We were lucky to catch up with Arlo Estill recently and have shared our conversation below.

Arlo, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

I really enjoy running Hempsmith. I get to learn and grow everyday by working on new projects, meeting customers, and moving the business forward. I like the problem solving and the room for innovation that this brand creates. I find the workload is a healthy challenge and it keeps me motivated knowing there is plenty to do. The idea of a regular job where you can be truly off the clock does have some appeal but I know there can be stress in every profession. I enjoy the balancing act.

Last time I had this thought I had missed a guest speaking opportunity and accidentally no showed. I felt terrible about spacing and thought that I had too much on my plate and was beginning to drop the ball. But I reached out, apologized and made it right. It turned out I could come the very next day and make the presentation. Nobody was mad and everything worked out. It makes me think of the affirmation “I am creating magnificently in divine timing.”

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My big brother, Zafer Estill started Hempsmith Clothing Co. back in 2015 when he was in High School. It was a cool concept where we embroidered a small emblem on a hemp tee shirt and created a bit of a clothing brand out of it. He sold a few shirts to his friends and then boxed it up as he went off to university in Boulder, CO. My brother died in 2016 from a heroin overdose. It was shocking, and I remember in that first week thinking that I could take Hempsmith and run with it. Keeping his vision alive and getting to work with him everyday. That was almost 10 years ago and today we have a bricks and mortar in Pittsboro, NC where we screen print, tie dye, and embroider our hemp clothing.

Hempsmith makes clothing from the Industrial Hemp Fiber. Hemp is known for its durability and low impact production. The plant grows very quickly and pretty tall so farmers can produce a lot of material on a small plot of land with minimal inputs. It grows like a weed, not requiring the artificial fertilizers and pesticides that conventional cotton and other crops need.

We are offering a sustainable, low impact alternative to fashion. I am most proud of our mission to Bring Hemp Home and source locally within a few years. Domestic fiber from NC is not yet on the market, but we aim to have it the moment it is. I also really like being a part of the Slow Fashion Movement where we demonstrate Restorative Economics and change the narrative behind clothing. This goes beyond clothing. Hempsmith is creating a culture that is based on renewable materials, local economy and abundance rather than extraction, exploitation, and scarcity.

We hand print and dye our clothing in Pittsboro, NC at our Atelier based at The Plant. We work with small businesses around the area and strive to bring the Hemp material back to the mainstream.

Hemp is a very versatile crop. It can be grown for a nutritious seed, a strong building material, or a durable fiber among other uses. I think Industrial Hemp will play a big role in the restorative economy that is coming. Hemp has an extensive root system that sequesters carbon into the soil as it grows. Helping to build life in the soil and draw carbon out of the atmosphere. I’m sure it will play a big role in mitigating the climate crisis in our future.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I have recently made a lot of changes to the business. I made cuts to our team that were hard decisions and took over certain tasks to make sure they were done right. I learned a lot and I am grateful for my decisions. In the past I think I was fearful of certain tasks and chose to pay people to do them rather than face them myself. The result was a loss of money and lower quality of work. Since I have taken a few items over, including the embroidery of the clothing, social media, and outside sales, I have noticed I feel better about the business and we finally have a model that works. With our smaller team, we have a leaner operation where a little bit goes a whole lot farther and we are working on a higher level.

It doesn’t feel good to be paying people to sit around. It’s not good for the business or the team member. Now I feel that we are really engaged and starting to move at a great pace.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

At Hempsmith we operate with an Abundant Framework. That means that we are constantly lifting each other up and creating a space for new ideas and ways of being. We have transparency and nonviolent communication that allows us to work and create even in times of tension.

Our main directive and goal is the well being and fulfillment of our team. With that as our foundation we are able to make really quality clothing and pursue opportunities that grow the business. We value each other, our customers, and the quality of our product over everything else. Quality also means the impact that our product has on the people and the planet. Hempsmith is a transformative entity. We are here to demonstrate a new way of being, one rooted in Abundance.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hempsmithclothing.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hempsmith/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HempsmithClothing/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQD6l_DnZlHRgPehD8S-YiA

Image Credits
Brian Burnham on Photography for Hempsmith Clothing Co.