale.It is so exciting.Thanks for being along for the ride. Kelsey Halling Director of Impact

Removes Provides Reduces Removes Conserves Creates16,000 16 1,990 1 285K $300Bottles Days lbs Car Gallons USD from the of work for emoifsCsOio2ns worth of gas of water in direct waste a person consumption - enough to revenue to in Haiti or businesses stream in Honduras from the provide 1,475 in Haiti and Haiti and environment people with Honduras Honduras (through bottle water for one collection) (based on average car per year) yearThread LLC124 S.Highland AvePittsburgh, PA [email protected]