BRINGING FAIR TRADE HOME
Scott Leonard is no latecomer to the sustainable fashion game. Quite the opposite: He and his Sebastopol business, Indigenous, are pioneers in the world of organic, fair-trade apparel making. For just shy of 25 years, the privately owned B-Corp has been dedicated to producing planet-friendly clothing while creating opportunities for artisans in South America.
How sweet it must be for the founder and CEO to be celebrating the opening of his company’s firstever brick-and-mortar on Earth Day. Starting April 22, the 2,500-squarefoot space in Petaluma will welcome shoppers, introducing them to a wide range of men’s and women’s styles that give modern expression to the ancient traditions of Peruvian textile design. Think effortless sweaters, soft organic T-shirts and alpaca jackets. Most prices fall in the $50 to $200 range, and everything is handmade with 100 percent ecological fibers with zero waste.
And in keeping with Indigenous’ green mission, the store’s fixtures are built with local recycled and refurbished materials.
“The stars most certainly aligned with our launch timing,” says a beaming Leonard.
“We believe, today, it’s critical for Indigenous to be available to our customers in the place and in the way that they find most convenient. Matt Reynolds (co-founder/president) and I feel that our time is now with this direct-to-consumer opportunity. We have grown consistently over the past nine years — even during some of the worst of economic times. And on the foundation of integrity, respect and dignity with which we’ve built this company, we’re ready to launch this store,” Leonard says.
Along with connecting directly with customers and the Sonoma community, having a physical space provides the brand with the ability to express and control the narrative and eco-shopping experience.
“The store gives us a platform to educate people about sustainable fashion and showcase how ethical fashion can still be beautiful,” Leonard says.
As an advocate for Indigenous and the larger sustainability movement, Leonard and team have much to share. A short list includes information about the company’s 100 percent certified organic cotton (Grown Peru), the small-scale alpaca ranchers in the Peruvian Highlands with which it partners, and the real-life positive impact it makes on the 750 artisans in its employ.
Furthermore, a quick scroll through Indigenous’ newly redesigned e-commerce website is peppered with a wealth of facts and stats about its contributions to a greener world — i.e., it has saved 13 million gallons of water and 45,600 pounds of carbon dioxide, and prevented 400 pounds of pesticides from ever touching land.
While the online store has been around for six years, the label itself is far from a household name. “We sell to retailer Eileen Fisher, and our products via the Eileen Fisher label show up in Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.”
These respected retailers and individual customers are, no doubt, drawn to the company’s unflagging social conscience and hard-won commitment to doing good in an industry currently dominated by fast fashion and a sea of polluting manufacturing processes.
“We have spent over two decades building a network of organic farms, eco-mills, cottage-industry artisan groups and green and fair-trade finishing facilities,” Leonard says.
“Our model of ethical sourcing ensures that artisans in our supply chain receive fair wages and enjoy a safe working environment. We believe ours is one of the most stable and equitable fashion production models in existence. For every Indigenous garment purchased a direct positive impact is made to organic farmers and indigenous artisans.”
In honor of Earth Day, do Leonard a favor: “Next time you go shopping, ask questions and make sure the clothing you purchase reflects your values — it should look good, feel good and do good.”