Love Blue Inc. Joins 1% for the Planet as an Environmental Partner!

Love Blue Inc. is proud to announce our newest milestone, we are now an official environmental partner of the 1% for the Planet program! This partnership marks an exciting step forward in our mission to protect and preserve our oceans, coastlines, and waterways through community-driven cleanups and conservation efforts.

What is 1% for the Planet?

Founded in 2002 by Patagonia’s Yvon Chouinard and Blue Ribbon Flies’ Craig Mathews, 1% for the Planet is a global network of businesses and environmental organizations dedicated to driving positive change for the planet. Companies that join commit to donating 1% of their annual revenue to vetted environmental nonprofits, ensuring that these funds directly support meaningful conservation efforts. By creating a bridge between businesses and nonprofits, 1% for the Planet fosters sustainable corporate giving and environmental responsibility.

What Does This Partnership Mean for Love Blue?

Becoming a 1% for the Planet environmental partner opens up a wealth of opportunities for Love Blue, including:

• New Partnerships: Through this program, we can connect with eco-conscious businesses looking to support nonprofits aligned with their sustainability values.

• Financial Support: As an official partner, Love Blue is now eligible to receive direct donations from businesses committed to the 1% for the Planet pledge.

• Networking & Collaboration: We gain access to a global network of like-minded organizations and businesses, helping us strengthen our impact through collaboration and shared resources.

• Access to Events & Resources: 1% for the Planet provides exclusive opportunities to participate in events, workshops, and forums that focus on environmental activism, nonprofit growth, and sustainability innovation.

• Enhanced Cleanup Efforts: With increased financial support and new partnerships, we’ll be able to expand our cleanup initiatives, acquire better resources, and increase community engagement to make an even bigger difference in protecting our waterways.

  
  

A Step Toward a Bluer Future

This partnership is more than just a badge, it’s a stepping stone to furthering our impact. By joining forces with 1% for the Planet, Love Blue is positioning itself to grow, forge stronger relationships, and create lasting environmental change. We are incredibly grateful for this opportunity and can’t wait to see where this new chapter takes us.

Want to support our mission? If you’re a business looking to make a difference, consider partnering with us through the 1% for the Planet network. Together, we can keep our oceans clean and our communities engaged in environmental action!

Stay tuned for more updates, and as always, thank you for being part of the Love Blue movement!

Love Blue Inc. x Bonfire: A Sustainable Partnership for the Future

At Love Blue Inc., our mission has always been clear, protecting our oceans and waterways through community-driven cleanups and sustainable initiatives. From the very beginning, we knew that raising awareness was just as important as taking action, which is why we’ve always loved offering unique Love Blue merchandise to our supporters. But let’s be real, managing merch can be a challenge!

In the early days, our founders, AJ and Nick, were making the merch themselves. With little experience in the process, they quickly realized that printing, packing, and shipping orders were taking valuable time away from our core mission. Over the years, we experimented with different platforms, bulk orders, and direct shipping, but we still struggled to find a system that aligned with our sustainability values while also making it easy for our community to support us.

That’s why we’re thrilled to announce our new partnership with Bonfire!

What is Bonfire?

Bonfire is an online platform that allows organizations like ours to create and sell custom apparel without handling inventory or shipping. What makes them stand out, though, is their commitment to sustainability. Through their Sustainability at Bonfire initiative, they take steps to ensure their production process is as eco-friendly as possible. From printing on responsibly sourced apparel to using water-based inks and minimizing waste through their on-demand model, Bonfire aligns perfectly with Love Blue’s dedication to protecting our planet.

Why This Partnership Matters

By teaming up with Bonfire, we’re able to do what we do best, focus on expanding our impact all while still providing our community with awesome, high-quality merch. This hands-off approach means:

• Less waste – No more over-ordering or excess inventory.

• More sustainability – Eco-conscious production practices that align with our values.

• More focus on the mission – Instead of worrying about logistics, our team can dedicate more time to cleaning up our coasts and spreading awareness.

Plus, our new merch designs will continue to showcase the incredible artwork of Ben “Tripp” Smith from our partners at Mellow Grove, the same team behind our iconic cig surfboard project.

Thank You to Our Supporters

None of this would be possible without our incredible community. To those who have supported us over the years, whether by buying our first handmade merch, repping our gear from past collections, or simply spreading the word about Love Blue, we are so grateful. This new chapter with Bonfire is all about growing our impact, and we can’t wait to see you rocking our new sustainably made apparel.

Stay tuned for our upcoming merch drops, and as always, thank you for being part of the Love Blue Family. Together, we’re making waves for a cleaner future! 🌊💙

Love Blue Recap: NJ Sustainability in Motion 2025

Love Blue had an amazing time at NJ Sustainability in Motion 2025, held in Atlantic City, NJ. This annual conference, hosted by New Jersey Clean Communities, brought together environmental leaders, businesses, and organizations all working toward a cleaner, greener future. It was the perfect opportunity for us to strengthen relationships, form new collaborations, and explore opportunities to expand our mission.

Time Well Spent with Our Board of Directors

One of the highlights of the event was spending valuable time with our Board of Directors, including:

🔹 Jeff Gyland (Recycle Coach) – Bringing tech-driven recycling solutions to communities.

🔹 Eric Ascalon (TerraCycle) – A leader in recycling hard-to-recycle materials.

🔹 Chris Fitzpatrick (Garbo Grabber) – Our Advisor, whose company’s innovative cleanup tools have transformed our beach cleanups, giving our members a more professional and effective experience.

Having these key figures on-site made it even more impactful as we worked together to explore new ways to enhance Love Blue’s reach and effectiveness.

A Key Role from JoAnn Gemenden

We were also proud to see JoAnn Gemenden, Executive Director of Clean Communities and a dedicated Love Blue Board Member, play such a huge role in organizing the event. Her leadership and connections helped open doors for meaningful partnerships that will drive our mission forward.

Growing Our Impact

The conference was an incredible platform for Love Blue to:

🌊 Expand Cleanup Station Locations – Bringing cleanup resources to more communities.🎓 Develop New College & Community Chapters – Inspiring the next generation of environmental leaders

.🏢 Engage Businesses in Sponsorships – Connecting with companies interested in supporting cleanups through our "Sponsor a Cleanup" program.

Special Thanks to ACUA & Rebecca Turygan

A massive shoutout to the Atlantic City Utilities Authority (ACUA) and our amazing Board Member Rebecca Turygan. Rebecca played a key role in securing sponsorship for our exhibit, which allowed us to connect with influential organizations and decision-makers. This sponsorship exposed us to countless new opportunities and will be instrumental in helping Love Blue continue to grow and thrive.

Looking Ahead

Attending NJ Sustainability in Motion 2025 reinforced how powerful collaboration can be in the fight for cleaner waterways and communities. With the relationships strengthened, new partnerships formed, and corporate collaborations on the horizon, we’re more excited than ever for what’s ahead.

A huge thank you to JoAnn Gemenden, Rebecca Turygan, Jeff Gyland, Eric Ascalon, Chris Fitzpatrick, ACUA, and all our partners for making this event such a success! We can’t wait to see where these new connections take us next. 💙♻️🌍