Her Story
About Marci
When I was very young, someone gave me a book and I got inspired by the world of conscious living, back when the organic food movement was just starting. I helped to pioneer the natural and organic food movement when everyone in the world who was in that space knew each other, it was that small. I co-founded what's known today as the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, which is the world's largest holistic health nutrition school with about 150,000-170,000 graduates, certified health coaches worldwide. That led me into supply chains and understanding farming, and I stumbled upon cotton. I was learning about the interconnection of food and fiber and agriculture. In 1995, I coined and trademarked the term eco-fashion, and I was really the only listing, the only company. I started a company called Under the Canopy in 1996, and it was the first sustainable fashion brand. Today, if you Google that term, it's ubiquitous for a global movement around driving sustainability in the fashion industry, which is one of the most toxic industries in the world. I've spent the last 30 years building supply chain certifications, being a market leader. I'm an author of a book, I produced a documentary film series, I've started several companies, I've worked with many major retailers from QVC and HSN where I go on air, to Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, Macy's, and many other companies. I have a manufacturing company now and a consulting company. I have a farm project in India that grows regenerative cotton. I do public speaking all over the world. My book is called Eco Renaissance: Creating a Stylish, Sexy, and Sustainable World, which connects the dots of food, fashion, beauty, business, art, and wellness - what I call the spokes in the wheel of change. The whole premise of the book is through the lens of design, we can change the world. If we lead people with a great experience on the design side - in food that's taste, in fashion that's style, quality, fit, color, comfort, and price, in beauty it's functionality and smell or scent, business profitability - lead with that, and then it's oh, by the way, also socially and environmentally responsible, protecting human livelihoods, biodiversity, soil health, and future for our children.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Marci
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to vision, perseverance, tenacity, creative and strategic thinking, and a deep commitment and passion with a purpose that is fundamental to who I am and how I'm wired. This has allowed me to drive all of these different areas that are connected in an integrated, convergent way. My background in the food industry, having that experience, has enabled me to lend a lot of that into bringing it into fashion and sustainability. My mentor of 25 years was the founder of Aveda, which was the pioneering personal care beauty brand out there. Our whole commitment and mission is really that serving others is serving yourself. This world is very broken and there's a lot of darkness out there, and people are really seeking light, they're seeking love and ways to be a part of something positive and better. That's why the young generations are a catalyst, and we're witnessing now the beginning of a cultural transformation through a lot of the work that we're doing.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Follow your heart. Trust your gut. As Albert Einstein once said, we can't solve today's problems with the same consciousness that created them. So we need to think out of the box and co-create change, design a new reality. Work together to create a world where everyone can thrive, because the world we're living in is quite the opposite today.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is, as a $2.5-$3 trillion industry, it's kind of barbaric, and all the systems are really dated and very cumbersome. They're not necessarily set up for the kind of transformation that we're now driving in the industry. So it's unpacking the way the systems were built and innovating in ways that allow us to now build a different kind of industry. My board at Textile Exchange includes Patagonia, Target, H&M, VF Corp, Nike, and all the big guys, so everyone's at the table now. It's really about collaboration and one step at a time. The opportunity is everybody's drinking the Kool-Aid. We've got to drive them into the way that we're driving the industry now, which is all outcome-driven - positive outcomes for nature, climate, and people. That's the mantra of the industry, and everybody's signing up to be a part of it. There's a lot of work to do, and we're relatively speaking still at the ground floor, but I'm definitely at the front lines, and it's super exciting about what's happening. I think sustainable apparel and home textiles is the next frontier, just like the food system has really shown up now in clean beauty everywhere on all the shelves of all the mass market retailers.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are integrity, innovation, trust, respect, win-win business models, prosperity for all, consciousness, transparency, authenticity, value and values.
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