Every towel begins with water. So does our giving.
In 2026 VivaMaison began supporting Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF), a Portland, Oregon nonprofit that restores freshwater to rivers and wetlands through third-party verified Water Restoration Certificates. It is a fixed annual company contribution, not tied to individual orders. Below: who BEF is, how the certificates work, and what we do and don't claim.
Bonneville Environmental Foundation
BEF is a Portland, Oregon nonprofit (501(c)(3)) that has worked at the intersection of freshwater, climate and clean energy for more than 25 years. Its water program funds projects that put water back into stressed rivers and wetlands across North America, tracked and verified by independent third parties.
How a Water Restoration Certificate works
Each certificate represents 1,000 gallons of water restored to a river or wetland. BEF issues it with the project name, volume, registry and year.
- 01
Restore flows
Legal agreements that leave water in streams and rivers instead of diverting it, so fish and wildlife keep the flow they need.
- 02
Restore natural systems
Recovery of meadows, wetlands and river channels so they hold, filter and slowly release water again.
- 03
Improve efficiency
Leak repair and smarter irrigation in cities and farms, returning saved water to the watershed.
Fixed, annual, not tied to your order.
In 2026 VivaMaison began contributing to BEF's freshwater work. It is a company contribution we renew each year, not a percentage of sales and not a per-order donation. Buying more does not restore more water; we simply believe a business built on cotton should give something back to water.
BEF's confirmation of our contribution will be published here as soon as we receive it. Photo: wetland restoration crew in Oregon (BLM, public domain), shown for illustration.
Cotton is a thirsty crop. We don't pretend otherwise.
Global averages put cotton's water footprint at roughly 10,000 litres per kilogram of fibre (Mekonnen & Hoekstra, 2011). We don't grow cotton, but every towel we weave depends on it. Supporting freshwater restoration is the most direct way we found to acknowledge that debt, and to do it with a partner whose work is measured, not promised.
Third-party verified, registered, public.
Every Water Restoration Certificate is verified by an independent third party and recorded in a registry with the project name, description, volume and vintage year. That is why we chose certificates over a vague pledge: the water is counted.
Photo: scientists sampling soil at an Oregon wetland (BLM, public domain), shown for illustration.
Questions we get asked
Does my order fund water restoration?
No, and we want to be clear about that. Our support for BEF is a fixed annual contribution from the company, not a per-order donation. Buying more does not restore more water.
Why BEF and not another cause?
Because water is the resource our product depends on most, and BEF measures its work: each certificate is third-party verified and registered. We wanted a partner whose impact is counted, not described.
What does our contribution actually do?
It funds BEF's freshwater program, which restores water through Water Restoration Certificates (1,000 gallons each). How many gallons a given amount restores depends on the project; we will publish BEF's confirmation here rather than estimate it ourselves.
Is VivaMaison "water-neutral"?
No. We don't use that term, or "eco-friendly" or "carbon-neutral", because we can't prove them. What we can show: an annual contribution to BEF, an OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certificate you can look up, and women weavers you can meet on our story page.
Want to do more than we can?
BEF accepts direct contributions from individuals and businesses. If water matters to you, give to them directly; it will do more than any towel purchase.