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Our story
Getting to Know Us
In 2002, Ann Leroux and her daughter Leslie, came up with the intriguing idea of using fashion to change the way business was being done in the global marketplace. Inspired by the “Trade Not Aid” slogan adopted by developing countries, the pair decided to build a fashion house that embodied Fair Trade practices from the ground up. They would pay fairly for raw materials and for their processing and manufacture into clothing that met international standards of fashion and quality. They would transmit skills and business know-how to their working partners in developing countries and contribute to local communities. And their garments would be created from organic materials cultivated without harm to the environment or the health of its inhabitants.
Making a difference
Today, Ethos is a thriving Paris fashion house producing stylish, high-quality garments of excellent quality made from organic materials. Every person involved in the production, design and sale of Ethos garments is paid a living wage while sustainability and ethical practices form the basis of our business activities in developing countries.
Ethos Timeline (Ethos at a Glance)
Ethos at a Glance
2002
· Ethos founded in Paris in November 2002
· First Fair Trade partnership established in Madagascar
· Ann and Leslie tour India and Nepal to meet with new fair traders
2003
· A charter of social, economic and environmental objectives is drawn up as the centerpiece of corporate structure
· Ethos begins importing fair-trade organic cotton garments from Kenya under the German Oekofair label
2004
· Second Fair Trade partnership established in India
· Ethos starts working with an Indian producer with EKO organic certification
· Ethos is accepted as a member of the French Fair Trade Organization
2005
· Third Fair Trade partnership established in Bolivia and the first articles in alpaca are included in the collection
· First showroom in Paris opens
2006
· Paris fashion designer Johanna Riplinger hired to work with Ann on relooking the Ethos collection and to design future lines
2007
· Launch of Ethos Signature Collection
· Ethos is awarded the 2007 Ethical Fashion Prize by La Redoute
2007/2008
· Launch of Botanic Impressions collection using 100% herbal dyes
· Main Ethos producer in India obtains ISO8000 and ECOCERT certifications in addition to EKO (CUC/SKAL)
2008
· Ethos sells to 120 points of sale around the world with a distribution network that embraces France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Germany, Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Canada, the United Arab Emirates and the United States
2009
· Ethos begins creative collaboration with the popular Japanese musical duo, Yaneka. The group’s music is added to the website and they are dressed in ethical fashion by Ethos
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Think Big, Act Small
Ethos began in a tiny rental studio in the heart of Paris. This one-room apartment was where Ann came to live after selling her home in Picardy to fund her new Fair Trade endeavor. An American by birth, Ann had lived between France and the U.S. for many years before settling down in the French countryside to work full-time as a fine artist.
However, the sudden death of her French husband prompted her to assess her life and make a decision that would ultimately lead to the founding of Ethos. “The trauma of loss made me stop and examine everything,” she says. “I felt guided to do something truly meaningful”.
A Humanitarian Motivation
Ann’s first step was to become involved with a non-profit organization working to create awareness of the dangers of second-hand medication use in developing countries. The cause was worthy but the non-profit environment did not offer her room to apply the business skills she had acquired while working as an executive for companies such as Essilor International. Neither was it work for an artist.
“I was too pragmatic for the non-profit world, and too idealistic for the conventional business world,” she says. “I also realized I no longer wanted to work for someone else.”
Applying a Business Model
Ann and Leslie considered the possibilities. Was it possible to apply a business model to a humanitarian endeavor and somehow integrate the two? Ann had enjoyed being a businesswoman but the business world was ruthless. Was it possible to do business with a heart and conscience? Their attention turned to a movement gathering momentum in the international marketplace. Fair Trade was still emerging as a method of doing business but it embodied all their ideals and aspirations.
They decided that the only way to make their Fair Trade endeavor work was to sell consumers something necessary. What did people need? Out of the three basic necessities of food, clothing and shelter, they chose clothing. They would create attractive, original garments based on Fair Trade practices. The clothing would be high quality and marketable. They then took their commitment to ethical business a step further. They decided to use organic raw materials exclusively.
“For us, Fair Trade and organic were inseparable,” says Ann. “How could we allow farmers to use chemicals that put their health and the environment at risk while proposing a business model oriented to raising the quality of life of marginalized groups?”
The Hand of Fortune
Once the decision was made, things began to fall into place for Ethos. Fortune seemed to smile on the Fair Trade enterprise from the very beginning. When Ann required a loan to finance their initial activities, she got it — and without collateral. “The amazing thing about Ethos is that when things are needed; they seem to drop out of the sky,” says Ann. “Financing, suppliers, contacts, and the right employees.”
But as the foundations were being put in place, obstacles presented themselves. Their first Fair Trade partnership in Madagascar fell apart when a coup d’etat occurred. Then a second partnership in Kenya had to be abandoned. But Ann and Leslie were determined and with remarkable tenacity and hard work, the first Ethos collection was produced from their initial designs.
Initial Disappointment
From the very start, Ann had rejected the idea that people should buy ethical clothing out of charity or a desire to do the right thing. Ethos Paris clothes had to differ from the “folksy” style adopted by early Fair Traders. They would be unique and stylish from the get go.
“Our first collection was just short of ridiculous,” she recalls. “We had put such an effort into creating garments that were tasteful and unique but what we got was very disappointing.” The tunics they had so carefully designed looked like ordinary T-shirts. Worse still, these ordinary T-shirts had to be sold somehow. There were loan repayments to make and expenses to cover.
