Influx

On Friday, Timberland purchased Howies, the Welsh clothing company established by former advertising creative David Hieatt. Influx interviewed David last year, so we thought it was worth re-posting.

Last October Influx wrote about Howies, a sports clothing company based in Wales that was doing things a little differently. They describe themselves as “environmentally conscious casual clothing and sportswear designed for bikers, skateboarders and snowboarders.”

The founder’s vision for the company was almost to be anti-fashion, as the clothing was designed to be environmentally conscious and built to last forever. The founder is David Hieatt, an ex-advertising agency art director who decided to create a company that was based on his personal motives, rather than profit.

The company was founded 10 years ago and has built up to a sizeable business, even though David feels the company has just started. We caught up with David and asked him a few questions.

Could you briefly describe Howie’s mission?

To make people think about this crazy, beautiful, brilliant world we live on.

Who else out there in the corporate world thinks like you guys?

Patagonia is a good role models for sure. There aren’t too many out there. I like Aveda. But you can count them on one hand. It will change.

What is stopping other companies from adding an ethical dimension to their business and what do you believe is going to force them to change?

It will become more important when it becomes more important to customers. Also, when companies start to show that having values also means having more customers things will start to move.

How close are you to achieving your vision for Howies and what new goals have you set yourselves?

After 10 years, we have just started. Each day we take an inch forward. Ask me another ten years time.

You started the business with a set of ideals, what one thing has been the strongest challenge to those ideals?

It has been difficult because we are alone on some of the issues. For example, it took us 5 years to develop organic denim. And then we have to make so much of it because there is no one to share the mins with. But hey, belief is a good fuel for the journey.