An inside look at outland denim and its founder James Bartle
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Today, I'm delighted to say we have one of my favorite retailers on the show, Outland Denim, an Australian fashion brand that was founded as an avenue for the training, employment and career progression for women who had experienced exploitation. Outland denim story began about 10 years ago when founding CEO James Bartle went to the cinema to see the film taken while a fictional film. It was an introduction to an industry that still exists today to elicit 150 billion dollar human trafficking trade. Also known as modern slavery. As James began to research, he soon discovered the complexity of the problem and its prevalence all over the world. No nation is untouched. He had the opportunity to travel throughout Southeast Asia and saw what the problem looked like on the ground. James discovered that in addition to sex trafficking, trafficking for labour was also a common threat within vulnerable communities. He learned that once the woman had been rescued and reintegrated into the community, a sustainable career path is vital for securing her future. Outland Denim was founded to offer that sustainable career path. So can the fashion industry be the solution to some of the world's most pressing global social and environmental issues?
We'll hear some answers and a whole lot more when we chat to today's guest, James Bartle, CEO, Outland Denim.
Some insights for takeaway include:
- eCommerce is only going to get become more powerful and more relevant to every business.
- Virtual fittings, showings of products, even in a wholesale market - you need to invest in this sort for your business.
- To be able to create the most simple process for somebody to engage with your brand, ask yourself a few questions, drill into your personality, into your business mindset a little bit more.
- In a world of ethical consumerism, how important is it these days to be transparent about your manufacturing process?