"Although I have a broad understanding of the Soil Association's regulations, I don't claim to be an expert," says director Tom Watson. "Rather than get out of my depth I guide people to our live site where they can link through to all sorts of web resources relating to the subject."

He adds: "We have certainly found it a benefit having the Soil Association logo on our products. Because of its use in other markets, consumers are confident that it means something and has credibility. Although other organic certifications are just as credible, they don't hold the same value to the consumer."

Watson says there has been strong demand so far for Orotoro's products, not only in the organic market but also in the more mainstream markets. "We felt that if the product was strong enough and the price was right we would sell outside the organic market as well," he explains. "This crossover has been important for our early growth because organic apparel is still such a niche market."

The 2008 collection

Orotoro's Men's Tee is available in 18 fashion colours. It chose a mid-fit classic cut in 180gsm cotton and feels that the fresh colours and retail quality of the product sets it apart from other brands.

"For hoods we decided to go with a heavy weight 380gsm three thread fleece," says Watson. "The detail on the hood includes bar tacks, cover stitch, double lined hood and thick draw cords. Best sellers so far are the Kelly Green and Amparo Blue." 

The girls' hoods have similar attention to detail, with raw edge on the hem, bar tacks, and double lining in the hood. They are made in 320gsm carbonised fleece for a super soft feel and are available in eight fashion colours. The Poppy Red and Spring Green are the current best sellers, says Watson. The girls' Tee is a 160gsm cotton mid fit garment available in 12 fashion colours.

"Our experience in manufacturing for high street brands has certainly helped us to develop the wholesale side of our business," says Watson. "We are able to see trends in colours and styles 12 months before they hit the high street.  It is this insight that will continue to give us an edge and help us to develop new ranges for the future." 

He adds: "Bringing together fresh colours and styles in organic cotton has been our aim and the response to the range has been fantastic."

Environmental accountability

There has been increased pressure in retail over the past few years to comply with Social Accountability and Environmental issues and this has moved into the promotional market, says Watson.

"We are often asked the question "how do you know that your garments are ethically made"?" he explains."One of the best indications is the SA8000  certification. This is a Global Social Accountability Standard, developed and overseen by Social Accountability International (SAI) www.sa-intl.org. Under their regulations, for example, employees only work eight hours a day."

'Respect Inside' is another organisation that helps to give people an understanding of supply chains and ethics in the industry, he says. It guarantees transparency, traceability and visibility of the supply chain. It also looks at the living conditions of the people involved in the manufacturing process. More information is available at http://www.respect-inside.org/. 

There are links to other valuable organisations on the live site http://www.live.orotoro.co.uk/.

"Environmental Accountability is an area that consumers are becoming more and more aware of.   Our bespoke customers will only use factories that comply with specific certifications and the traceability of all cotton is a must. The print and promotional market also seems to be following this lead - we are often asked questions relating to our environmental policies," says Watson.

"At Orotoro our efforts are directed at nullifying carbon emissions through initiatives such as organic farming, power generation via wind turbines, and zero discharge water recycling plants. Again, there are certain industry standards such as Oeko-Tex 100 and Environmental Policy [ISO-14001], which lead the way in this field. They deal with issues such as minimisation of waste, and efficient and environmentally friendly use of energy.

"Our mission statement is ‘To produce ethically made garments through sustainable sources'. We are increasingly aware that it is only when the environmental and social accountability issues are addressed, that products can be deemed as ‘ethically made'. So by addressing these factors as well as farming Organic Cotton, we are pleased to be setting the standard for ethical garment manufacturing."

Web: http://www.orotoro.co.uk/ / http://www.live.orotoro.co.uk/

Tel: 0845 310 3662

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