When Tiffany Parks left her retail management job to start a new adventure as a stay at home mom, she soon grew tired of the sweat suit lifestyle. She began to look for clothing with classic lines, but that were also sustainable and responsibly sourced. When she failed to find clothing that met her standards while remaining reasonably priced, Parks decided to take matters into her own hands and start Wear the Earth, an online boutique specializing in “Fashion Forward, Earth Friendly” clothing.
Wear the Earth is a family owned business, and the fashions are not the only thing about the company that is eco-friendly. Parks and her family strive to maintain a green office and a green home, and they work from home to avoid the need for a commute. More recently, they have begun working with vendors who drop-ship from their own locations, meaning that one leg of a piece of clothing’s journey is no longer necessary (and the trucks, trains and planes that would have shipped that item are polluting a little less.) Parks spent 8 months researching sustainability and sustainable clothing before starting her business, and has turned that knowledge into a side aspect of Wear the Earth where she educates her community on healthy and chemical free clothing through seminars, lectures, and fairs.
“We offer a wide range of price points and styles,” says Parks. I like to find good basics and wardrobe builders that will carry over and last a long time, [and we] stay away from a lot of trends. The fact that everything is made sustainably and with fair labor practices is a plus and the organic or natural fibers are durable and long lasting. These are investment pieces at affordable prices.”
Parks’ usual clientele are women ages 30-45, both stay at home and professional, but she has been surprised and pleased by the number of male customers who have been attracted to Wear the Earth to shop for themselves.
For the most part, Parks – a retail veteran – knew what she was getting into when starting an online boutique, but she says that the smartest thing she has ever done in her business was “putting the customer first.” Said Parks, “We have policies and guidelines but the customer has to be the priority and you have to be willing to listen and make exceptions.” On the other hand, she said her biggest business mistake was listening to others instead of her own gut feeling when it came to buying inventory. Now she recommends that any retailer be sure to watch inventory closely and “have what the customer wants and not get buried in what you like.”
In March of 2009, Wear the Earth was approved to display the Green America seal on their website and promotion literature. A high honor in the world of green and sustainability, the Green America seal is only awarded to businesses that passed a tough screening process and have proven to be socially and environmentally responsible.
What’s next for Wear the Earth? Parks plans to keep scouring the earth for new and exciting sustainable clothing items, and maybe one day open a brick and mortar store. And, of course, in keeping with their eco-friendly mission, Parks plans to start an environmental non-profit so that Wear the Earth can continue to educate the public about the importance of sustainability.
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I work in my garden studio = no commute (low carbon footprint)
I do one big stock order each year = one lorry load of goodies only (low carbon foot print)
I donate to the local business recyling centre any textiles I cannot or don't want to use. (These are sold onto the public for minimal costs). While there I see if theres anything I need
I do a once weekly delivery and collection from my old ladies.
I rarely use paper
I recyle my waste as much as I can
I don't earn anything by doing this but save some income by being careful.
Posted Jul 13, 2010 10:18:34 AM by: Studio Stitches