The pitch, in 2015, came before anyone really knew that the technology to convert recycled plastic bottles into apparel even existed. While on stage, I held a plastic bottle and asked if they could imagine turning it into these( as I held up a pair of boardshorts). People were in awe, including Jessica Alba and Jennifer Hyman who are into fashion. From that competition, we were awarded $ 20,000 for our first production run. Thereafter, in 2015 we successfully raised 225 per cent of our initial funding goal through a Kickstarter campaign.
Would you say American consumers are conscious shoppers when it comes to fashion and apparel? Yes— especially now more than ever. This shift in awareness and consciousness is not just a trend, but we see it as a movement that will continue to gain momentum. People’ s efforts to support ethically or sustainably produced goods has grown tremendously since we started Fair Harbor. Millennials, in particular, have a real concern for the authenticity and production of the goods they purchase.
Will recycling help fix the problem of fast fashion? Recycling single use plastic is our focus, while simultaneously creating a really high-quality product in effort to change the way consumers view single use plastic. It’ s going to help in creating less waste that winds up in landfills or the oceans, which is obviously a huge issue, especially for oceanic wildlife. While recycling will help fix the problem of fast fashion, it’ s not going to solve the issue of fast fashion.
Tell us about your product line from upcycled coconuts. Two of our newer products— The Rockaway( performance boardshort) and The Anchor( athletic short with built-in-liner)— make use of both recycled plastic bottles and upcycled coconuts. Essentially, the discarded husks of coconuts are broken down and spun into polyester, much like the plastic bottles.
Which are your strong markets in the US? Based in New York, we are definitely East Coast-strong. As we have travelled along the coast to beach towns in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Virginia, and so on, we’ ve developed communities and loyal customers in these different places.
Where do you source raw material for swimwear from? The plastic bottles are sourced from mass recycling facilities worldwide, and then sent to their respective
Fair Harbor’ s first retail space opened in downtown Manhattan in May 2018. The space has been thoughtfully designed with small pieces, and people can come touch, feel and engage with the brand in a new way.
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