By Morris Malakoff, JTNews Correspondent
With everything in the world seemingly “going green,” it can be hard to determine if something truly is natural and healthy for the environment.
But Seattle business owner Paul Weinstein and his sister Leah believe they have created a product that is without a doubt environmentally friendly.
Through their company, Truly Organic Apparel, they are offering a line of clothing that is not only wholly manufactured with natural fibers, but is also colored with completely organic dyes.
“That is what makes us unique in the industry,” said Paul, a former executive with the Jones Soda Company. “Most dyes, even in natural fiber clothing, have some level of chemicals in them. We do not.”
Truly Organic Apparel sells items designed by Leah that are then manufactured in India.
“By having the clothing manufactured in India, we are extending the sustainable good that we can do because we are supplying employment to many people,” he said. “We monitor the plants to make sure that not only is the product manufactured to the specifications we demand, but to be sure that fair employment standards are being met as well. Leah and I have made four trips over there in the past year.”
Weinstein pointed out that using all natural materials and processes does not denigrate the quality of the product.
“The dyes are set to the industry standard; they just lack the chemicals that are found in most clothes,” he said.
Weinstein explained that it is really just taking an ancient natural dyeing process and giving it a more modern commercial application.
The dyes come from natural sources such as pomegranates, marigolds, and alum. They do not use metallic colorings that are common in clothing and which come from heavy metals such as copper, chrome or tin.
He said that the market for Truly Organic Apparel tends toward the same people who shop at places like PCC and Whole Foods: consumers who care about the environment and about what goes in, or on, their bodies.
That same “green” consciousness is also a source of satisfaction for Weinstein.
“I enjoyed what I did at Jones Soda,” he said. “But it was essentially selling sugared water in a bottle. It did not bring the sense of satisfaction I get from doing something that I believe is making a positive difference in the world. I have come to believe that it is important for people to feel good about what they are doing and to be aware of what they are doing in the world.”
The company is just now finishing its first season and Weinstein says that sales have been good. He is not sure what the future will bring to Truly Organic Apparel, but he is looking at adding products such as clothing for children, linens and bedclothes.
In the meantime, Weinstein said he has a feeling that there is a solid future for his industry segment and he welcomes competition in the name of common good.
“My goal is to get more people to do what we are doing,” he said. “We are helping the environment and leading the way. We want to use that as a platform to promote these types of products.”
Truly Organic Apparel is sold in a growing number of retail stores along the West Coast, as well as in selected outlets in the Midwest and Florida and over the Internet at www.truly-organic.com.