Can you tell a client the exact carbon emissions of the zipper on their jacket? Storm Creek can—and they're betting your next big deal depends on it.
Storm Creek just revealed how they're transforming from a quality apparel supplier into a sustainability powerhouse that's helping distributors win deals they never thought possible. With fresh B Corp certification, UN Global Compact membership, and carbon tracking down to individual product components, they're not just talking sustainability—they're proving it with data.
Storm Creek didn't just get B Corp certified (which took 10 months and 400 questions). They also secured EcoVadis designation and joined the UN Global Compact—creating a sustainability arsenal that covers every possible client requirement.
But here's the kicker: they had to change their entire corporate structure from an S Corp to a benefit corporation to make it happen. That's commitment that goes beyond marketing.
Forget vague sustainability claims. Storm Creek now tracks carbon emissions by individual product components. That recycled polyester vest? They can tell you it saved 75-80% in carbon emissions versus virgin materials. The zipper? They've got data on that too.
They've been building this capability for three years through their Higg partnership, and it's finally live. Distributors are using this granular data to differentiate themselves in RFPs and help clients meet ESG reporting requirements. As they put it: "The first person to provide this documentation moves faster through that procurement process."
Their goal was $5 million to charity over 10 years. Halfway through the timeline, they're already at $2.8 million and accelerating. The strategy? Partner with distributors and their clients on causes that matter to them. It transforms a transaction into a shared mission—and creates loyalty that goes beyond price.
Storm Creek just became a Connected+ supplier on commonsku, and their entire team celebrated at their quarterly town hall. Why the excitement? It's all about ePOs.
With PromoStandards integration, distributors can now submit Electronic Purchase Orders (ePOs) for all Storm Creek orders. This means:
The efficiency gains are immediate and measurable. ePOs drop straight to the top of their queue with automatic order processing. Their new scorecard tracks "untouched" ePOs—orders that flow from entry to warehouse without human intervention. Real-time inventory updates mean no more calling to check stock.
"Those are going right to the top," they explained. "Those POs get the top priority, the fastest turnaround times. But I also love what you all offer in terms of the AI layer and the ability to add extra support to those of us who are Connected+."
For the nearly 1,000 distributors using commonsku, this integration means Storm Creek's data is instantly accessible when building presentations or shops. No manual data entry. No outdated spec sheets. Just accurate, compelling information that helps close deals.
Here's what most distributors don't know: Storm Creek offers a trademarked Sustainability School that turns intimidating acronyms and regulations into actionable selling strategies.
They'll train your entire team (even if it's just six people) and then help you present to end users. One California distributor went from "scared as hell" about sustainability to confidently closing deals with it. The best part? They'll even join your client meetings to help tell the story.
Storm Creek is seeing something remarkable: documentation requests from end users jumped 2-3x from Q1 to Q2 alone. Last year brought more sustainability RFPs than they'd seen since 2017.
Their advice? Start simple. "Every time you offer, offer a sustainable option to just dispel the myth that it's going to cost more." With Connected+ integration on commonsku, adding that sustainable option takes seconds with real-time inventory and accurate product data at your fingertips.
Their parting wisdom: "If we have knowledge in our brains about this and we can help someone, it makes them more comfortable, which helps move the process along and helps the whole industry become bigger."
Ready or not, your next big client will ask about sustainability. The only question is whether you'll have answers.
[00:01:47] B Corp certification journey: 400 questions, 10 months
[00:04:00] The difference between B Corp and EcoVadis
[00:09:00] $2.8 million raised for charity (halfway to $5M goal)
[00:12:16] Carbon emissions tracking by product and component
[00:15:00] Connected+ supplier integration celebration [00:16:44] Measuring "untouched" ePOs and efficiency gains
[00:24:40] Sustainability School and distributor training [00:27:26] California regulations driving urgency
[00:29:55] EOS and the 90-day world driving progress [00:32:48] Looking ahead: optimism for the industry's future