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It's in the Bag
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| Stanley Joffe's reusable, recyclable grocery bags were used during a recent effort to clean the L.A. River. Now, his goal is to get local supermarkets and stores to order thousands of the bags. Photo by Gary Leonard. |
When It Comes to Paper or Plastic, Earthwise Opts for Reusable
by Kathryn Maese
Last year, Stanley Joffe's passion for long-distance running led him down a road less traveled, at least for the 20-year veteran of Downtown's garment industry.
While jogging along the Los Angeles River near the Sepulveda Basin, Joffe began to notice an alarming trend: Hanging from trees like fungus, clogging the waterway and snagged on bushes were scores of plastic grocery bags. When torrential rains hit the region late last year, they flushed out even more that had been discarded in gutters and streets.
"The river was just horrible and plastic bags were everywhere," he said. "I thought, it's so beautiful out here. I was really put off by that and it bothered me."
While most people would have complained and then moved on, Joffe decided to take action. Last December, he launched an eco-conscious offshoot of his Downtown-based import-export business called Earthwise. In a matter of weeks he retooled some of his factories in China to produce thousands of reusable bags that will be sold to independent and chain grocery stores across the nation. The goal is to reduce the number of plastic bags that pollute the environment - they can kill wildlife such as birds and fish - and saturate landfills.
Though his peers in the gritty, industrial pocket of the Fashion District near Pico and 11th may raise a brow at his newfound pursuit, Joffe appears unfazed by the seemingly incongruous path. As fume-belching semi trucks roar by with loads of plastic-wrapped garments and cardboard boxes filled with merchandise, he explains his vision for the multi-colored mesh and canvas bags stacked in his office.
"We investigated and found that these bags were being used in Australia extensively, and that it was a government sanctioned program to use reusable shopping bags," Joffe said. "Within the first six months of introducing the program, 90% of the market adopted the bags."
In the program, grocers pay Earthwise to produce the reusable bags for sale in their stores; customers purchase the product for about a dollar and use the bag every time they shop. The sacks are emblazoned with the supermarket's logo, providing an extra advertising perk, and are displayed on racks near the register. The lightweight, polypropylene bags are recyclable, and are deeper than standard paper bags.
Plastics Problem
Joffe came to Downtown Los Angeles in 1977, working in various capacities in the garment industry. In 1998, the 57-year-old South African native started his main company, Wholesale Clothing Mart Inc., which produces apparel and accessories. It was his longtime love of the outdoors and running - he's completed 20 marathons - that led him to develop the Earthwise concept.
While the product won't completely eliminate plastic litter, Joffe said it could help make a dent in the worsening plastics problem facing cities across the country. The issue cropped up earlier this year in San Francisco, which is considering a controversial 17-cent tax on all plastic bags; in Los Angeles, city officials have batted around a similar if less severe levy. Plans are underway to work with officials from the grocery and plastics industry.
"The U.S. consumes the astounding amount of over 100 billion bags a year," Joffe said, citing estimates from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). "We felt that we could make a difference in the environment and that this was an interesting business opportunity."
The non-profit Friends of the Los Angeles River thought so too. Upon hearing of the new venture, the group's Executive Director Shelly Backlar called Joffe to form a partnership and help educate Angelenos about the impacts on the 51-mile waterway.
As part of a plastics task force set up by Councilman Ed Reyes' L.A. River ad hoc committee, Backlar and 14 others are trying to reduce the amount of plastics that find their way into the river and ultimately wind up in the ocean.
"I called him and talked to him about our river clean-up and how we could engage and educate people about plastic," Backlar said. "I thought it was refreshing that this was a passion for him, not just a business. This was a way to give back to the community. We call him our river angel."
Joffe donated more than 4,000 bags to participants in the group's recent river clean up, and received several calls to partner with other non-profits and community groups such as Heal the Bay, Tree People and Earth Organization.
Sacking the Competition
Earthwise's target client are large chain stores such as Albertsons, Ralphs and Vons, as well as gourmet grocers including Trader Joe's, Gelson's and Whole Foods. But Joffe has his work cut out. Unlike Australia's government backed program for reusable bags, Earthwise is attempting to break into the market solo. Though early negotiations are promising, Joffe said, the company has yet to secure a major deal.
What's more, Earthwise faces a tough sell from stores such as Trader Joe's that already offer shoppers reusable canvas bags. Joffe said his strategy is to undercut the competition with a 99-cent bag - Trader Joe's sells its reusable bag for about $10.
"If just one person bought 10 bags a year, it would cost them under $10," Joffe said. "In New York City alone, one less grocery bag per person per year would reduce waste by 5 million pounds and save $250,000 in disposable costs."
As more residents move into Downtown, and supermarkets such as Ralphs open, Joffe said Downtown could become an important niche for the company. "We see this as something that could be used in the small stores," he said. "As they move into lofts there will be a lot more people walking a few blocks to get groceries."
Joffe's passionate anti-plastics message may get an unexpected boost starting this year. Federal regulations require that Los Angeles spend an estimated $120 million to cut waste and trash floating in the river and Ballona Creek by 10% annually. According to city officials, more than one-third of the garbage in the river comes from plastic bags.
"This is a somewhat political decision for some people to make," Joffe said. "I think a public awareness campaign is necessary. If we can educate the public, this will be a tremendous assistance in ridding our environment of some of those plastic bags."
For information about Earthwise visit earthwisebags.com.
