Each year as we close one year and look to the next, I share reflections and goals as we begin anew.  Today, as I read back through what I shared 12 months ago, I’m honestly struggling with what to say.  A year ago, I thought the hardest times in Haiti were behind us (they were not!); I thought supply chain was dialed in and rolling (that didn’t last!); I thought we were full steam ahead (we were, but in unexpected ways!).  Our team has long had the saying, “GOEX, we figure it out” – that has never been more true than in 2024. 

So, here are some things we figured out over the past months and some things we hope we have figured out for 2025!

First, a look back…  In 2024, our resolutions were Grow, Set the Standard for Sustainability and Educate.  Despite the challenges in Haiti and in our US supply chain, we are incredibly grateful to say that we did grow this year!  We will end 2024 outpacing the industry by about 10% in year over year sales which means you cared for more people than before through the power of your purchases!  Thank you for your commitment to fair trade, sustainable apparel!  We also achieved our goal of switching all polyester yarns in new fabric purchases from Repreve to Ciclo, setting a new standard for sustainability in our garments.  Almost all sweatshirts in our inventory and about half of the triblend garments now contain Ciclo and each new shipment that arrives keeps that moving forward!  Education was the most challenging but we did a number of speaking engagements and connected at trade shows and events.  Look forward to more virtual events and workshops in 2025!

 But beyond those 2024 resolutions, we figured out new fabric and sewing suppliers, we figured out new product partners, new customer requests and developed a lot of patience.  This team wore a lot of hats when we struggled to find the right team members over the summer – I even figured out how to load shirts on press at one point!  We held much of this year with open hands while leaning in where we could.  We are so grateful and incredibly humbled by everything that happened and we have incredible hope for the future and all of the families we can support through the dignity of work!

 So, here’s where we think we’re headed in 2025 – we’ll see what the year brings!

1. Reopen Our Factory in Haiti – More details to come but we have a plan in place to adjust our operations in order to get our team safely back to work in the first quarter.   Stay tuned!  In the meantime, you can continue to support them by donating to our Haiti fund and we always encourage you to pray for their safety and for that of all of the people there.
2. Continued Growth – Supporting our makers isn’t just about getting the factory open, it’s about sustaining the jobs of our team and adding more.  We must continue to educate retailers and consumers, converting them into buyers and supporters!  Want to help?  Refer a customer here!  And look forward to meeting a new GOEX Sales Rep in January!
3. Expanded Offerings – We know you’re busy so we want to make sourcing custom, ethical products as easy as possible!  Beginning in January, we’ll introduce you to a growing collection of products that you can now purchase through your trusted GOEX Sales Rep.  We previously introduced you to Topiku and The Good Tee, our partners for hats and organic tees.  Watch for additional intros in first quarter – we’re calling this collection The Exchange and we’re super excited about it!
4. Lastly, we want to hear from you!  Please fill out this form and let us know how we’re doing and how we can serve you better. 

In closing, thank you for this incredible year.  I promise we literally celebrated with every order that came through the doors.  Your purchase matters and is valued here!

 Merry Christmas and Wishing you Blessings in the New Year!

XO

-Jessica Ray