The House of LR&C, co-founded by singer/songwriter Ciara, and her husband, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, is the latest sustainable fashion brand to earn certified B Corp status.
It’s been a busy few years for The House of LR&C, which Russell Wilson and Ciara launched mid-pandemic in 2020 alongside Christine Day, who serves as CEO. The fashion label’s aim is to democratize the retail industry with a positive impact on people and the planet.
The couple says the label’s goal from day one has been to make fashion more inclusive and participatory. The House of LR&C spans three brands: the menswear line Good Man Brand, the gender-inclusive streetwear line Human Nation, and contemporary women’s fashion label LITA by Ciara.
“Since inception sustainability and being a force for good have always been a core component of The House’s foundation, and we’re committed to holding ourselves transparently accountable so our customers don’t have to choose between fashion and responsibility,” Day said in a statement.
B Corp status
LR&C says it has achieved B Corp for all three of its current brands. It’s focused on a proprietary matrix it calls The Good Sourcing Mandate, which is based on the preferred materials standards of the Textile Exchange. LR&C says the matrix allows it to source to the most sustainable materials made to last and “raise the bar” for the fashion industry at large.
“We’re honored to leverage this gold standard certification as distinguished third-party verification of our ongoing commitment to high-quality sustainable fashion. We love making good products the effortless choice, supporting both people and the planet and will take full advantage of the additional guidance and resources available to us through this opportunity,” Day said.
The label joins a growing roster of companies earning B Corp status. Celebrity-backed tea brand Enroot, co-founded by Brad Pitt, has earned it. Fashion saw several brands earn the status last year including French luxury label Chloé, Khloé Kardashian’s Good American, and French resale platform The Vestiaire Collective, became the first secondhand retailer to earn the mark.
B Corp certification requires significant milestones across environmental criteria as well as human rights issues. More than 100,000 companies have applied over the last decade but fewer than 5,000 have earned the mark.
LR&C store
The label opened the doors to its first brick-and-mortar store in Seattle last month.
“As we open the doors to our first store at The House of LR&C, we feel blessed to offer our customers a hands-on experience to understand and see our values of love, respect, and care come to life. [It’s] a big milestone for our team,” Ciara told Vibe.
“The opening of The House of LR&C’s first retail experience is due to the hard work, vision and dedication of the team led by Christine Day’s genius,” added Wilson. “Being able to open this location in Seattle, share this mission with the community and give people a place to meet all three of our fashion brands — Good Man Brand, LITA by Ciara and Human Nation — means a lot to us.”
The news comes as New York is aiming to pass the Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act, which if passed, would hold brands accountable for their climate impact and social metrics.
“More and more entities are continuing to recognize and amplify the importance of true sustainable measures,” said Therese Hayes, Chief Sustainability Officer at The House of LR&C.
“Our purpose has always been to push past the crowded, greenwashed market, and build a Company whose genesis lies in delivering the Love, Respect and Care the world needs now, and we’re devoted to collectively moving the needle alongside our fellow B Certified corporations,” she added.
Why Not You?
The B Corp status announcement also comes days after the couple released the children’s book, Why Not You? It’s tied to the Why Not You Foundation founded by Wilson and Ciara aimed at empowering youth by fighting poverty and increasing education opportunities. Three percent of all sales from the labels go to the Foundation. The couple has already invested nearly $2 million into rebranding a Seattle charter school and have to date donated more than $35,000 to area students.
“We’ve been so excited to do this for so many reasons,” Russell told NBC. “Our parents used to say to us, ‘Why not you?’ It was a driving force question that my dad always used to ask me all the time…I think that’s the conscious, but also [the] subconscious question that we all have to ask ourselves no matter how old or young we are.”
The book depicts people of all skin tones and hair textures that Ciara said was important to include.
“Our goal is to empower every child to have a ‘Why Not You?’ attitude and we want for every child to look at this book and see themselves in it,” she said. “On the front [of the book] you see a mini Russ and a mini Ci. And our kids can look at this book and see themselves. Every kid should be able to dream big and if you have a ‘Why Not You?’ attitude, the sky’s the limit.”
