Dead stock. Let’s talk about it. All Sheltered Co. blankets are constructed entirely from dead stock fabrics. But what does dead stock really mean? Let’s start with a definition:

Dead stock: A term used to describe merchandise that was never sold to or used by consumers before being removed from sale, usually because it was outdated. 

That’s helpful. But why is dead stock a big deal? Good question. Each year it’s estimated “Americans toss” around “14 million tons, or an astounding 80 pounds per person” worth of “fast fashion” clothing and garments into landfills. It’s enormously expensive for our country to pay for proper disposal, and worse, it’s terrible for the environment.

When I started Sheltered Co. I wanted this to be a “feel good” movement. Not only did I hope we could improve how people felt by using weighted blankets (although that’s a start), I wanted every aspect of this company to be done as ethically as possible, in order to ensure we help many people and keep them feeling good. 

By using dead stock materials—things manufactured and never used (that’s right, as good as new and just sitting there), we’re repurposing something deemed "outdated" and breathing new life into it. This cuts down on environmental impact, and it also gives the blankets a little extra depth and meaning. Dead stock materials also allow us to use something that might otherwise take up space in a landfill—and if you’ve seen our blankets, you get it. We’re not using just a little. We’re using a lot of material. And from a design standpoint it allows us to get some amazing, unique colors and textures we might not otherwise find: vivid gold, perfect coral—they’re all rich hues you just don’t see every day, because they’re aged to perfection. These blankets have history and when you buy one, you get to add yours to it. Think about it: can you imagine a better fate for material than a treasured blanket? I really can't. It's pretty much achieving nirvana as far as a blanket is concerned.

And the feel good movement doesn’t stop there, we’re also investing in people: providing on-the-job training, growth opportunities and support. (But that’s another post.) We’ve started small but our dreams are big, one blanket at a time. So wrap yourself up and feel good about where your blanket came from.