Cooper Reis knows that business can be a force for good. As the Director of Wholesale for tentree—a Vancouver-based apparel brand on a mission to restore the planet—he’s helping retailers bring sustainability to the forefront, one tree at a time.

He recently sat down with Trailheads to talk about tentree’s impact, the company’s ambitious goals for 2025, and his latest outdoor adventure.

Trailheads: What is your company’s mission and how did that help launch the brand?

REIS: Our mission is to create a global movement of change makers who are inspired to restore our planet through products built for everyday adventure. To execute this our focus is on tree planting, which is an easy-to-understand way to help restore our planet. Knowing that every item plants trees, and being able to track them through our Impact Wallet, connects the customer with the difference they can make by purchasing tentree. This simplicity and the tangible aspect of tree planting has helped launch the brand and build a strong following.

Trailheads: How does your sustainability mission carry over to tentree’s supply chain?

REIS: In addition to all of our tree planting initiatives we are also Climate Neutral certified, offsetting all our (Scope 1, 2 and 3) emissions across the entire supply chain. We measure, report and publicly disclose our overall impact through our annual Sustainability Report – a document that we are very proud of as an organization. In short, we are not just striving to be sustainable; we are aiming to be leaders in restoring our planet and that weaves throughout the entire business.

Trailheads: How does your brand get its message out at retail?

REIS: Earth Month (April) is a big time of year for our brand. Every year we partner with retailers across North America to promote the awareness of Earth Month, and specifically Earth Day on April 22. We send our partners tentree branded saplings to give to customers and thank them for shopping sustainably. We also offer brand signage and fixtures with sustainability and tree planting messages.

It’s really important to us that customers who discover tentree while shopping in stores can instantly connect with what we do and how they can join the party. 

Trailheads: What are your key growth plans in 2025? 

REIS: Attending Switchback is the perfect opportunity for us to put our brand out there and join the conversation for how we can continue to progress the apparel industry in a more sustainable direction. Additionally, we are investing in our retail partners to ensure they are able to run profitable businesses while still having a positive impact on the planet. Their success is our success and we just need to show them that it isn’t a trade off between the two. If we can accomplish this we feel optimistic about growth in 2025.

Trailheads: What is your most recent outdoor adventure?

REIS: Just last week, my wife and I went snowshoeing at Cypress Mountain outside of Vancouver. We went at night and then afterwards we had hot chocolate in the lodge. It was a great night. I love living in Vancouver, because we’re close to the beach and the mountains and it’s easy to get outside and enjoy it.