Cotapaxi
Fashion For Change
Talk us through the motivation for starting Cotopaxi and how the name came to be.
Cotopaxi is an active stratovolcano in the Ecuadorian region of the Andes. The volcano is an important part of the local culture and is held sacred by nearby Andean indigenous communities. It’s also our namesake. Founder, Davis Smith, grew up in Latin America and lived for several years in Ecuador. When he wasn’t in school, Davis was exploring and camping in Cotopaxi National Park. It was here that he developed a lifelong reverence for the strong, hard-working people of the Andes. His time in Latin America also showed him the plight of those in abject poverty. Davis later moved to the United States, where he pursued advanced degrees in business and international studies.
He currently calls Utah home. He started several successful e-commerce businesses, two of which took him to Brazil, where he lived from 2010 to 2013. Despite his success, he wanted to do more to make a difference in the world. For his next venture, he decided to merge his love of travel with a poverty-fighting business model. Each customer’s purchase would give to those living in the world’s poorest regions. He named the company Cotopaxi to represent the spirit of adventure, optimism, and determination that he’d experienced during his time in Ecuador. Davis created Cotopaxi based on the belief that business should serve the needs of society and diminish the plight of poverty. Impact is integral to our brand, and we believe impact should be integral to creating great products. Cotopaxi’s creed, Do Good, touches every aspect of our company. From our giving model to our company culture and sustainable product design, we see our business as a vehicle to make an impact.
What would you say the design aesthetic and inspiration is when designing each season?
Seasonal inspiration changes and adapts as we continue to meet the needs of new customers. At Cotopaxi, we love to create bold products that are different from similar products on the market. Our products stand out for their bright colors, reliance on remnant fabric, and unique color blocking.
What would you say are the necessary steps to creating an ethical and sustainable business?
Impact starts with how we operate. That means taking into account ethics during every phase of a product’s lifecycle—from its design to its manufacture and sale. We’re into funky; we’re into recycled; we’re into treating those who sew our products with respect. To ensure that anyone who touches our products is well-treated, we work with suppliers to uphold a rigorous code of conduct. Most businesses want a transparent supply chain. They want to feel confident that every party involved meets best-inclass standards. That said, much of this is a process. Not only do we aim to be the best we can be in regards to our supply chain/ethics, but we are always aiming to improve in those areas. This mindset of continual improvement is key to progression. Currently, we are working with Fair Trade USA to ensure that our partners are treated fairly. We are also currently working to implement the Higg Index in order to measure and improve upon our carbon footprint.
How important do you deem including transparent sustainable practices are in the future within not only the recreational sports world but the fashion industry as a whole?
Sustainability is the only way forward for every industry.
Please let us know if you have any upcoming projects or news you would like to include with contact information.
Cotopaxi has built its product around using upcycled and remnant fabric. We are continuing to look for ways to build on our programs.
