nvohk: An Eco-Friendly Clothing Line Managed by You
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 01.14.08
If you've been jonesing to start your own eco-friendly clothing line, this innovative Web venture could have your name written all over it—along with about 20,000 others. Launched in December 2007, and based on a newish concept called "crowdfunding," nvohk (pronounced "invoke") is the first community-managed, eco-friendly, surf-inspired clothing company.
The Los Angeles-based company is currently recruiting between 20,000 to 40,000 members to each contribute $50 per year to develop the nvohk brand. As a member, you'll contribute to major business decisions, such as logo design, Web design, product design, and advertising. But that's not all.
Members will also get 35 percent of nvohk's profits in the form of points that can be redeemed to purchase products, plus 25 percent off all nvohk goods. Meanwhile, another 10 percent will be donated to environmental organizations members select.
Your membership—and the collection of dues—will only be activated once 20,000 people have been recruited. To welcome you, first-time members will get a nvohk T-shirt, a member sticker, and a "plant-a-tree" seed pack.
Whether nvohk is worth your coin is debatable, especially when you're not getting cash back. (How many surf-themed togs does one person need?) Then again, how many of us get to say we run our own business? At the very least, making joint decisions with tens of thousands of partners will be an eye-opening ride. ::nvohk
So basically it's an online clothing co-op?
Slacker (er, surfer) clothes are cool and all but does anyone know of an eco-friendly clothing line that caters to the business clothing set (you know, suits, shirts, ties, etc)? It's a point of ifrustration for me that I haven't seen this option out there yet.
I do know of a couple sources of fair trade clothing that are suitable for work. Fair Indigo is one. It has more choices for women than men. I check this website often to so I'll catch new choices as they are listed. www.consciousconsumer.org
There are some English brands, but the costs are prohibitive for me.
While not as dubious as a ponzi scheme... it sort of sounds like one... except there is no promise of profits, just discounts on t-shirts.
I think I'll wait until 20, 000 others join first, then consider maybe I'll consider it.
Tom: Might I suggest Bono's line of clothing? While not for the common man (I think it's only available through stores I like to alternatively call Needless Markups or Neiman Carcass or maybe Barney's or somethign like that) they are kind of ethically inspired, and I think they make suits and stuff. Might be worth looking into.
Nau carries a selection of collared/button down dress shirts made from organic cotton. They are pretty nice.
so basically you invest and the reward for your investment is a discount on products. Thus you and everyone else who invested keeps the clothing line self sufficient while the original creators make all the profit?
The thing I want to know is what is the "Points" to "Profit Dollar" to "Purchase Cost" ratio?
Getting 35% of the profits as points sounds like a lot, but if you get 1 point for every dollar of profit, and it costs 500 points to get a pair of socks, then you are not getting very much at all for your investment, just a nice $500 pair of socks, that costs the company $1.00 to make.
Just a quick thanks to those who came to my aid re: ethically inspired work clothes. I'll check out the sources you suggested! :)
Tom