“We want to make sure we do not carry clothing that is made by little hands,” explained Johann Razali. “The goal of Black and Birch is that from the moment you step into the store and try on clothes, until you put your clothes on for a date or work, that you look good and feel good. The next day, you don’t have to worry that your clothes were made by eight-year olds. We take it upon ourselves to ensure that.” The locally owned retailer goes the extra mile to bring Flagstaff clientele affordable, ethically sourced apparel.
Black and Birch Apparel, a retail garment store in Flagstaff, supports independent international artisans and fashion designers that are affected by economic challenges. They bring to the Flagstaff market designers from places across the globem including Bulgaria, Canada, Malaysia, and Northern Arizona.
“When I go to Malaysia to buy, I make sure that I find out where the manufacturing facility is and then I ask the employees questions about their working conditions,” Razali said. The branding and marketing consultant for Black and Birch Apparel left for Malaysia shortly after an exclusive interview with Flagstaff Business News.
“There aren’t a whole lot of Flagstaff retail businesses jumping into the international market,” reported Tawny Star, Black and Birch CEO. “Because Johann will be located overseas internationally, he can help us by building close relationships there. He will be able to see what is working in the Asian markets and bring it here.”
“There are a number of companies that I’ve chosen not to work with because I can’t visit their factories,” said Star. “Some claim to be Fair Trade but are not. …if you really do your homework and research, it’s not Fair Trade; it is not ‘fair’ at all.”
According to Star, Fair Trade in the fashion industry applies to two elements: (a) textiles and fabrics, and (b) garment manufacturing. “Hand-woven fabrics from the South Pacific and Southeast Asia are popular, and so garments made from them command high prices. But the people who make these hand-loomed pieces are being exploited. Even though their art is so valuable, they are not given fair prices. They don’t have medical care, and their children are going hungry.
“Secondly, cheap labor [of garment manufacturing] is overlooked and justified by the fashion industry, and so children and adults are living in substandard conditions,” continued Star. “In worker camps, part of the pay is taken for rations and housing. Realistically, it is slave labor.”
“What we’ve tried to do here, in the name of Fair Trade, is make guilt-free clothing available at affordable prices,” explained Star, who shared that the price points set by companies that are truly Fair Trade “are so inflated that most Americans can’t afford them.”
“The way that we do this is by searching out independent designers and companies,” Star said. “We can buy in smaller quantities, and they are new companies and designers that haven’t inflated their prices. We create personal relationships with them that allow us to keep our overhead low. …We don’t make a ton of money, but there is vision and integrity in every piece.”
Razali added, “That’s how you can feel good and guilt-free when you wear our clothes. The personal relationships ensure that as their business progresses, we can monitor if they stay Fair Trade or if they will go to the other side of the coin.
“From the moment that the garment is made, all the way to that Friday night date, you will feel good and have a guilt-free conscience. The entire process is fair,” said Razali, a recent Northern Arizona University student. Razali joined the Black and Birch team after Star saw him dancing at the Northern Arizona University’s Eco Fashion Show. “I thought he would be a good fit to model for the company. But he had so much to bring to the table, we wanted to keep him on as long as we could,” said Star.
After getting her start in fashion design in California, Star opened her first store in Sedona at the Art Mall in September 2014. Last March, she opened Black & Birch at Aspen Place in Flagstaff. “I felt like this was the perfect community to bring my opinion of fashion and art to,” said the fashionista, who hopes to someday launch her own fashion production company.
In addition to their global focus, the people at Black and Birch are dedicated to giving back to the local community. “Our staff volunteers hours and we do sponsorships in the community and give raffle prizes for fundraisers,” said Star with pride. FBN
Black and Birch Apparel
319 Regent St #203, Flagstaff, AZ 86001
928-774-4800
By Stacey Wittig, FBN