Philip Nguyen
spencer sezonov
Kaitlyn Said
Charlie Audinia
Alane Park
Julia Pacis
Loyola Marymount University
Jeff Thies
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Creating a circular business model, manufacturing locally in Los Angeles, and using zero plastic are pillars for ocean+main. In 2018, Mary Price left the corporate fashion world and founded her own company to incorporate these practices into a luxury resortwear line. While other sustainable fashion companies exist, Price innovates within this space by creating her own processes that enable her company to reduce emissions and create positive societal change within the city they operate in.
Ocean+main is an environmentally friendly clothing brand that creates caftans. In an effort to push our economy to realize circularity, ocean+main constructs garments with responsible water usage, including 100% recycled water; without the use of plastic; and with upcycled fabric. This means ocean+main does not add any dyes or chemicals to our ecosystem, nor use up any more than absolutely necessary of our finite natural resources. Ocean+main is passionate about their commitment to bring the fashion industry away from the use of plastics. Ocean+main refuses to use plastic in their garments and single-use plastic in their packaging, instead opting for reusable cotton bags. In the development of ocean+main, sustainability was a critical factor for Mary Price. Ocean+main has a commitment to protecting the environment, specifically our ocean. Ocean+main’s mission and purpose emanate their dedication to conserving our ocean and through their business operations.
Price left the corporate fashion world in 2018 to dedicate herself fully to ocean+main. After seeing the waste and pollution that was created in the fashion industry, Price knew that she wanted her business model to differ from the norm. Ocean+main was designed with a circular model in mind, one where the company could sell directly to consumers and where consumers could return their clothing and know that it would not end up in the landfill. In addition, the idea of luxury resortwear also fueled this circular model, as certain silhouettes, like the caftan, allowed for innovation within the fabrics Price decides to use for her creations. Furthermore, Price continues to innovate within the space by having her entire company based in Los Angeles. Everything they create is made within a 10-block radius, which reduces emissions associated with transportation and stimulates the local economy
Mary Price’s inspiration for the innovation came about by seeing all of the fabric and water wasted in the fashion industry, especially with her first hand experience while working for Neiman Marcus. She noticed there were copious amounts of consumption of disposable products in the industry. Price was able to develop a sustainability division at the company, but it was always seen as a “side project.” She eventually decided she had enough and “wanted to create something of [her] own that really made sustainability the founding pillar, the foundation, of the brand.” She did not have any mentors or role models, it was a “complete self venture.” The motivation to create a sustainable company was of her own volition. She says, “I was personally motivated to see if I could do this on my own.”
As far as the inspiration for the garment itself, she says, “I have always been inspired by the caftan which is a garment that has been seasonless, timeless genderless, and every culture has their own variation,” calling the caftan an “endless source of inspiration.” Because of all of the environmental issues and implications that come along with the fashion industry, she describes that there are creatively endless sources of innovation in this area. She describes how the inspiration must come from within and the motivation to create change can’t come from the monetary value that may be associated with it. She says that in order to make change you have to “think global, but act local.”
The impact that ocean+main has on business is essential for companies that use high volumes of product to keep up with customer usage. For example, ocean+main produces ethically and sustainably made robes and other bathroom textiles marketed towards the hospitality industry, which need to pay extra attention to sustainability due to their environmental impact with such high levels of customer usage. This greatly minimizes the environmental impact of an otherwise taxing level of production and usage for a company’s footprint. For society, this impacts the way that companies dealing with such high volumes should interface going forward with their suppliers in order to create positive impacts throughout affected industries.
What makes ocean+main so viable to these companies is the fact that their customers simply changing suppliers uplifts the ethical outlook of those businesses, as ethically and sustainably made goods are of utmost importance as of recent with global warming, pollution, and waste posing real threats on society. Short term effects are getting more people to register the importance of sustainability in fashion and production of all goods, especially while noticing ocean+main products in a place such as a hotel, seeing how the sustainable product is benefiting them without causing waste. Price says, “I feel like people find a brand because of its sensibility and its style and sustainability is secondary agenda. I do think being a leader in this space, part of the job of the brand is to help demonstrate to people why sustainability is important.”
The long term effects of ocean+main could truly lead many more industries to marketing ecological goods towards business or consumers specifically in lieu of regularly made goods that do not pay attention to these vital ethical factors. In this way, ocean+main aims to valiantly lead a revolution of ideas to create positive change for production and its effects on people and the environment in the US and worldwide. Evidence of ocean+main’s impact can be observed with the acceleration of an effective industry shift in suppliers for hospitality/service industries, but as a recently-started independently managed small business, it is hard to notice direct impacts currently. Nonetheless, ocean+main’s efforts and valiant intentions to replace non-ethical, non-environmentally produced goods with oppositely produced ones are leading the change for a fully sustainable society in which we must reach to upkeep the longevity of our planet.
Ocean+main’s circular model has allowed them to reduce costs associated with returns and product manufacturing. By only making a limited quantity and by refurbishing returns to be sold again, it has not only created benefits for the environment, but has also allowed this business to create an innovative economic model that has benefited the company from a financial standpoint. Furthermore, recycling textiles they already have on hand and repurposing them into new fabric for projects has also proven to provide financial benefits to ocean+main.
Ocean+main’s commitment to creating clothes locally has benefitted Los Angeles, as they ensure that all their employees are compensated fairly. Furthermore, this company has also advocated for the passing of SB62, which limits pay per piece compensation and ensures that garment workers are paid justly. They also are involved in the redistricting zone that would turn the garment district into homes and condos; they are fighting to keep this district intact so that fashion companies can continue to operate locally and sustainably in this space.
Ocean+main also remains committed to the environment, as they limit water use, dyes, and have been plastic-free since the company was created. They also have suppliers and customers purchase carbon offsets to make up for the carbon created during transportation. Moreover, manufacturing locally has benefited the environment by reducing pollution, and their circular economy model has ensured that nothing is overproduced and over-consumed within their business
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Mary Price, Founder, Creative Director
