Factory tour
Behind The Scenes
Inception Story
Cass, our founder, is a Canadian living abroad who started Hernest, which is a 100% Female Owned an Operated Canadian brand, after struggling to find beautiful, functional sleepwear that could double as loungewear—pieces that felt as good on the skin as they did on the conscience.
She saw firsthand how damaging the apparel industry can be, with its extract-produce-dispose model and its exploitation of people. And like so many others, she knew there had to be a better way. Consumers are no longer willing to settle—they want more from the companies they buy from, invest in, and work for.
Cass believes in doing things differently. In building a future where businesses can thrive within the planet’s limits and contribute to stronger, more resilient communities. That’s why, when she began to imagine Hernest, sustainability was never an afterthought—it was the starting point. From the very first sketch to every decision since, her vision has remained the same: to create comfort with care, thoughtfully designed for real life.
2020 and beyond
2020 brought many challenges and it also showed us how system disruption can happen quickly and how it will likely continue as we face a rising climate crisis and systemic social issues. It also showed us that in crisis, we can collectively take massive action. It’s going to be a tough road ahead. We have ten years to dramatically shift our direction before climate change causes irreversible damage, and I believe commerce will be a huge part of the solution.
As a founder, I needed to get crystal clear on how I could maximize the impact of Hernest for good, and set a clear vision and direction for where we wanted to go. That’s why I invested in developing a sustainability strategy based on science, to help us get there and influence others in our industry along the way.
Through this process, we discovered that we want to be a brand that does more than being “less bad”. We realized that our ultimate vision is to be a company that has not only zero impact but also contributes to the resilience of the planet and strong, resilient communities. Check out our Sustainability 2030 Roadmap for more on our next decade of change. We’d love to hear your feedback and we’d love to have you join us on our journey.
— Cass xx
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Versatile Design
Our mission is to craft fashion that feels like home, fostering comfort and belonging through genuine design and conscious curation, while empowering mindful choices and celebrating the feminine spirit.
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Low Impact
Through our commitment to sustainable practices, we strive to avoid contributing to the systemic increase in extracted materials, the accumulation of harmful compounds, and the degradation of natural resources.
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Fair
Through ethical sourcing and fair labor practices, we aim to remove barriers that hinder individuals from fulfilling their essential needs.
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Business Impact
We use business as a voice for change and we influence others to create transformation through commerce.
