Indigenous Designs has announced it has retained Serendipity Capital to investigate strategic and financial alternatives for the Company. Indigenous is experiencing explosive demand for its fair trade, organic clothing as Whole Foods, REI, Sundance and other leading national chains, outdoor retailers and direct mail catalogues seek to reap the benefits of the rapidly expanding market for organic apparel. Indigenous expects sales to grow from $1.5 million this year to over $20 million in five years.

The Company designs and markets its Indigenous brand of premium quality sweaters, coats, shirts and other accessories, which are hand crafted under fair trade standards by impoverished artisans around the globe. Indigenous received the U.S. Socially Responsible Business Award in 2002 for its pioneering efforts in developing the market for organic apparel. Says company CEO Scott Leonard: "The Indigenous brand and Feel Good Fashion trademark symbolize our commitment to seeing fair trade and organic practices achieve their true potential. Our message to investors is the same as our message to consumers: for every garment you purchase more of your money is going directly to support organic farmers and the local indigenous artisans who hand craft our luxurious clothing than any other apparel company on the planet."

Since inception Indigenous has paid over $4 million to artisan cooperatives and their cottage industry work groups in remote regions of the planet. Approximately 45% of those funds have gone directly to artisans (mostly impoverished women with families to support) at wages two to three higher than local wages for hand-knit apparel. Artisan owned cooperatives use the remainder to purchase ecologically harvested wool, alpaca, organic silk and cotton, improve their facilities in the field, and to provide educational and medical supplies for their villages.

IDC has also announced that company co-founder, Scott Leonard, has been appointed CEO. Leonard has been a long time member of the Social Venture Network, and is currently serving his second two-year term as a member of the Steering Committee for the Organic Fiber Council.

Indigenous Designs is located in Santa Rosa, California, and can be reached by phone at 707-571-7811 or on the web at www.indigenousdesigns.com.

Indigenous Designs

Indigenous Designs

Our garments are made by the hands and hearts of artisans in many types of communities throughout the globe. By working directly with these artisans and their knitting cooperatives, a strong partnership has evolved to support their visions in managing sustainable commerce. We assist the artisans with quality control measures, sound production and planning management, as well as research and design for the local and world markets.

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