Why sustainability may be the smartest cost-cutting strategy for businesses in 2026 and beyond American businesses are facing a perfect storm of rising costs. Health insurance premiums alone climbed 6% in 2025, continuing several years of elevated increases and pushing average annual family coverage close to $27,000. Add inflation, elevated borrowing costs, tariffs, and volatile…
Mending the Line Blog
Waste Audits, Public Lands, PFAS & Greenwashing: Lessons from Meg Carney of The Outdoor Minimalist
Protecting the places we love requires more than passion—it requires awareness, accountability, and action. In the latest episode of The Sustainable Angler, I sat down with Meg Carney, founder of The Outdoor Minimalist, to explore practical ways outdoor enthusiasts and brands can reduce waste, eliminate harmful chemicals, defend public lands, and avoid greenwashing. Meg Carney…
Emerger Strategies Partners with Ecolytics to Help Fly Fishing and Outdoor Brands Achieve Credible Sustainability Data and B Corp Readiness
Charleston, SC — 2/4/26 — Emerger Strategies, a sustainability solutions provider serving fishing and outdoor brands, announced a strategic partnership with Ecolytics, a sustainability data and impact management platform. The partnership expands Emerger Strategies’ capabilities beyond consulting, enabling clients to implement measurable sustainability programs and pursue B Corp Certification using a dedicated technology platform. The…
Upcoming EPR Deadlines: Why 2026 Is a Pivotal Year for Packaging Compliance
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging is no longer a future concern—it’s here, and 2026 will be a defining year for brands selling products in the U.S. With seven states already passing EPR laws and additional states actively developing programs, producers are entering a new era of mandatory registration, data reporting, lifecycle assessments (LCAs), and…
If REI, Walmart, or Target Asked for Your Sustainability Data Tomorrow—Could You Actually Deliver?
By the time most brands start thinking seriously about sustainability data, a retailer has already started asking for it. And the question rarely comes with much warning. It shows up as a supplier questionnaire. A portal invite.A line item buried in a contract renewal. Or a buyer email that reads something like: “Can you share…
What Retail Buyers Actually Mean When They Ask About Sustainability
For many fishing and outdoor brands, the question sounds simple enough: “What are you doing about sustainability?” But when a retail buyer asks this, they’re rarely looking for your mission statement, a feel-good story, or a list of environmental initiatives. What they’re really asking is something far more practical—and far more consequential for your business….