Nestled between Lake Drolet, Frontenac National Park, and Mont-Mégantic International Dark Sky Reserve, Attraction is surrounded by a wild and majestic landscape—a backdrop that constantly reminds it of the delicate balance of Mother Nature.

At the forefront of ecology, this clothing manufacturer and decorator has developed numerous sustainable initiatives over time, including the launch of its Ethica line in 2009. Made in Quebec, the range is crafted from organic cotton and recycled polyester fabrics—a bold choice for its time, emphasizes Sébastien Jacques, co-owner of Attraction along with his partner Julia Gagnon.

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In fact, since the pair acquired the company in 2017, the green transition has gained momentum. Screen printing ink residues are now collected and recycled into jet black ink for future prints. Even the transport boxes for their Initial collection—produced in Asia—have been designed to reflect the company's values, allowing them to be used from one continent to another, from the factory to their headquarters, and into the hands of the consumer. "This seemingly insignificant gesture enables us to save tens of thousands of boxes per year," Sébastien points out.

During the pandemic, Attraction also acquired a shredder to transform fabric scraps into cushion stuffing—a process that will eventually divert over 20 tons of textile waste from landfills annually. The machine even serves a social purpose: it is located in the premises of the Coup de pouce Lac-Mégantic organization, supporting the center's reintegration mission.

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Finally, in 2022, Attraction achieved a significant milestone by officially becoming carbon-neutral. "In collaboration with the Université de Sherbrooke, we conducted an inventory of all our processes that produced greenhouse gas emissions," explains the entrepreneur, enabling the company to offset all of its category 1 and 2 emissions through the purchase of carbon credits from the Less Emissions organization.

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"We are far from perfect; it's an ongoing project," Sébastien humbly shares. "I believe our greatest pride is yet to come." Considering the journey traveled, it is safe to say that the future looks promising.

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The distribution of this article is made possible by the contribution of Détail Québec, the retail sectoral workforce committee.

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