The Holstee Manifesto
We wrote a manifesto but we never wrote a business plan.
In the months leading up to the summer of 2009, Holstee was just a small side project. We had sold a hundred or so shirts, mostly to family and close friends looking to support us. Having just quit our jobs without a plan or idea of how we would spend our days, we were filled with a ton of raw energy, emotion, and ideas - a feeling that we never wanted to forget. So the first thing Holstee's three founders - Mike, Fabian and Dave - did was sit together on the steps of Union Square and write down exactly what was on their minds and the tips of their tongues. It wasn't about shirts and it wasn't about their old jobs. It was about what they wanted from life and how to create a company that breathes that passion into the world everyday. It was a reminder of what we live for. The result became known as the Holstee Manifesto.
A message that has since been shared over 500,000 times and viewed over 60 million times online. Years later it is encouraging and inspiring to see how many people the words of The Holstee Manifesto resonate with. Above all else, it has confirmed for us that with genuine positive intentions, anything is possible.
Our Story
In the heat of the recession in May 2009, brothers Mike and Dave and their partner, Fabian started Holstee. More than a company, or clothes, the trio wanted to create a lifestyle. Starting in the summer of 2009 they dove head first into the world of design and production. After six months and a huge learning curve, Holstee launched it's first line of Recycled Tees made of 100% recycled plastic bottles that were milled, cut and sewn within 150 miles of each other in North Carolina. Starting with this first round, 10% of all sales were lent to entrepreneurs in extreme poverty through non-profit micro-lending organizations like Kiva.org - a tradition they are proud to still embrace.
A few months later, Mike needed a new wallet and wasn't finding the sort of functional and minimal design he was looking for so they decided to create their own. A few quick mock-ups and the idea of a Holstee Wallet came to life. Teaming up with an NGO in India that had perfected a method of using plastic bags collected off the streets of Delhi to create a unique 100% upcycled textile, they had prototypes in their hands a few weeks later of their new dream wallet. They made just enough for themselves and a few friends, each of whom instantly loved them. From there they decided to make a few more and sell them on Holstee.com along with their tees. Now the wallet is now one of our best selling products.
In the summer of 2010, Holstee launched a new area of their site, Curated x Holstee, following the mantra “Curating with a Conscience.” This is where the Holstee team seeks out some of the most beautiful and innovative sustainable designs and shares them with their community through their video reviews, newsletter, and shop.
Our Family
Ecology & Design
Ecology is all-encompassing. It's more than recycled vs. organic or biodegradable vs. everlasting. It helps bring to light everything and everyone impacted by the creation of anything. From day one, we've had the opportunity to align ourselves with organizations who employ fair working conditions, use sustainable materials and processes, and implement distribution chains that minimize environmental impact.
At the core of ecology and Holstee are the decisions we each make as individuals and our intentions behind them that drive true sustainable change. We encourage people to think critically about their lives and the impacts of their decisions and to realize we have the power to drive systemic change by what we choose to buy or, more importantly, by what we choose not to buy. T Though we are a design company producing goods, we are also the first to say if you don't need something, don't buy it.
Above all, we want people to know that the goods we create are by-products of the genuine conversation we want to have about consumption in direct relation to the planet and how we can better minimize our human impact through conscious design.
Simply stated, our goal is to create the greatest social impact while simultaneously creating the smallest environmental impact.
We have simplified our approach to ecology and design to three elements- People, Planet, Product- and we encourage people to consider these three elements when creating and consuming.
PEOPLE
- Who is making this product and how does the production impact their life?
- Will this work to improve their own and their family’s quality of life?
- Are they being fairly treated and compensated?
PLANET
- What raw materials are used and how are they sourced?
- Is it designed for many uses? Is it designed to biodegrade?
- How is it packaged and delivered? Does the packaging biodegrade?
PRODUCT
- Is this product necessary?
- Is there an existing solution that would allow me to avoid consuming it?
- Is this a product I will be proud to pass to my children?
- How can I reuse or recycle it once it has finished its purpose?
- In its final state, how will it return to the earth?
The concept of micro-lending always inspired us from when we first heard about the work Mohammed Yunus was doing to enable individuals to create value and improve the lives of their families while also growing their local communities and economies. Micro-lending is a bottom-up approach to bootstrapping an economy and it can have a global impact - when implemented properly it is nothing short of inspirational. As a result, we have chosen to give 10% of all sales to empower entrepreneurs in the developing world through micro-lending with Kiva.org.
To track our progress and view our latest loan recipients, please visit our page on Kiva.
We want our creative process to involve an ongoing conversation with our customers. If you are interested in becoming a driving force for our growth and phases of design, please request to join our inner circle.
In the coming year, we have many improvements lined up with a focus on reducing our waste. Beyond our product packaging, we are striving to reduce our shipping packaging as well. Most of our current product packaging is both recycled and biodegradable (our Upcycled Wallet is a great example) and our goal is to create equally reliable and responsibly sourced shipping options with the same standards.
We want you to ask us the tough questions and to push us to provide only the best with our goods and our bottom-up approach to a more mindful lifestyle through sustainable design. Please let us know your thoughts, ideas or feedback.