Kellyta Nikko
Jonna Henttinen
Emma Richardson
Alice Saraiva
Hanken School of Economics
Martin Fougere
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Spectrum Designs is an organisation based in New York, offering merchandising products such as printing, embroidery, and other promotional products while employing people on the autism spectrum. The company focuses on social sustainability and aims to shed light on the importance of including disabled people in the workforce. The idea that started with people on the spectrum working on the production of merchandising products evolved to enabling opportunities for professional development for the employees, who, today, work on diverse tasks and departments and feel proud of learning new skills and growing together with the organization. Spectrum designs actions address social problems, especially regarding unemployment, and thus contribute to solving issues related to UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Spectrum Designs was founded in 2011 based on the idea of one of the co-founders Stella Spanakos wanting to create a future for her son, who is on the spectrum. The company decided to go into customized apparel because there is a “clear beginning, a defined process and concrete steps and measurable completion”, as stated by the Co-Founder and CEO Patrick Bardsley.
By integrating people on the autism spectrum into the workforce, and providing them with meaningful jobs, life skills, and a supportive environment; the company’s core approaches are well-aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being:
• Gives a sense of belonging and purpose to a marginalised group of people, therefore enhancing their physical and mental health.
• Helping to address the negative societal misconceptions associated with individuals on the autism spectrum.
SDG 8 - Good Jobs and Economic Growth:
• Hiring a marginalised group of people and facilitating their reinvestment in local economies.
• Decreasing the unemployment rate and contributing to economic growth.
SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities:
• Helping to integrate adults on the autism spectrum into the workforce.
• Contributing to social equity, by creating a bridge between all individuals in the labor market despite their dis(abilities).
SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities:
• Contributing to creating more inclusive communities by breaking down barriers for people with autism, ensuring they are visible and productive members of society.
• Advocating for a historically unsustainable industry to become more sustainable.
The founders of the company aimed to address the high unemployment rate among adults with autism and other developmental disabilities, which accounts for around 80-85% of unemployed graduates in the United States. This is particularly important considering the context that 1 in every 68 children born in the United States, is born with an autism spectrum disorder.
Three co-founders came together, two of whom were parents of children with neurodivergences, actively living with this issue. They began building the business idea based on solving the problem of disability employment. The innovation developed the company’s core values of people, mission, innovation, health, and professionalism, and set up this branded merchandise business.
The company innovates in the social aspects of sustainability by providing employment opportunities to people on the spectrum. More than 65% of the organization’s workforce is on the autism spectrum, which is remarkable considering the national average in the US is 6-7%. Neurodiverse individuals are involved in all levels of the company, from the boardroom to the mailroom.
As well as impacting society as a whole, the company has an impact on their employees as individuals. Co-founder Bardsley highlighted moments when he has had the opportunity to give someone their first-ever paycheck or when they reached over 20 million views on a social media post made by a neurodiverse marketing team. He summarised their work as a collection of moments in which someone is seen to be doing something that the outside world wouldn’t believe was possible.
“The world needs all kinds of minds to solve the biggest problems”, was the sentiment of co- founder Bardsley, when discussing the relevance of this innovation to business. The company succeeds in generating 95% of their revenue through their business activities, whilst 5% is currently received from grants. They view themselves as a competitive business within the print industry and supply and partner with large MNCs e.g. Walmart, Google, Dell, Uber. They believe that their focus on social and environmental impact will aid their competitiveness in the future.
Starting from a barn in co-founder Spakanos’ backyard, the company has grown to two locations with around 80 employees. From the beginning of their journey, the company has gained momentum and hired production and educational directors. By upgrading their printing equipment from manual to automatic, Spectrum Designs managed to increase their production by 500% in 2015 while not only increasing their output capacity but also enhancing their competitiveness on price, volume, and consistency. In 2020, they opened their second location in New York and in the upcoming years look to possibly expand to other states.
Spectrum Designs has paid over 3,5 million USD in wages to neurodiverse individuals since 2011. To this day, the company has created over 65,000 hours of hours of meaningful work for individuals on the autism spectrum. Last year, the company printed over 500,000 items for customers from different industries and sectors such as Pfizer and Visa. Even though 2023 was a difficult year for the apparel industry the company reached a gross revenue of over 6 million USD, managing to stay ahead of the industry average by continuously sharpening their processes and enhancing operational efficiency. After all, the continued success of Spectrum Designs relies on staying true to their mission and working to promote it even further.
Initially, Spectrum Designs focused on engaging people with disabilities in the production side of the customized apparel business. Now, over 10 years later, that has expanded to all aspects of the business from the administrative side to the marketing and sales. This is important for social factors like the inclusion of marginalized people, providing access to the community, and enabling individuals' self-worth and friendship. It also promotes a message to society about what neurodiverse people are capable of.
In addition to having a social impact, Spectrum Design's actions also have an economic impact. By reducing the number of unemployed individuals on the autism spectrum, they enable a new demographic to contribute to taxes, rely less on social security, and reinvest in the local economy. Their business model fosters inclusive and sustainable economic growth by acting as a great example of decent work for all. Furthermore, the company fosters equal labor rights by offering a safe and secure working environment for a marginalised group of people.
The printing industry is well-known for poor environmental outcomes. For instance, the industry contributes to textile waste, ink waste, and water usage problems. However, Spectrum Designs prioritizes environmental sustainability and strives to set a new standard for the industry. Co-founder Bardsley stated, “We have a great social mission but if we’re harming the planet in that mission, it isn’t okay”. The company has recently become a member of the Sustainable Green Printing (SGP) partnership, which certifies that they meet the requirements of a sustainable printer. Bardsley emphasized that they view environmental sustainability as an integral part of their business case and acknowledge that many consumers consider environmental sustainability more important than their support for a marginalized group. Spectrum Designs recognizes the challenges in its industry and acknowledges that its operations are not yet as sustainable as they would ideally want them to be. Therefore, they are actively working towards achieving additional environmental sustainability goals.
A special thank you to Patrick Bardsley for giving us the empowering opportunity to hear more about their business!
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Patrick Bardsley, CEO and Co-Founder
Spectrum Designs is an organisation based in New York, offering merchandising products such as printing, embroidery, and other promotional products while employing people on the autism spectrum. The company focuses on social sustainability and aims to shed light on the importance of including disabled people in the workforce. The idea that started with people on the spectrum working on the production of merchandising products evolved to enabling opportunities for professional development for the employees, who, today, work on diverse tasks and departments and feel proud of learning new skills and growing together with the organization. Spectrum designs actions address social problems, especially regarding unemployment, and thus contribute to solving issues related to UN Sustainable Development Goals.