We were lucky to catch up with Tracy Strandness recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Tracy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
My three children and I are domestic violence survivors. In our case, when I left my marriage and sought help, there was none. In the family court system in the county where we lived at that time, their stance was that an abusive parent is better than no parent, and my children were forced on unsupervised visits with our abuser. My children then became the focus of that abuse and my world crumbled. I don’t believe I will ever again know a despair or desperation that deep. Although I was discouraged from taking on the family court system, I knew that no matter the cost or consequences, I would do whatever it took to secure their safety and freedom.
To make a very long story short, we fought for years for the right to live free from fear and abuse. Those were dark times to be sure; some days we didn’t think we’d make it. Our hearts ached for freedom, and we longed for a place where we could let down our guard, and live without looking over our shoulder. We yearned for somewhere we would be accepted and not judged; a place where our souls, frantic like wild caged birds, could be set free. Nature became that place.
Living in Washington state, we are surrounded by mountains and the Pacific Ocean, and nature is highly accessible. Whenever we could, we would escape to nature to camp, hike, and step out of the fearful and highly controlled world that had become our prison. Our goal was to survive intact and the rest of life was on hold. I homeschooled my children because they needed to have a calm, stable, loving, supportive environment that would still allow them to dream and find joy in spite of everything. I think that the juxtaposition at that time, of the utter lack of control over our daily life, with the ability to explore, learn and dream on our own terms made those escapes especially empowering and exhilarating. Even though those days held inconceivable pain, my children recall our “adventures” with great fondness. I would say maybe to the point that in hindsight, those are the memories that define their childhood.
I think because life was so unbearably difficult during that time, taking three young children camping and hiking to the mountains by myself seemed like a cake walk. I knew the natural world well from my own childhood, and felt comfortable in the outdoors. I knew how to pitch a tent, make a blazing campfire, and cook some darn good pancakes over an open flame. But still, when I think back to how my three young kids and I piled into our less than reliable van, pillows and stuffed animals in tow, and literally headed for the hills, I’m amazed at how brave I was.
The ancient, lush rain forests of the Olympic Peninsula felt like home. Their soft, mossy branches, dancing rivers and majestic peaks felt safe and welcoming; we were connected to this place, from somewhere deep inside, and we knew we were always welcome there. My kids would lean arms outstretched, into the blustery ocean wind off Dungeness Spit, confident that they were safe and would not fall. All was well there. That was life – that was living! It sustained us, increased our confidence, and gave us the mindset of stewards to care for these places that in all reality, saved our lives. And as is sometimes the way with life’s most painful challenges, it gave us the gift of a family bond that can never be broken.
Finally, we prevailed and won our freedom, but there was no victory celebration. We were exhausted and traumatized, and grieving our many losses. After the “dark time” as I call it ended, we laid pretty low for several years. I still felt I needed to fly under the radar for our safety while we licked our wounds. I knew I had to figure out what my future would look like, but I was so changed by our life experience that I felt unsure and out of touch. My two boys were soon college bound, and my youngest, my daughter, was still finishing her high school studies, so I was a late bloomer when this urging came to start my own business. The one thing I knew for sure was that I wanted to honor and protect the wild places that offered us refuge and healing, and where we go still to find peace.
I was used to a swirling sort of chaos, homeschooling three kids, maintaining a large property, painting and repairing an old farmhouse, shopping, cooking, cleaning, studying, researching, all on my own. Taking on this new challenge was daunting, but I had a certain fearlessness about it, because I had survived so much already. Even though my kids are now grown, they were (and will always be) my priority. They were all supportive, and we moved forward together, loving and encouraging each other back into the world.
At first I wanted to just move beyond what happened, and leave that behind me – sort of pretend it didn’t happen. I soon realized that people ask questions in normal conversation and they always lead back to our past – there was no way around it. I had my “a-ha” moment when I understood that my story is actually my strength, my badge of courage, and it is my power. That changed everything. Your struggles do not mean you are weak – on the contrary, they are extraordinary proof of your resilience and strength. Do not let anyone else write your story for you.
I was so immensely changed by everything that had happened, that I struggled to find where I fit in. I couldn’t just go out and get a job because I was fearful of being traceable, but I felt compelled to do something to make a difference. I thought it would be safest, and would most authentically feed my soul if I started my own business – a social enterprise. My daughter wanted to partner with me, and so, armed with nothing but determination, we began to dream.
One beautiful summer afternoon while hiking the Skyline Trail at Paradise, Mt. Rainier, we found our inspiration. Mt. Rainier has a way of getting under your skin, of touching something deep inside you, and it was one of our favorite destinations. We stood high on an alpine bluff, looking out at the incredible panorama on a sunny, clear blue-sky day, the air crystalline and sweet. Other hikers trudged up and down, but we stood there, trying to take it all in. It hit us at that moment that this was our passion and our place. We knew what we had to do.
Nature is where we spent our free time, it was where our hearts were. Nature gave us strength and confidence when the world sought to tear us down, and we wanted to share that healing with others. We decided to create earth-friendly casual apparel with designs that celebrate nature, spark happiness, and promote the idea of stewardship.
We had a little money left over from the sale of our house, but not enough to hire people to help us get started, so we researched and studied and figured it out. We were committed to transparency and authenticity in our earth-friendly products and practices. We wanted to inspire in people a love affair with the great outdoors, and make them aware of their ability to create positive change. Mostly, we wanted to walk our talk and use this opportunity to educate others about green living, sustainability and our shared connection to the natural world.
