Bright Forward has the right idea, they make their products with the aim of being low to zero waste. This is a crucial business model as climate change worsens, and they have done okay at being sustainable. They could use more sustainable materials and methods to produce those materials, but so far they are on the right track. With the growth of their company, it would be nice to see them become more transparent about the company itself and how they treat their employees

Bright Forward’s Hemp Reusable Cotton Rounds are made of 70% hemp and 30% cotton. Hemp is a great option to use as a fabric because it uses less water and natural resources to produce, harvesting is healthier for the soil it is grown in, and it can be grown in greater numbers than other materials while also using less space! Cotton is also a sustainable material as it is biodegradable and technology has reduced the need for insecticides and pesticides. However, cotton does use a large amount of water and does still require some pesticides. Cotton is one of the more sustainable materials, but it is not the most sustainable and there are other options out there that are more sustainable.

Hemp and cotton, as the two main materials that go into making these cotton rounds, come with differing processing. Hemp takes less water and is a very eco-friendly crop to grow. Hemp is a reciprocating product that benefits people in their everyday products, and also gives back to the soil since hemp is full of nutrients. Cotton, however, requires a large amount of water, and fossil fuel burning is commonly used when manufacturing cotton. Though it only makes up 30% of the cotton rounds, it still creates an impact on the planet. The manufacturing of their product could be a lot better if they substituted cotton for another more sustainable product, or even organic cotton in general, since organic cotton, which has lower environmental impacts and does not use pesticides or insecticides.

Bright Forward is primarily sourced in the United States and only ships within the United States. This is to reduce their carbon footprint and have a company with as low of an environmental impact as possible. They are also a plastic-free company and they give 1% of their revenue to reducing carbon emissions. Bright forward does not explicitly discuss their inclusivity or diversity standards as a company, which is disappointing. In order to be a truly sustainable company, they need to be conscious of the diversity and the well-being of their employees. It would be nice to see more about who they are as a company and how their business is structured.