It's crazy to think that this November is going be the 23rd anniversary of the release of Beastie Boys' Licensed to Ill, hands-down one my favorite groups and albums of all-time.  TWENTY THREE YEARS!??  I still recall as if it were just the other day when my friends and I were 10 years old and re-enacting all their videos/songs barely knowing what the hell they were talking about.  Beastie Boys was the gateway group that got us hooked on hip-hop which to this day most of us are still junkies for.

Looking back it's pretty funny to think about a bunch of teenage white (and Indian) suburban kids sitting around smokin' blunts and sippin' on 40's thinkin' we're all that. (Actually a lot of us are still doing that…) But as we grew older and encountered more people across the country and the globe, there definitely was a gap that was bridged between people of all different backgrounds and age groups who shared a common bond: the love of hip-hop music. (We obviously could join in the many lengthy discussions on the various styles of hip-hop and the affect (good/bad) that it has on youth/society, but we'll leave that for the experts, like Jeff Cheng, author of “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop”)

So as we were trying to determine the demographics of our potential customers, we felt that it’s impossible to put an age bracket to a certain lifestyle.  One example we came up with was that there has to be thousands of people who were in their 30's when Licensed to Ill came out and became lifelong fans who are now in their 50's (or older). The "hip-hop generation" definitely is a large tent with no boundaries, that's for sure.

Obviously music and fashion tastes may change as we get older, but when it comes to music, the Beastie Boys are classic and I know my boys and I will still know most of the words to "Paul Revere" when we're 85 years old puffin' L's in the old folks home! (Helps cure the glaucoma) In addition, I can't wait to introduce the young ones to the easy listening "oldies" of Eazy-E!

Anyhow, as you'll see, a lot of our graphics will be inspired from some of our favorite hip-hop acts/songs from the late 80's to mid 90's (the REAL hip hop).  (No offense to the guys still creating groundbreaking stuff, but the "bling blang" act is pretty tired)

ps. Here's to a speedy recovery to MCA who was recently diagnosed with a form of throat cancer.  In a statement, he said that it’s very treatable and he should be back soon.  (They had to cancel their upcoming Tour)

Do you often ask yourself “should I buy organic cotton or regular cotton?”  If you’re like me, chances are the answer is NO.  

I was asked the same question by one of my bidness partners when we were in the conceptual stages of potentially launching this clothing line.  I didn’t really know much about organic cotton (or about regular cotton for that matter) much less than having a buying preference.  I’d obviously heard of organic food and could wrap my head around the benefits of being more conscious of what we put into our body, but organic cotton?   It just seemed to me that the word “organic” has been played out and organic cotton sounded like a fad to me, afterall “green is the new black” and being “whorganic” seems to be what all the big corporations are pushing these days...  Which immediately made me a bit skeptical… 
 
However, after learning about the production process of traditional cotton vs. organic cotton, we were convinced that going the organic route was the way to go.  There are way too many benefits for the environment, farmers and textile workers, as well as for the consumer.  Especially the organic cotton we’ve selected: it’s ultra-soft and comfortable and is also much stronger than traditional cotton, so it will last much longer too.   But we wanted to make sure that we did the the most we can to respect a more whole-rounded meaning of organic: local, sustainable, and ethical, in addition to being pesticide and hormone-free. 
 
Local - Unfortunately this is the one area that we are coming up a bit short in.  Although we do cut & sew the clothes here in Brooklyn, the organic cotton is not produced here in NY.  But it is all USDA certified organic cotton and all Fair Wage, Trade, and Labor practices are adhered to in the production of the fabrics. 
 
Sustainable - We're making maximum efforts to be sustainable in our production process so that we cause the least amount of harm to the environment and to not exhaust resources (gas, water, power, etc).  With everything being made here in the US, other than a bird flying your shipment out to you, we're doing the best we can to reduce our consumption.  Our design initiative is to make our clothing fashionable for years to come.  In addition, by donating partial proceeds to a variety of causes/charities, we are all doing our small part to contributing to groups who are making a big difference in the world. 
 
Ethical - All our fabric was produced with Fair Wage, Trade, and Labor, including for the factory workers here in Brooklyn who are also paid legal wages and their working conditions are approved and certified by the NY State Dept. of Labor.

Pesticide and hormone-free - We use 100% USDA approved organic cotton.  To learn more about organic cotton, and its production process, check out: http://www.aboutorganiccotton.org

We're just trying our damndest not to be labeled DIRTY WHORGANICS!

“This design has to do with the DJ/music scene and having a solid knowledge of music history before you can reinterpret records and make them into a new sound that is relevant by correctly sampling beats and referencing past music.” – Rob Mars, artist/designer
 

Word.  It’s bangin’ right?   Rob’s a badass.  Not only is he a seasoned veteran of the streetwear fashion industry, but also an established artist whose work has been shown in art galleries worldwide.   I’m def hyped for sharing more of the “walking art” he (as well as our other artists/designers) will be pumpin’ out for us!   

This design obviously is just part of the finished product.   We’re currently in the research and development process of designing our t-shirt styles and I’ll be posting updates as we go through the design, manufacturing, and fitting process.   Also, since we’re in continuous R+D mode, if you guys can send in your favorite cuts and t-shirt styles that would be great!  As they say, “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”.

While there really isn’t a way to re-invent the wheel on t-shirt styles, there is a lot that can be done with regards to the quality of the fabrics, construction of the shirt, and the printing/dying process.  I can tell you that we are using the best quality organic cotton we could get our hands on so they will be super comfortable and extremely durable.   In addition, due to the patented printing process we’re using,  the colors of our shirts and designs will remain vibrant for as long as possible.   I’m tired of seeing my clothes deteriorate in the wash and I’ll be making damn sure that our stuff delivers Viagra-style:  long-lasting satisfaction! 

Going back to the back to the graphics...  We’re only going to put out things that we feel will be fashionable now and in the future so that we can do our part in making sustainable clothing that will not contribute to the piles and piles of clothes that get dumped into landfills  on a daily basis.  But we also realize that “green apparel” is a bit of an oxymoron because the best way to protect Momma Earth is to consume less.  You can do much more good by using solar energy panels, driving a hybrid (or riding subway more), or writing a letter to your elected officials about your environmental concerns, etc.   If you’re interested in learning more about that, I highly recommend checking out what my man Thomas Friedman writes about the “Green Revolution”. 

That being said, I love clothes and will continue to buy new threads.  We started ETHOS ORGANICS because we see a void in the market of the style of clothes we like to wear that are also produced in a socially, ethically, and environmentally responsible fashion.  

I hope you like our first design, more to come...