We started volunteering with local conservation non-profits, and learning about how we could partner with them to amplify their message and create opportunities for education with our own brand. We attended beach cleanups hosted by other organizations, but decided that we wanted to do more, and realized we didn’t need permission to carry out that work on our own. So by kayak and on foot, we set out to clean the waterways of our state, eventually giving our efforts a name: Seventy-One Percent.
Doing these cleanups made us acutely aware of nature’s delicate balance. Clean and healthy rivers and streams mean healthy salmon populations, which translate to abundant food sources for our Southern Resident killer whales, whose main diet is the Chinook salmon. The Southern Resident orcas of the Salish Sea are in danger of being lost forever due to dwindling food supply and human-created roadblocks to survival. This issue has moved to the forefront of our efforts, and has inspired some upcoming projects.
Every part of our business is exciting to us (except maybe inventory management and tax time!). We love creating new designs that we hope will spark joy, and take huge pleasure in connecting with our customers around the globe, many of whom have become dear friends. Mostly, it has been very exciting to see the impact of our hands-on efforts, and to realize that anyone can make a difference.
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?
Barefoot Eco Outfitters is a social enterprise that sells casual, nature-inspired, earth-friendly apparel with a conservation mission. What sets us apart as an apparel brand is our authenticity and commitment to hands-on conservation work. We support local conservation non-profits by volunteering our time and talents, and have also created our own waterways cleanup program where we are out in our kayak or on foot removing trash from the waterways and beaches of Washington state.
We take great pride in our trash cleanups. Not only is this work immensely satisfying, but we have been encouraged by the kindness and support of people who have been inspired by our efforts to do cleanups themselves. Crazy as it sounds, somehow we feel we need permission to head out with trash grabbers and buckets to pick up trash, but it’s within each of our power to do simple things that have a big impact. We celebrate this!
For our apparel, we create designs that we hope spark happy memories of time spent in nature, or that encourage the making of wonderful new memories in the healing, awe-inspiring outdoors. We celebrate the wild places and wildlife that have captured our hearts. Our super soft and cozy apparel is made from earth-conscious fabrics like organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, recycled cotton and recycled plastic bottles. We sell high-quality tees, joggers, hoodies, sweatshirts, beanies & caps, and educate about the perils of fast fashion and the benefits of green living.
We have also created educational events centered around conservation, sustainability, and volunteer opportunities, and are currently working to bring awareness to the plight of the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales of the Salish Sea.
We are committed to having the smallest possible carbon footprint, so to that end, our apparel is made in the U.S.A., designed by us, and embellished by a local family-owned business. In addition, we ship our products ourselves in recycled/recyclable/reusable packaging.
While our mission is what drives us, we are also committed to providing meaningful service and connection to our customers. We encourage questions, comments and dialogue, and are here to provide answers, support, and outstanding service. We have long-standing relationships with customers from as far away as Sweden and Iceland, and consider many of these amazing people dear friends. This has been a priceless benefit to having our own business, and it’s something we truly cherish.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Authenticity, transparency & empathy! We believe that now more than ever, people want to feel a sense of trust when choosing to spend their money with a business. They want to know that you say what you mean and mean what you say, and that you’re there for them. We accomplished this through several means:
1. Authentic storytelling. Everyone who starts a business or pursues a passion has a “why.” Speaking personally, I know that whenever I’m checking out a new business online, my first stop at their website is the “About” page. I want to get a sense of who the people are and why what they’re doing is important to them. Don’t be afraid to tell your story from your heart – these points of connection are more important than ever, and it makes people feel safe when you’re honest with them. Your story is your power! Own it and share it!
2. Transparency: Especially as an eco-friendly business in a world of greenwashing, it’s very important for us to be up-front and transparent about our products and practices. Consumers are becoming more informed and educated about sustainability and eco-mindedness for example, and it’s important to us to be clear and honest about our practices and mission. Not only does having that sort of integrity go a long way to gaining your customers’ respect, but it also challenges you as a business owner to always go the extra mile to do the research and stay informed.
3. Empathy: Know that not only are you a business owner, but you are also a consumer. Think about the things that make you feel that you want to do business with someone. Being heard and understood is one of the greatest human needs, and being able to recognize that your customer may feel nervous about ordering from you, or about getting support if they need it after a purchase is important. Try to anticipate your customers’ needs and let them know that you are always there for them. If you have done your job in the authenticity and transparency departments, you will have no problem letting your customers know that you are always available for questions, and are in their corner 100%.
Even though we’re a small business, we are well respected and have a strong reputation because of these values.
We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.
This one is easy! I am incredibly lucky to have my daughter as my business partner! Our life story made my daughter Skyler anxious to get on with life. She has a maturity well beyond her years, and she was ready and excited to dive into this business venture with me while finishing high school. I knew that it would be a great education for her, and she has gained incredible skills by starting and growing Barefoot Eco Outfitters. Now six years later, Skyler is highly skilled, meticulous, creative and incredibly hard working. I have the trust of knowing that she cares as deeply as I do about our company, and will always give 110%. I feel incredibly lucky to be on this journey with her!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://barefooteco.com/
- Instagram: BarefootEcoOutfitters
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BarefootEcoOutfitters/
- Linkedin: Tracy Strandness
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/BFecooutfitters
- Other: Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BarefootEcoOutfitter Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/BFecooutfitters