Ian Rosenberger has heard some compelling stories — and been part of many himself — since launching Thread International in 2011.
The company creates fabrics from plastic bottles retrieved from streets and landfills in Haiti, Honduras, Taiwan and impoverished communities in other places. It employs locals to collect and recycle the plastic into flakes, which are then transformed into textiles. Thread has helped to divert more than 96 million plastic bottles from landfills and oceans since its inception and pumped more than $3.2 million into those regions, Mr. Rosenberger says.
As Thread rounds out its first decade, its founder wants to make sure those success stories are being heard. To do that, Thread is splitting in two.
The portion of the business that works with supply chains overseas and sells the fabrics they make to other brands will now go by the name First Mile (firstmilemade.com). Meanwhile, a team headquartered in Homewood will continue to conceive and sell Thread’s own sustainable products in a business branded as Day Owl. It takes flight in early February at dayowl.com.
Thread will remain the name of the holding company for both branches of the business.
Mr. Rosenberger, 38, has long admired “green” brands like Patagonia, an outdoor gear retail chain based in Ventura, Calif.
“It has this really terrific story to tell, but it shouldn’t be the only one. We can do that without being an outdoor clothing company,” says Mr. Rosenberger, an Ambridge native. “We can be a company that’s built for the city and urban adventures. You don’t have to be climbing a mountain to be wearing something recycled.”
Over the last few years, he’s focused on using the brand’s eco-friendly fabrics to make and sell its own products. After extensive research, his team came up with a versatile, gender-neutral backpack and cord pouch. The “better backpack,” which retails for $149, launched through a Kickstarter campaign in 2018. Both products will be sold on the Day Owl website, and others are in the works.
Day Owl is what Mr. Rosenberger calls people who are “up with the sun and out late trying to figure out how to get things done that change the world,” he says.
“I want to create products for those people. We didn’t want to name our company after the product. We wanted to name it after the customer.”
What makes the bag special is the attention to detail. It has several interior pockets designed with specific needs in mind, such as gym clothes or lunch and drinks in a spill-proof compartment. The bags are produced in China, while the cord pouches and bag repairs are handled by stitchers in the company’s Homewood office. (All bags come with a warranty for free repairs for life.)
First Mile will continue its efforts overseas and collaborations with other brands. Over the years, Thread’s fabrics have been purchased and used by Timberland, Reebok, Kenneth Cole and some Pittsburgh-based designers. Some were featured in a showcase at New York Fashion Week in 2017.
“We really believe that every single product that's made should be made out of sustainable materials. If not, customers should be saying, ‘Why not?’” Mr. Rosenberger says.
“We’ve reached a place where these things are reachable, and you can make them for competitive prices. Day Owl can be an example that we set for the rest of the retail industry, and First Mile can be the opportunity for every brand to participate in that movement.”
Day Owl is running an exclusive access campaign through Thursday. Get a first look at the brand and early access pricing with this link.
Sara Bauknecht: sbauknecht@post-gazette.com or on Twitter and Instagram @SaraB_PG.
First Published: January 27, 2020, 1:00 p.m.