Ann and Leslie did what they knew best, creatively transforming what was ordinary into something special. They rolled up their sleeves and picked up their paintbrushes. By hand painting the garments, they added the missing flair and turned the T-shirts into unique, marketable garments. They managed to sell the first collection through direct sales, markets and tradeshows. “We made about $40,000 in the first year,” recalls Ann. “Barely enough to cover expenses but certainly not enough to support a salary and the investments needed to grow. Leslie decided to return to the U.S.
Lessons Learned
The initial collection taught Ann a valuable lesson. To survive, Ethos would have to get more serious about fashion. She decided to reorient Ethos as a fashion house and create original contemporary clothing based on classic styles but with an original “funky” twist. To do this she needed the help of a fashion professional.
For the next collection, Ann designed a smaller more refined range of garments. She then employed a freelance designer who had learned her trade working for such top French fashion designers as Jean-Paul Gaultier. The results were fabulous. Ann’s original styles remained but had been subtly modified to fit the market. The collection consisted of ten styles and every garment worked. The next step was to increase sales by establishing a distribution network with wholesale suppliers.
Staying Committed
The new marketing approach progressively transformed Ethos into a fashion house of contemporary streetwear and sportswear but without compromising the Fair Trade principles that remain its foundation. Indeed, in 2004 Ethos drew up a charter of social, economic and environmental objectives as the centerpiece of corporate structure.
A business model based on such commitments flies in the face of market capitalism but what Ann discovered was that when Fair Trade business is done right and in a genuine and transparent manner, it works.
Full-Fledged Fashion Brand
Ethos has continued to expand in leaps and bounds while remaining true to its commitment to using 100% organic materials. “When Paris Designer Johanna Riplinger joined in 2006, the Ethos spirit took wing,” says Ann. “Since then we have become a full-fledged fashion brand.”
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A Call to Action
In 2000 Ann Leroux and her daughter Leslie founded a non-profit organization called Sila Solidarité. They were inspired by an empowering new slogan adopted by developing countries: “Trade Not Aid”. This concept, which forms the nucleus of Fair Trade, promotes the idea of a more equitable system of global trade. It empowers both farmers and producers, and nurtures sustainable development.
Sila Solidarité
Several friends and members of the Leroux family then joined hands to make the project a reality. Through their efforts and financial support, Ann and Leslie were able to make their first contacts with people in developing countries. Their aim was to create partnerships with producers employing Fair Trade practices and assist them in marketing their products. From its inception, the orientation of Sila Solidarité was practical.
The organization continues to support marginalized people in various ways. In Bolivia, Sila Solidarité helped establish Altiplaneterre, the non-profit organization that produces Ethos alpaca knitwear. In Madagascar, the organization funded the training of women in crochet techniques. In Burkino Faso, Sila Solidarité’s assistance was used to obtain organic certification for shea butter, gathered and sold by a tiny women’s cooperative. In Ecuador, Sila Solidarité funds were used to train people to make accessories from felted wool. Sila Solidarité will continue to help marginalized producers and workers to help themselves by establishing sustainable systems for the production and sale of products.
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So Green
All the popular fashion items in the Paris Ethos line are produced from 100% organic cotton (some articles allow up to 5% Elasthane™, for waistbands, leggings, etc.), natural alpaca, and raffia. Zippers and snaps are nickel-free while buttons are made from seashell, wood or coconut shell. Ties and sashes as well as wrap-around styles are used extensively in Ethos designs to avoid complicated fastening devices.
Guarantees of Quality
All information on the origin and organic nature of the materials is printed on the labels of every Ethos garment. Paris Ethos cotton garments are certified by two different bodies that guarantee their organic nature (CUC and ECOCERT).
The following organizations are behind the garments produced under the Ethos Paris label:
· EKO — an international quality symbol for organic products issued by CUC (ex Skal International) working according to GOTS standards.
· ECOCERT — an organic quality symbol issued by ECOCERT, a French-based international inspection and certification body with operations in over eighty countries.
· FLO (Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International) — The majority of Ethos cotton comes from FLO-certified producers in India.
· PFCE (French Platform for Fair Trade) — Ethos is a member of this national collective of Fair Trade enterprises and organizations. The PFCE advocates payment of a fair price for marginalized producers and workers, one that enables them to live with all basic necessities. The platform also demands fundamental human rights, installation of sustainable business partnerships and environmental preservation while proposing quality products to consumers.
· BIOPORT — Ethos works with BIOPORT, a French humanitarian logistical support organization providing logistical assistance to the sustainable trade movement by training and assisting long-term unemployed workers in getting back into the job market.
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Creative Collaboration
In 2009 Ethos formed a unique creative partnership with the talented Japanese music group, Yaneka.
Yaneka, based in Europe,
Yaneka won the ‘Inspire!UK Audition’, which British Council Japan and EMI Music
As part of their prize, Yaneka did a recording at the Abbey Road Studio in
They said that speaking English made a difference in their career and studying abroad broadened their horizons helped them to understand different cultures
Yaneka have chosen Ethos garments to express their original style. We, meanwhile, use Yaneka as our inspirational sound.
http://www.myspace.com/yaneka
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