We know: ocean adventures and sustainability are the keys to a great life. And that’s what motivated Jana Garous to co-found Sober&Naked, an eco-bikini brand for active mermaids.
Hello Jana! Can you tell us more about you and your passion for surfing?
Hi Irene, thanks for asking! My interest in surfing started when I was 15 years old when I saw a documentary about Hawaii back home in Norway.
I was mesmerized by the beauty of the islands. From that day I made a promise to myself that I would visit the islands one day to try surfing and other water sports.
In 2011, during my exchange semester at Berkeley, instead of heading to LA and Las Vegas with most of my colleagues, I booked myself a ticket to Honolulu for a week and went with three good friends who were also in for an adventure.
The first thing I did, after checking in at our hotel, was to find a local surfing school at Waikiki beach and I booked two classes every day for a week.
The first days were indeed very memorable as I did not have any clue that surfing was that physically demanding and I looked like a living polka dot covered with bruises after smashing myself on the coral reefs.
At that point, I was completely hooked on it and a new passion for surfing was born.
What motivated you to create Sober & Naked?
The idea of Sober & Naked was born in 2015 during a rainy day in London.
Working in a successful 9-to-5 job in London, yet daydreaming about surfing and crystal clear waters, I was craving to disconnect from my daily routine, letting my mind drift away to the most beautiful places in the world and connecting with my free, active and rebellious soul.
By the end of 2015, I had left my job and was on a plane to Asia, embarking on the most beautiful and inspiring journey of my life so far - I couldn’t wait to surf the waves of Bali.
During my amazing and eye-opening journey visiting Bali, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore, meeting new and fascinating people, indulging the delicious local food and relaxing on stunning beaches, I was horrified at how the unique magic of some of the most beautiful places in the world was being harmed by pollution, especially plastic pollution.
After surfing waves covered in plastic in Bali and encountering river banks where I could barely see through the layers of garbage, I decided that my next endeavour had to contribute to addressing these challenges.
So in 2017, I pitched my idea to my co-founder and Sober & Naked's first collection, Raw Tropics, was born with the belief that it is possible to create sustainable and ethical eye-catching swimwear for fearless and active women without harming our oceans.
What are the main (production) challenges, and how do you respond to them?
Consumers today demand more than ever attractive, durable and comfortable products from active brands; and looking from the outside, the task of creating such products may seem like a straightforward activity.
However, creating a good quality product with all these attributes is highly challenging when your decision-making process is constrained by sustainable and ethical requirements. S&N creates products based on four non-negotiable attributes: design, functionality, sustainability and, lastly ethical manufacturing.
Our creation process starts with careful research and selection of recycled and eco-friendly materials (partly derived from ghost fishing nets and plastic bottles).
This step in itself entails a huge restriction for sustainable brands since there are only limited options currently available on the market (preferably with OEKO-TEX certification – an environmental standard for textiles) and the information regarding these is generally not easily accessible.
Moreover, each year new types of innovative and attractive materials (e.g. mesh, ribbed/lined) are introduced and most often, none of these fabrics has a sustainable alternative that we can use.
Besides the problem of lack of variety of raw materials, performance and overall quality of the raw materials and sub-products used to create a swimsuit/bikini is also a challenge.
We try to utilize as much as possible sustainable materials, without compromising on quality, however after carefully researching and/or testing some of these materials, unfortunately, are not good enough to sustain physical activity.
This way, sustainable clothing brands always have to find the right balance between the degree of sustainability they want to incorporate in their products and their overall quality, design and durability.
The exciting part is that we are seeing a big shift in the textile industry towards sustainability and there are a lot of new materials that are being developed hence we are looking forward to seeing what the future will bring!
Once the product development processes are concluded, our next quest is to find the right manufacturer to produce our collection ethically and sustainably. We always request that the manufacturer produces in a way that maximizes the use of materials when organizing, cutting and sewing to reduce cost and waste.
Once the production process is completed, S&N collects all the waste to give them a second life, either for commercial purposes, decorative, or any other. One example of this circular economy application is the production hair scrunchies with leftovers of fabric and elastics that would otherwise be too small for producing swimwear.
Which is the best way you found to promote your label?
We are constantly learning and I believe that we are still discovering the best way to promote our brand. However, my favourite activities are:
Have a website and be active while engaging on social media – content that adds value to the customers is key!
Create engagement groups with likeminded brands and cross-promote each other’s work, do giveaways and other promotional activities. Remember to do proper homework about each brand before you are partnering up with them to see if your values match.
Collaborate with like-minded influencers and make them your brand ambassadors! Bear in mind that an influencer or IG page with hundreds of thousands of followers are not necessarily great if their engagement rate is low. I believe it is much better to collaborate with a micro-influencer (there are many amazing ones out there) with a smaller and authentic audience but with engaged followers.
Participate in events and tradeshows that are in line with your values and can push your business forward.
What is the top advice you can give to someone who desires to start a surf clothing brand?
Great question! I think I could host a two-day seminar on this topic as there’s a lot of knowledge to share, however, my top five tips are:
Brand DNA: Take some time to work out what you want to achieve with your brand, how you want to do it and why you are establishing your brand. This homework is crucial as by answering these questions you will form your brand DNA, identify your points of difference and it will drive all the aspects of your business. If you need more guidance on finding your brand DNA read Start with Why by Simen Sinek.
Finance: Know your numbers! Questions for you to ponder:
How much do you need to start?
How fast can you bring your product to the market?
What are your margins?
What is your burn rate?
Sales and Marketing strategy: Have a detailed strategy to sell and promote your product and execute it!
Partner up with great manufacturing companies: Know who you are working with and don’t be depended on one supplier. Even though it can take a longer time to bring your product to the market this step is crucial for your success and survival of your company. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Mentors: Find entrepreneurs that have already done what you want to achieve and learn from them. Be honest and direct with your questions. The good ones will give you valuable insight that is worth gold. Any doubts, feel free to contact me.
You also developed Micro Catch, a new solution for filtering microplastic during the washing cycle. Are the two projects connected?
Indeed, they are!
The idea of Micro Catch originated exactly from working in Sober and Naked as we realized that even utilizing recycled materials, washing our clothes also contributed to the ocean microplastics pollution.
Hence, my co-founder and I, decided to develop a solution - a washing machines filter to tackle this challenge as well.
Follow Sober&Naked on Istagram: @soberandnaked
Interviewed by Irene Vannucci
Human rights enthusiastic, wipe-out lover, and chocolate addict, Irene is collaborating with Surfpreneurs Club as Content Creator to inspire you with the most exciting ventures in the surf community.
Interviews with surf entrepreneurs
