The kids are all right
Five children between three working moms and apparently no wears in organic cotton somewhere at Oakland in California. So the trio with more than four decades of experience in the business of apparel decided to put their heads together to launch Mightly, a line of comfortwear for children in the 2-12 age group that can handle any kind of adventure, are ethically made, and don't cost a fortune. Paulami Chatterjee speaks to CEO Tierra Forte about sustainable kids’ wear.
You have only established your brand last year. What are the major goals you have achieved so far and what are the new learnings?
Our main goal is to make sustainable children's clothing accessible to more families. We believe that all kids should be able to wear natural organic fabrics that are free from toxic dyes and chemicals, and that farmers and workers should have safe working conditions and be paid fairly. Everything we do as a business is driven by these goals. We started with a small collection of graphic tees made from organic cotton. Since then we have launched many other styles, including dresses, leggings, hoodies, underwear, and award-winning pajamas, all of which are both Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified and Fair Trade certified. Certification is extremely important because it means that our customers can feel confident that they are buying from a brand that shares their values.
How much is the production capacity of clothes?
Because I have worked in sustainable apparel for so long, I have a large network of GOTS and Fair Trade certified suppliers, which will enable Mightly to scale without sacrificing product integrity. In other words, capacity is not something we're concerned about.
How do you sell your garments? Do you have your own boutique or retail out? Or is it done through online placement of orders?
We sell through our website, on Etsy, and on Amazon and have just started selling wholesale through Faire.com. We made the choice to sell on Amazon to make it as easy as possible for mainstream customers to buy Organic and Fair Trade Certified clothes for their kids.
How did your previous experience of being part of the sustainable apparel industry help you set up the brand? How did you come in touch with the other co-founders Barrie Brouse and Anya Marie Emerson?
When it came to launching Mightly, my long-time relationships with Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and Fair Trade Certified factories was a tremendous asset. We are working with suppliers and certifiers that I have been working with for over a decade, which means we're starting our business relationship from a place of mutual trust and respect. The same is true with my two partners. I've known them both for many years. Barrie and I worked together at Sweet Potatoes, a boutique children's wear brand back in the early 90s, and Anya and I got back as far as elementary school.
Sustainability often comes for a price. How do you keep your sustainably produced clothes affordable?
We work closely with our suppliers to make sure that everything we develop plays to their strengths as a manufacturer, rather than chasing trends. We focus on making great quality classic styles that we can repeat season after season to maximise efficiency in every step of the supply chain, from fibre to yarn to sewing. Many apparel companies spend a lot of money on marketing and advertising in order to justify their high prices. We choose to invest in making great products, not great ads, and we pass the savings along to our customers.
Which regions of the world do you cater to?
Currently we sell to customers primarily in the US, but we've had orders from all over the world. Through Amazon, we are able to reach customers in Mexico and Canada, and by 2022 we expect to reach Europe as well.
What kind of R&D you are involved in?
Currently the R&D we're doing is focused on products that make sense for our current living conditions. We recently launched face masks that are made from 100 per cent organic cotton and have three layers of fabric and adjustable straps for a perfect fit. We developed these masks in collaboration with our partner factory, which was operating at reduced capacity for months due to COVID restrictions. Even with a small workforce and limited machinery, masks were something they could make.
With so many brands turning towards sustainability, how is the competition like for you? How are your products different?
I agree that sustainable fashion is a fast growing segment of the apparel industry, but given the overwhelming "fast fashion" nature of the sector, there's still a long way to go! If you look at customer preferences, a majority prefer to buy from sustainable brands, so there is plenty of demand. This is especially true in the children's space, because people often make the transition to eco-friendly products when they become parents.
As you alluded to, many sustainable brands are premium priced and out of reach for many families. Mightly is one of the few brands that offers Organic and Fair Trade Certified products at prices comparable to mainstream brands.
But it wouldn't matter how low our prices are if we didn't make great products! One thing that makes our products stand out is our partnership with print and textile artist, Lili Arnold. Lili is known for her hand-carved, nature-inspired block prints that she translates into unique prints and graphics for Mightly. And we know from online reviews that our customers continually praise the thick, soft quality of our fabrics and our vibrant, bold colours.
What will be the trends in sustainable kids' fashion going forward?
To be honest, at Mightly we don't really care about trends. Chasing trends is one of the things that makes the fashion industry so unsustainable in the first place. At Mightly, we're hyper focused on doing what we do well, which is making high quality, certified organic cotton products that are designed with kids in mind. For example, our leggings come with invisible reinforced knees, because we know that falling down is a part of being a kid and leggings need to be able to withstand a few falls.
What are your marketing strategies online and offline? How much budget do you earmark for the same?
Our budget for marketing is quite small compared to the norm. We've been focused on getting our products into the hands of people who will become ambassadors for our brand.
What have been the learnings in this age of the pandemic?
