Alberta Apparel began 4 years ago, when founder Thomas Mo took notice that there were no clothing lines that represented the province and its beauty and history. Mo set out to do just that. “We do this by using symbols such as the Alberta Flag, animals that are found living in Alberta, and even photography.“

Wanting to create a social conscious brand, Mo decided to only use Made in Canada apparel from factories they know and trust. All of our contractors are based in Alberta as well. “We want to be a model for profit and non-profit companies on how you can be local, scale, use local resources, support your local economy, and be a social enterprise as well.” Mo has also been a leader in the fashion space by giving presentations to organizations and schools on such topics such as the fashion industry, consumerism, fast fashion and environmentalism.

What’s next? Mo says they are now searching for manufacturers and fabrics that are utilizing best practices in terms of water conservation, reduced chemical usage, recycling materials, and decreased energy consumption.

“We believe that the future of our planet is important, and that our brand can make a big difference."

Sourcing locally means more money stays within your geography. This means that more money is available to be spent, saves, invested etc and some of this could come back to your business.

“It helps other small businesses with their dreams, and if we all pitch in, it makes a huge difference. Thanks for considering us, and sourcing local and ethical too."

And if that isn’t great enough, LEAF Certified members can now receive a discount on Alberta Apparel custom branded apparel projects.

LEAF has released our annual Guide to Canada’s Greenest Restaurants for 2018. For the past number of years, sustainable dining and various aspects of it , including local food, sustainable seafood, meatless menus, and environmental practices, have been listed as some of the top trends in restaurants and food service. Increasingly, restaurants are realizing that operating as a more sustainable business is also good for their bottom line.

Restaurants waste an average of 50 tons of food each year, and use 2.5 to 5 times more energy per square foot than other commercial buildings. 96 per cent of LEAF restaurants compost their food waste versus just 9 per cent of conventional restaurants. 85 per cent of LEAF restaurants use energy efficient or ENERGY STAR appliances versus just 52 per cent of conventional restaurants. LEAF restaurants consistently outperform conventional restaurants.

Consumers are increasingly more aware of the impact of their purchasing decisions, and gravitate towards more environmentally sound purchasing choices when presented with options. Dining at a LEAF certified restaurant takes the guesswork out of the equation for consumers. The restaurants on this list have all been audited by an independent third party, and demonstrate a commitment to operating in an environmentally sustainable manner. Canadian diners can find an updated list of LEAF certified restaurants in their area, year round, on the LEAF website.

We are continually raising the bar for what it means to be LEAF certified. In the coming weeks, LEAF’s version 4.0 criteria will be released, which places a greater emphasis on single use disposable plastics and food waste.

Support a more sustainable foodservice industry - visit a LEAF certified restaurant in your area today!

Don’t see one on the list in your area? Send them this link and suggest they get certified!

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LEAF releases annual guide to Canada's Greenest Restaurants.