Saturday, April 24, 2004
Stylish clothes and refined fabrics have contributed to the company's success.
NEW YORK (AP) -- It would be easy to write off Of the Earth, maker of organic-fiber apparel, as a quirky little company with a noble mission that makes a few T-shirts to complement the other environmentalist wares at small health-food stores.
And that is pretty much what it was when Richard Ziff and Helene Bisnaire founded the company in 1992 as an offshoot of their love of the outdoors, an interest in organic living and the yoga, meditation and natural foods that go with it.
An evolution
But over the years, Of the Earth evolved into a global company that produces its products in China and features trendy designs, such as ruched blouses and zip-front sweaters for women, and roll-neck sweaters and chinos for men.
"Our initial sales were about organic textiles, but we're making the reason for the purchase (of Of the Earth clothes) the color, fit and style. We want to drive this on the fashion side so it'll appeal to people who aren't necessarily looking for 'organic,"' explains Ziff.
"If given the choice of organic fashion as a feasible option, people would choose it. ... People aren't really anti-organic but their concern comes in with price, look or hand of garment. One of big goals is to be pleased with our collection."
By developing more stylish products and refining the fabric to erase the stigma of coarseness that usually haunts hemp and organic cotton, Ziff says the company has opened up its field of potential customers exponentially. "We're not treating this business as a niche market."
Ziff, though, doesn't compare himself to a top runway designer; he sees his competition more in the casual-outerwear brands of Patagonia, Nike and Timberland, all companies also interested in organics.
Influence of outdoors
The outdoors industry has largely led the organic-clothing movement, says Sandra Marquardt, the fiber council coordinator for the Organic Trade Association, which represents 1,200 companies ranging from food to personal care.
"They (outdoor-goods companies) understand that outdoor enthusiasts would want a line of products that would take into consideration the effects on the environment," says Marquardt.
She notes that baby and children's clothes, like those from Hanna Andersson, also are "an exploding area" because parents are interested in having the cleanest, hypoallergenic fabrics next to their children's skin.
Creation of new fabrics
Ziff says Of the Earth is actively pursuing creation of new fabrics. It already offers soy-based fabric and by the end of the year it will add corduroy and denim.
Right now, the company's cotton, linen and soy fabrics that are made in China are certified organic, while the land where the hemp is grown also has been certified. The goal, says Ziff, is to eventually have all its textiles and -- more importantly and daunting -- to have all its business partners certified, too.
The Organic Trade Association will soon offer manufacturers two types of certification: one covering in-field production, the other processing standards.
The in-field only category, already being used, means that the fiber is grown in a manner that meets federal guidelines but once the raw fiber leaves the farm for the factory, it can be transported, stored and treated in "non-organic" ways, explains Marquardt.
The new processing guidelines that may be enacted this fall will fill in the blanks. "It'll be from bales to zippers," she says. All of the dyes, finishing agents and fabric trims will need to be organic to get this seal of approval.
For now, some things, such as buttons and other hardware, are exempt because organic versions don't exist, Marquardt says, but if organic versions of these products are eventually available, their use would be required.
Organic farming history
China was chosen as the place to produce organic textiles because there is a rich history of organic farming in the country, according to Ziff. "People there understand this, they understand what we're doing. They know organics is better for the earth, better for us and our families. Plus, the farmers get paid more to harvest organic cotton," Ziff says in a phone interview from his Bend, Ore., office.
All of the growing, spinning, weaving, knitting and sewing of Of the Earth clothing is now done in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province, China, where the company has built a new state-of-the-art factory.
"Some of our customers might initially have been opposed to us working in China, but part of our mission is that we need to influence mainstream manufacturers -- which means doing it China. Instead of running away, we want to go in there and show everyone how organics can work," he says.
Turkey, however, is the world's largest producer of organic cotton, and the United States is No. 2, Marquardt says, but she expects China to continue to increase its production.
Drawing on 'artsy' talent
Neither Ziff nor Bisnaire has a background in fashion or business -- they're more "artsy," says Ziff -- so they've had to learn the trade as they went along. That's helped them, he says, because they didn't know the perceived limits of the fashion world.
The company now boasts 14 employees at its main office, 50 at a distribution facility in Fife, Wash., and 500 at the Chinese factory. A store will soon open at the Bend headquarters so the designers can interact with consumers.
"We always knew this was going to happen in a big way, we just didn't know when it was going to hit. We've been preparing for this since the beginning," Ziff says.