I’ve fallen in love… with a brand… and can you guess what led me to it? A colleague sharing the brand’s commitment to transparency – seriously! When Jackie wrote her blog last week, Everlane was mentioned for its efforts in taking transparency to new levels. I clicked through to have a look and whilst browsing I noticed two things: 1. I liked their products, and 2. These guys are serious in delivering radical transparency; it’s not just a marketing tactic for them but the essence of their brand.

Founded in 2010 by Michael Preysman, Everlane is an American online retailer offering a high quality range of apparel and accessories – including cashmere, silk, and leather goods which are manufactured in various factories around the world. And, while they only deliver within the US, I’m convinced I’ll buy from them (using a third-party courier) in the near future. I’m most definitely willing to put in the effort to buy from Everlane, and what sold me was their radically transparent approach. Here’s a closer look at how they do it:

1.Behind the scenes

The brand not only mentions the factories it works with, but has a dedicated webpage for stories on each one they deal with. Consumers can click on each listed factory to read about it in more depth and learn how Everlane came to find it, as well as learning about their ethical standards and materials and processes used. The use of supporting photos of each factory increases the level of transparency between consumers and the brand. In addition, the site also links every product listed to which factory it came from. In my view these efforts have added value and meaning to each of Everlane’s products.

A worker from one of the factories. Source: Everlane

2.It’s all in the details

Providing figures instantly boosts trust in a brand, and the infographic (shown below) on Everlane’s website – showing an example of related costs for each product sold – does just that. It outlines the cost for materials, hardware, labour and transport. It then shows what percentage mark-up Everlane gives the product, compared to their competitors – outlined as ‘traditional retailers’.

Pricing Infographic. Source: Everlane

3.Passing on the savings

Recently there was an industry wide drop in cashmere prices, I know this because Everlane released a statement through Instagram letting its followers know. Preysman, the founder and CEO, stated “…here’s a secret: The cost of raw cashmere fluctuates wildly. Sometimes it goes up. And when it does, retailers raise their prices. Sometimes it goes down… They just keep the extra profit…We’re doing something different. Due to a slowdown in the luxury market, the cost of cashmere has dropped 16 percent. So we’ve lowered our prices to pass those savings on to you”. Mic drop.

Preysman’s statement on Everlane’s instagram feed. Source: Everlane

It was around this point that I fell head over heels – for the brand, its products, and even more so, its honesty. Within 30 minutes of browsing I was taken on a journey; from initially ‘liking’ a product to then learning the backstory of the manufacturers, where each product came from, how it was made, and how much the mark-up was from Everlane, I was soon loving the product. I felt confident with the brand, it hooked me, and evidently it had me following their social media pages. Before long I was picking out a wish-list of products I wanted, researching third party couriers, and now spreading the word. Everlane – thanks for your radical transparency.

Written by Lucy

Cover photo credit goes to: https://www.flickr.com/photos/liz-grace/5078868809