The pandemic has really illuminated the importance of a fair trade approach to business. During the crisis many major clothing brands and retailers cancelled factory orders, leaving millions of low-paid garment workers out of work and destitute. In contrast, fair trade business relationships are true partnerships, which require joint problem solving. Both brands and factories must be willing to protect vulnerable workers and prioritise the long-term good over maximising short-term profits. In addition to providing personal protective equipment for workers, many fair trade factories have used the Fair Trade Premium to deploy emergency cash payouts for groceries, rent, school fees, and hygiene products to workers affected by the covid-19 crisis and government shutdowns.
Is it only India which supports your natural fibres and non-toxic dyes requirement or are there other sourcing destinations involved?
Currently we're only sourcing in India. There, we are able to source high-quality rainfed cotton from family farmers which means that our business is supporting people who are caring for their land and reinvesting in their communities. We also like that we have visibility into every step of the process and that we don't have to ship raw materials around the world.
How can consumers know that each product is sustainable - from seed to shelf - how transparent is your supply chain?
Sustainability starts with transparency, which means we have mapped our entire supply chain back to raw cotton. And we back up our sustainability claims through independent third-party certification at every step of the process through both GOTS and Fair Trade Certification. Consumers can look for these two labels of all of our products.
To explain further, as raw materials and unfinished product proceed from cotton farm to cotton gin, and pass through the spinners, fabric mills, dye houses, and on to the final sewing factory, each and every step requires a GOTS Transaction Certificate to ensure GOTS compliance. Additionally, our factory, as a Fair Trade certified factory, must adhere to rigorous social, environmental and economic standards to protect the health and safety of workers. For every Fair Trade certified product sold, Mightly pays an additional Fair Trade Premium directly back to the workers who make our clothes. Collectively, they vote on how to spend the funds on projects that address local needs, so that their families and children can thrive for generations to come.
You released your first Fair Trade Certified collection recently. How has been the response so far?
We were very proud of our first Fair Trade Certified Collection! We're even more proud that by the end of 2020 100 per cent of all Mightly products will be Fair Trade certified. The response from our customers has been wonderful. The Fair Trade label is one of the few reliable means to know that something wasn't made in a sweatshop and we're one of only a few brands that offer Fair Trade Certified children's wear. People who were already our fans are thrilled that all Mightly clothes are now Fair Trade certified and new customers are discovering us through partnerships we've launched with other fair trade brands.
What is the kind of Fair Trade Premium your workers get for each of your products sold?
Workers get a Fair Trade Premium that is equal to 1.5 per cent of the product cost and which goes directly into a fund controlled by the factory workers. A Fair Trade Committee -- a democratically elected body that represents all the workers in a factory -- votes on how to spend the Fair Trade Premium funds. I'm happy to have the opportunity to share the words of workers at Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills, a Fair Trade Certified factory that Mightly works with, because they can best speak to the benefits of Fair Trade:
"I enjoy being on the FT committee. My fellow workers share their ideas with me on how we can implement premiums to help the community. I have received 4 years of Fair Trade premiums and every time, I'm proud to have been part of the programme. The first year when we received the premium, I purchased a bicycle for my son, Kaushik Das. He was so happy. When he's happy, I'm happy. I never thought I would buy a bicycle before I had the extra funds from the premium. Since then, I've put my premiums into savings for the future, which is what a lot of the workers favour - helping themselves in the long term. All the workers are thankful for the Fair Trade system and appreciate the chance to take part in a meaningful work arrangement."
-Deepali Das, 33, from Kolkata, West Bengal.
"Since the Fair Trade programme started here, the factory has improved overall and we have received different types of orders from abroad. I like that by working to make a good product, we are also able to help our families and each other. The past four years of premiums have really helped my family - one year, I was able to fix my roof; I've invested in savings which will double in 5 years. As my two daughters grow, they will need funds for furthering their education. I want to thank Fair Trade consumers for helping us improve our lives."
-Mohammad Zunaid Alam, 30, from Malda, West Bengal.
Where is the production of clothes done? Are there more than 1 party involved in the same?
Our entire supply chain is in India. There are multiple suppliers involved in making Mightly clothing, which is why we believe that transparency is so important.
Price points? Retail presence
You can find us online, where we sell dresses for $23, five-packs of face masks for $25, and hoodies and pajama sets at $30. Sizes include toddler and children's clothing, for ages 2 to 12.
What are your future plans?
We are still expanding our product line and size range, as well as our distribution channels. Next year, for instance, we are adding additional basics, like multi-packs of tees and more underwear options, and we are adding larger sizes in all our products based on strong customer demand. We also plan to accomplish other projects to better support our sustainability goals. We have completed mapping our supply chain and will be updating our website to provide our customers full transparency into our business practices. Another issue is packaging; we are working to reduce our plastic waste and completely eliminate our use of virgin plastic. Lastly, we're going carbon neutral in 2021!
