Meet Evan Toporek of Alternative Apparel in Venice

Today we’d like to introduce you to Evan Toporek.

Evan, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
In 1995, as a screen printing business in Atlanta, we were frustrated with the t-shirts that were readily available to print on. So, we set out to recreate the softness and simplicity of our favorite vintage tee for our own screen printing needs, and Alternative was born. We enjoyed designing clothing more than printing on it, so we sold off the printing business to focus full-time on building a great fashion brand. As a sustainable brand, we used eco-friendly manufacturing practices long before it was buzzworthy to do so. We also made a commitment to use proprietary fabrics to make one-of-a-kind pieces that you will want to wear today, tomorrow and the day after.

Over the past 21 years, we have grown both our wholesale and retail verticals with our headquarters and distribution center in Atlanta, Georgia, an additional showroom in NYC and retail stores in Abbot Kinney in Venice, Soho in New York City and Hayes Valley in San Francisco.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We’ve certainly made many mistakes in our time but come back stronger after each one. A few years ago, for example, we decided to expand our line in a major way, adding new categories and much higher priced garments. Inventory increased substantially and profits dropped when the demand didn’t follow. What we learned from our customers was that they loved our great basics, not our higher priced, fashion forward styles. So, we re-focused the business on being the best fashion basics brand in the industry.

Alternative Apparel – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We are known for softness, simplicity and sustainability. We use proprietary fabrics and one-of-a-kind washes to create unique pieces made to live with you. We’re constantly innovating new colors, fabrications and silhouettes for a vintage-inspired yet modern look.

We’re also proud to say that more than 80% of our garments are made with sustainable materials and products. This includes utilizing washes that use less water, eco & organic fabrics, low-impact dyes and recycled polyester & materials. We also ensure fair and safe workplace conditions on a global scale.

What role has luck played in your life and business?
We don’t really try to give luck the credit, good or bad. We believe hard work brings good luck.

Future plans? We’re continuing to focus on creating the softest, most comfortable basics for our consumers. Another major focus for us is to continue our sustainable and responsible mission. We ensure sustainable production from fiber to finish – this includes environmental, social and global responsibility. By the end of Q3 of this year, 95% of our production will come from factories that are WRAP-certified (http://www.wrapcompliance.org).

 

Contact Info:

• Address:  1337 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
• Website: http://www.alternativeapparel.com/
• Phone: 888.481.8339
• Email: contactus@alternativeapparel.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alternativeapparel/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alternativeapparel/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlternativeApp

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