Contact Kathryn Maese at kathryn@downtownnews.com.
page 6, 6/13/2005
© Los Angeles Downtown News. Reprinting items retrieved from the archives are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or retransmitted without permission of the Los Angeles Downtown News. If you would like to redistribute anything from the Los Angeles Downtown News Archives, please call our permissions department at (213) 481-1448.
While jogging along the Los Angeles River near the Sepulveda Basin, Joffe began to notice an alarming trend: Hanging from trees like fungus, clogging the waterway and snagged on bushes were scores of plastic grocery bags. When torrential rains hit the region late last year, they flushed out even more that had been discarded in gutters and streets.
"The river was just horrible and plastic bags were everywhere," he said. "I thought, it's so beautiful out here. I was really put off by that and it bothered me."
While most people would have complained and then moved on, Joffe decided to take action. Last December, he launched an eco-conscious offshoot of his Downtown-based import-export business called Earthwise. In a matter of weeks he retooled some of his factories in China to produce thousands of reusable bags that will be sold to independent and chain grocery stores across the nation. The goal is to reduce the number of plastic bags that pollute the environment - they can kill wildlife such as birds and fish - and saturate landfills.
Though his peers in the gritty, industrial pocket of the Fashion District near Pico and 11th may raise a brow at his newfound pursuit, Joffe appears unfazed by the seemingly incongruous path. As fume-belching semi trucks roar by with loads of plastic-wrapped garments and cardboard boxes filled with merchandise, he explains his vision for the multi-colored mesh and canvas bags stacked in his office.
"We investigated and found that these bags were being used in Australia extensively, and that it was a government sanctioned program to use reusable shopping bags," Joffe said. "Within the first six months of introducing the program, 90% of the market adopted the bags."
In the program, grocers pay Earthwise to produce the reusable bags for sale in their stores; customers purchase the product for about a dollar and use the bag every time they shop. The sacks are emblazoned with the supermarket's logo, providing an extra advertising perk, and are displayed on racks near the register. The lightweight, polypropylene bags are recyclable, and are deeper than standard paper bags.
Joffe came to Downtown Los Angeles in 1977, working in various capacities in the garment industry. In 1998, the 57-year-old South African native started his main company, Wholesale Clothing Mart Inc., which produces apparel and accessories. It was his longtime love of the outdoors and running - he's completed 20 marathons - that led him to develop the Earthwise concept.
While the product won't completely eliminate plastic litter, Joffe said it could help make a dent in the worsening plastics problem facing cities across the country. The issue cropped up earlier this year in San Francisco, which is considering a controversial 17-cent tax on all plastic bags; in Los Angeles, city officials have batted around a similar if less severe levy. Plans are underway to work with officials from the grocery and plastics industry.
"The U.S. consumes the astounding amount of over 100 billion bags a year," Joffe said, citing estimates from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). "We felt that we could make a difference in the environment and that this was an interesting business opportunity."
The non-profit Friends of the Los Angeles River thought so too. Upon hearing of the new venture, the group's Executive Director Shelly Backlar called Joffe to form a partnership and help educate Angelenos about the impacts on the 51-mile waterway.
As part of a plastics task force set up by Councilman Ed Reyes' L.A. River ad hoc committee, Backlar and 14 others are trying to reduce the amount of plastics that find their way into the river and ultimately wind up in the ocean.
"I called him and talked to him about our river clean-up and how we could engage and educate people about plastic," Backlar said. "I thought it was refreshing that this was a passion for him, not just a business. This was a way to give back to the community. We call him our river angel."
Joffe donated more than 4,000 bags to participants in the group's recent river clean up, and received several calls to partner with other non-profits and community groups such as Heal the Bay, Tree People and Earth Organization.
Earthwise's target client are large chain stores such as Albertsons, Ralphs and Vons, as well as gourmet grocers including Trader Joe's, Gelson's and Whole Foods. But Joffe has his work cut out. Unlike Australia's government backed program for reusable bags, Earthwise is attempting to break into the market solo. Though early negotiations are promising, Joffe said, the company has yet to secure a major deal.
What's more, Earthwise faces a tough sell from stores such as Trader Joe's that already offer shoppers reusable canvas bags. Joffe said his strategy is to undercut the competition with a 99-cent bag - Trader Joe's sells its reusable bag for about $10.
"If just one person bought 10 bags a year, it would cost them under $10," Joffe said. "In New York City alone, one less grocery bag per person per year would reduce waste by 5 million pounds and save $250,000 in disposable costs."
As more residents move into Downtown, and supermarkets such as Ralphs open, Joffe said Downtown could become an important niche for the company. "We see this as something that could be used in the small stores," he said. "As they move into lofts there will be a lot more people walking a few blocks to get groceries."
Joffe's passionate anti-plastics message may get an unexpected boost starting this year. Federal regulations require that Los Angeles spend an estimated $120 million to cut waste and trash floating in the river and Ballona Creek by 10% annually. According to city officials, more than one-third of the garbage in the river comes from plastic bags.
"This is a somewhat political decision for some people to make," Joffe said. "I think a public awareness campaign is necessary. If we can educate the public, this will be a tremendous assistance in ridding our environment of some of those plastic bags."
For information about Earthwise visit earthwisebags.com.
Contact Kathryn Maese at kathryn@downtownnews.com.
page 6, 6/13/2005
© Los Angeles Downtown News. Reprinting items retrieved from the archives are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or retransmitted without permission of the Los Angeles Downtown News. If you would like to redistribute anything from the Los Angeles Downtown News Archives, please call our permissions department at (213) 481-1448.
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