History and Mission
The idea for ecoshikis was born from the desire to make change and improve our lifestyle choices to lessen our ecological footprint. Cofounders James Petersen and Julie LaRoche have worked in apparel manufacturing and retail for 20 cumulative years. We are a Portland, Oregon based company and manufacture our products locally.
James Petersen received his Bachelor of Science in Finance and Entrepreneurship from University of Colorado. He works for Nike’s Global Planning division in Information Technology and actively pursues his interests in entrepreneurship and environmentalism.
Julie LaRoche received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from University of Washington and designed textiles for Patagonia, Nordstrom, Callaway Golf, and Generra Sportswear. She made a career change to develop software solutions for apparel design, cultural tourism, the education sector, and retail. While contracting for Nike, James and Julie hatched the idea to promote reusable gift wrap and the rest is…ecoshikis!
Environmental Responsibility
We feel strongly about restoring the health of our planet and recognize our responsibility to maintain a healthy environment. We donate 1% of annual net revenue to environmental organizations worldwide. We aim to prove that taking environmental responsibility is good business.
