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Entrepreneurs in Fashion: Building a Brand Through Sustainability

Event Recap

San Francisco is fraught with entrepreneurs, especially in the tech industry. But what about those that are forging new paths in other industries such as fashion? San Francisco has entrepreneurs that are leveraging concepts such us sustainability to build their brands, and it is amazing how they are able to innovate and drive their business with sustainability as their business model.

Our speaker and moderator, Connie Ulasewicz, began our event with a educational overview of sustainability and how it expands beyond the environmental impact. She talked about three main areas including, recycling or "up" cycling, environmental conscious production, but also the humanistic side and how a clothing line can educate and build community awareness about sustainable living.

The panel kicked off with a discussion of what they were currently engaging in to develop the businesses. This included running fashion shows that showcase clothes that are entirely donated and used clothes, all the way to the use of old car seats for jackets. A major point that was discussed later on was how each of the entrepreneurs tackled building a following and how marketing plays a crucial role in the initial stages of getting the business up and going.

What really showed through in the discussion though was the strong passion that each of the panelist have for sustainability and for their niche in fashion. A good example was Josie Van Arsdale and how she stated that she would have taken the risk of starting a retail store no matter what, even if she had to fail and try again. It all comes down to the passion that helps them get through the difficult times, and ultimately is what sets them and their brand a part from any other.

We want to thank Connie and all the panelist for helping create a successful event. Your time and effort is much appreciated.

If you were not able to attend or were not able to connect with any of the entrepreneurs that were on the panel, you can find their profiles on EFactor and you can discuss and get their advice on how to tackle the challenges you are facing in your business. Click on their names below to connect or message them.

Attended Members

Event Details

Details

Date:

Tue, Nov 30 2010 (CST -06:00) 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Venue:

EFactor's HQ Office
870 Market St. Suite 828
San Francisco, California 94108
United States

Agenda:

6:00p Event Start/Networking

7:00p Connie Ulasewicz - Keynote Speaker

7:30p Panel Discussion - Q&A

8:15p Networking

9:00p Event ends

Panelist:

Sally Rosen - Discarded to Divine

Dustin Page - Platinum Dirt

Jasmin Zorlu - Sculptured Headwear for Earthlings

Josie Van Arsdale - Eco Citizen

The fashion industry lives on the driving force of Entrepreneurship.

Trends change, seasons pass, and the next best thing in fashion is always waiting around the corner.

As a result of the quickening pace and fast moving consumer demands - the fashion industry also stands for Challenge with a capital C. Take the environmental issue alone... did you know that this industry uses more water than any other bar agriculture? At least 8,000 chemicals are used to turn raw materials into textiles and 25% of the world's pesticides are used to grow non-organic cotton (Earth Pledge).

Speaker:

We are proud to have San Francisco's University's Connie Ulasewicz as our guest speaker at the next EFactor event. Connie will share her thoughts on how to build your fashion line that is sustainable for the environment and community. She will be joined by local designers and advocates in a discussion that will show how you can build a brand and use it as a tool to project their ideals of sustainability to the world.

Professor Ulasewicz is a leader in the sustainable fashion movement and an international consultant on project development and social entrepreneurship. Her design and merchandising students participate in projects that serve the community and promote a responsible and sustainable fashion industry.

Read More about Connie’s Background on her profile.

Just a tip: If you are planning on attending more then one of our events this year, why not get our Events Access package which only costs US$36 per year? This great value package gives entrance to any event for you AND two guests, even abroad! Upgrade is available during the process when you Register for any event.

Please let us know via membersupport if we can assist you with anything at all.

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