My New Favourite Values-driven Business

By Melanie K

I want to share this great example of a values-driven business that I think is really inspiring. Recently, I visited Victoria, British Columbia (Canada) for a vacation. While roaming the charming shops and boutiques around Market Square, my fiance and I stumbled upon Hemp & Company, a funky little store that sells clothing made from hemp (of course) as well as organic cotton, and bamboo fabrics. Much of the clothing is designed and sewn in BC.

We got to chatting with the owner, Bill Finley, and discovered that he entered into the business in Nelson, BC after his son opened the first store there, and then moved to Victoria when the business expanded. This family store is not just about making money; they have a newsletter on hemp issues, and they lobby the government to promote the production of industrial hemp. Currently, he can only purchase the fabric from China, a compromise that Bill makes with mixed feelings, as there is no mill in Canada. Bill and others are trying to educate and build awareness so that more hemp production and milling can happen here in the future.

Hemp, bamboo, and organic cotton are renewable, ecofriendly sources of fibre used to produce fabric, rope, paper and other products. They are grown pesticide-free and unlike synthetic materials, do not incorporate fossil fuels. A little history from Bill: hemp rope was traditionally used on ships, because it does not rot in salt water!

Hemp&Co. is also part of a collaborative (rather then competitive) marketing strategy with other local eco-friendly businesses. They've partnered with local restaurants, skin care, food, and other clothing stores to form The Green Collective to make it easier for environmentally conscious buyers to find green products.

This is classic lifestyle entrepreneurship - these people want to make money by making a difference.

And I just LOVE my new organic cotton Groove Pants!