Tierra Forte

What are the most important points about organic cotton vs. conventional cotton?

Conventional cotton is one of the most heavily sprayed crops in the world. The chemicals used to grow conventional cotton are dangerous to the environment, farmers, and surrounding communities. According to the EPA, five of the top nine pesticides used in cotton production in the US are known cancer-causing chemicals. Organic cotton uses no pesticides or chemical fertilizers at all. Not only is organic farming not harmful, it is actually regenerative. The processes used by organic farmers, such as crop rotation and beneficial insects, help to restore nutrients to soil that has been depleted by over-use of chemicals. Organic farming is good for the environment and safe for the people working on the farms and living in surrounding communities.

What is project reJEANeration? How is it important to your company?

Project reJEANeration is a program we have in place that allows our customers to send their used Del Forte jeans back to us for creative reuse. Although our project reJEANeration styles compromise a tiny part of our business, the program is important because it means that all of our jeans have a second life built in and nothing is more sustainable than reusing materials that already exist. This program also allows us to create really beautiful, unique pieces that we could not produce on a large scale and to collaborate with up and coming designers.

What's the mission of your company?

At Del Forte Denim®, we believe that true luxury is the combination of great design and ethical production practices. We provide stylish, sexy apparel for women who want to buy ethically made products, but refuse to sacrifice on style, fit or quality.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

I am inspired by many things, but usually my collections develop from a mood or feeling rather than a particular trend. Our Fall 2008 collection has a bohemian, yet sophisticated feel that was inspired by London in the 1970’s. I think I was drawn to this time period because there was so much creativity flowing at that time and people were really thinking about how to make the world a better place for everyone. I see the environmental movement being similar in a lot of ways. It is going to take a lot of creativity to solve our current environmental problems and they have to be addressed on a global basis.

What are the biggest challenges with "greening" the apparel industry?

We face many challenges in greening this industry. I will address the few I think are most important. A lot of the large apparel companies still think of eco-fashion as a trend and until they recognize that this is the direction that all successful companies are moving towards, they are not going to commit their resources to sustainability. Another challenge right now is simply that the demand for organic and sustainable fabrics is far greater than the supply, so it is difficult for large companies who want to use more eco-friendly fabrics to do so. Lastly, so much of the fashion industry is based on who can get new styles into store the quickest and the cheapest. However, I think if consumers knew the real environmental and social costs of fast/cheap fashion, many of them would make different spending choices.

How do you see the industry evolving to overcome these challenges?

I think one key factor in overcoming these issues is going to be consumer education. That is where blogs like this are so important, ecolect.net and other sites like it provide an easy and interesting way for people to learn about the products they buy. At the end of the day, it is the consumer who is driving this market. As more and more consumers demand organic and sustainable products, they industry will have to put more resources into developing eco-friendly fabrics, processes and business practices.

Who would you most like to collaborate with?

There are many designers I admire and would love to work with, but my fantasy collaboration would be with Levi’s. Levi’s is one of the most iconic brands in the world and the company has a long history of social responsibility. I would love to take some of their classic styles, such as the 501 and the original jean jacket, and interpret them in the feminine, contemporary style Del Forte is known for, and of course, make them out of 100% certified organic cotton.

What is your favorite eco material and why?

Organic cotton is by far my favorite eco-material. You cannot have a denim company without using cotton and organic cotton represents an enormous improvement over conventional cotton. I’ve had the opportunity to visit organic cotton farms and meet the farmers who grow the cotton that ends up in Del Forte jeans. Meeting these inspirational people, who have been committed to organic farming for 15 years, definitely validated my belief in the importance of using organic cotton.

Where would you like to see your products in 5 years?

The one big advancement in Del Forte products I am looking forward to is being able to use more eco-friendly washes. Although we are still in the early stages, a few companies are developing more eco-friendly ways to create the different wash effects that make denim such a special product. At Del Forte, we already use hand processes in place of chemical processes as much as possible, but at this point the options for eco-friendly washes are somewhat limited. We’ve got a long way to go in the area, and I am excited by how many companies are putting resources into solving this problem. I am optimistic that within the next five years, we’ll be able to create all kinds of washes using eco-friendly methods.

What's the most important lesson you've learned as an entrepreneur?

I think the most important thing I’ve learned is the importance of word of mouth. One of the things that has made Del Forte so successful, despite being such a small company in such a competitive market, is the fact that our early customers were so supportive and vocal about our product. We were one of the first brands to market with a line of premium, organic denim and thanks to the great word of mouth we received early on, we were able to get the word out about our products, without spending a dime on advertising.