FAQ
Why aren’t you a non-profit?
A for-profit structure allows us to create a sustainable business that does well and at the same time does good. We have committed to giving 10% of our profits away to clean water and sanitation projects and we work very closely with our non-profit partners to ensure that the funds we donate are spent wisely.
Why are you not funding climate change initiatives?
We believe that the best way to solve the climate crisis is to bring attention to it and give people practical means to address it, which is what USELESS products do.
Why are you donating money to projects in the developing world rather than helping people in need here?
There are many people in great need in the US, and in time we may expand our focus areas to include them too. To start with we believe that the greatest need is to help those in the developing world who lack the real basics such as clean water and sanitation.
If you are against consumerism then why are you selling products?
We are not against consumerism, just irresponsible consumerism. What we buy has a big impact on the environment and so we at USELESS believe we can buy smarter by buying sustainable, well designed-products, while at the same time helping those that lack some of life’s basics. Also, we have also included ways for people to fund projects without the need to buy any products at all.
Will buying a few products that help use less really make that much difference?
On their own, no. But, we believe that a little change can start a big change. We think of USELESS as a whole philosophy about consumerism and the gap between the haves and have-nots.
Why don’t you sell aluminum or stainless steel reusable water bottles?
All metal reusable water bottles are currently made overseas and we want to reduce our environmental impact by only selling products made in the USA. We love SIGG bottles for their functionality and cool designs, but they are shipped in from Switzerland where they’re made.
Why won’t you ship products overseas?
We are trying to keep our carbon footprints down to a minimum and so are unwilling to ship long distances.