It’s time to talk about all things Industry Standard
We’ve been on a kick when it comes to sustainable fashion. First, we laid down the ground rules and truths of how to find the best clothing brands today with Tabea Soriano, and now we are looking deeper with our Verticale Approved brands to help things come full circle. Molly Crossin, current owner and CEO of Industry Standard is here to let you in on all there is to know about their commitment to defining ethical production for her brand Industry Standard — all staying true to her hopes and wishes as a founder and a good human being.
Q
Tell us everything there is to know about Industry Standard.
A
Molly: Industry Standard is a woman-founded and owned wardrobe fundamentals company. We make organic cotton tees, cozy sweatshirts, and small-batch denim responsibly in the US, while always striving to balance price and quality. All of our pieces are designed in New York and made in LA.
Q
What was the defining moment in your life that made you realize that you need a brand like Industry Standard in your life?
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Molly: Fun fact, I’m not the founder of Industry Standard. I first came across the brand as a customer at a pop-up when I found what instantly became my favorite t-shirt. I quickly fell more in love the more I learned about the brand’s values, so when Industry Standard’s founder announced she wanted to sell, I raised funds from friends and family and left my career in advertising to take the helm. So there were technically two defining moments; one where I decided I needed the brand in my life as a customer, and then another when I needed more than the clothes, I needed the whole brand.
Q
It’s clear you’re all about small-batch fashion and using high-quality environmentally conscious materials— can you walk us through more of your production process?
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Molly: There are a lot of sustainability buzzwords that get thrown around and also a lot of greenwashing that happens in the fashion industry so I think it’s really important to define what those words mean to Industry Standard as it relates to how we produce our clothes. For us that means that we strive to incorporate environmentally and socially conscious practices at every point of our production process and operations: the textiles we use, the way the people making the garments are treated, the packaging we ship in, and the community we serve. Since launch, we’ve made all our garments in the US using predominantly organic textiles, shipped in recycled packaging, and donated to causes directly impacting our community like the NY Fund for Public Health. In 2020 we launched a denim recycling program to increase the circularity of our business and there’s a lot more we’re working on.
Q
What are some of the staple Industry Standard pieces and your personal favs?
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Molly: In a very 2020 move we launched sweatpants right at the end of the year. So I’ve been living in the Maya Crop Sweatpant (we also launched a jogger which is a close second). They’re made from this incredibly soft organic cotton fleece cut to a flattering fit so they’re perfect for working from home but you won’t be embarrassed to run errands in them.
Maya Crop Fog, $100
Q
Let’s talk about denim. Can you tell us more about how your jeans are made and share any tips on sizing?
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Molly: The internet has had a lot of feelings about denim lately from calling them “hard pants” or declaring that skinny jeans are dead, I just want to state for the record that jeans aren’t going anywhere. Now that I’ve gotten that out of my system, our jeans are made in small batches so we can really control the process and they’re designed and made to last. To achieve this, we use a high percentage of cotton (90+) to ensure that they can be washed and worn without bagging out. We make them all in downtown LA which is one of the last denim manufacturing centers in the US so we benefit from our factory partners expertise. For sizing it truly depends on the brand so be sure to check sizing charts and textile breakdowns because they vary really widely. A 27 in one brand may be a 29 in another because one is stretchier or the other is more true to size.
Margot Midrise, $130
Q
While we’re still working from home, do you have any insights/good tips about how to style your wardrobe, even if it is only for zoom meetings?
A
Molly: I’m a big proponent of actually getting dressed so that’s tip one. If you’re wearing the pajamas you slept in, you’re not going to be in the right mindset. Tip two is, still be comfortable. Studies are showing that working from home is actually making people’s work days longer so it’s important to be comfortable in the zoom marathon. Tip three is accessories! Throwing on earrings or a necklace is so easy, livens up your look, and honestly makes me feel a little more human. We have so few things now to delineate our work day from our night “decompression” time. I’ve realized the ritual of putting on and taking off jewelry helps me mark that transition.
Q
Last question. We talk about the internet’s best brands (and we trust that you’ve tried a few). We’d love to know about any more Verticale-Approved brands that you support – and why?
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Molly: I love the underwear from Okko. They’re so comfortable and our two brands share a similar ethos of a tight edit of products all carefully made. That’s how I know anything they put out has a lot of thought and love behind it.