Fresh start on green clothes
[attach]5089[/attach]After 26 years in the communications industry, Nancy Bagworth needed a change.
“I just got to the point where, I mean you can always learn something new, but I felt like I wasn’t really stretching myself too much in the profession,” she says.
After considering options like becoming an entrepreneur or the executive director of a charity, she wound up finding the right fit at a franchise show.
Earth Collection, which was founded in Denmark, features environmentally friendly clothing made entirely of natural fabrics such as cotton, silk, wool, ramie, linen and hemp.
“I really liked the whole social responsibility aspect of the company and everything’s really ethically produced and they give a lot of the profit back to communities in Africa for fresh water,” she says. “That really attracted me plus the clothing is well made and well priced and I think stylish, like a lot of people expect hemp sacks or something when they hear environmentally friendly.”
After the show she started asking her friends and family what they thought of the concept and discovered that many people could only wear natural fabrics because of skin sensitivities or excessive sweating.
Bagworth, who has lived in the Junction for 15 years, knew she wanted to open up in the neighbourhood and says she had her eye on the strip long before she decided to change careers.
She couldn’t believe her luck when suddenly several perfect locations came up for sale and eventually bought a building on Dundas Street West near Quebec Avenue, which was formerly Andy’s Bakery & Delicatessen.
“He was here since 1967 so he had a lot of merchandise and it was everything from cheese and sausages to nuts and bolts and hardware,” she says. “It just needed a complete overhaul.”
Over the last few years she says she’s noticed a real change in the neighbourhood as a lot of new small businesses opened up and says she’s looking forward to taking part in upcoming community events.
“That’s been nice that people are really trying to make it a destination and encourage people to come and support businesses,” she says. “I don’t know if this sounds corny but the number of people who walk in and say welcome to the Junction, they’re just so friendly and happy to see the improvements going on so that’s been really encouraging and reinforcing that it’s the right thing to do.”
She says being able to walk to work and not have to commute has also improved her quality of life. Since making the career leap she says customers have inquired about her background and frequently tell her they want to do the same.
“My mother thinks I’m crazy but you’ve got to take a chance sometimes and it is exciting to have the ability to do that and again offer a service that you feel is needed, that people want,” she says. “If you can do it it’s great to be starting something new.
