by MIKE CHAIKEN
CTFashionMag.com
Some environmentally friendly retail from Connecticut has found its way to the vacation land of Cape Cod.
Middletown’s Cinder and Salt has added a location in Chatham, Mass. The retailer is known for selling products that are friendly for the environment.
The addition of a store in Cape Cod is an extension of the history of Cinder and Salt, explained the store’s founder and owner, Rachel DeCavage of Bristol.
“I started the company by doing pop-up markets up in Boston, primarily. It was just a really good opportunity up there to do shows about 10-15 years ago,” said DeCavage.
“I was driving up to Boston every weekend for three years to sell at markets up there and I knew that our coastal stuff and our summer beachy things worked really well in that area,” she said.
“In Connecticut, at our store in Middletown, we sell almost none of our coastal stuff. It’s kind of funny because Connecticut is still a coastal state; but none of that beachy summer kind of stuff sells that well. We sell more of our farmers’ market collection and our camp collection, which is more woodsy and outdoor-sy,” said DeCavage.
She explained, “I wanted to open another retail location where we could really show off the styles that I built the brand on, and we started looking on Cape Cod and found a really wonderful storefront on Main Street in Chatham and decided to take the plunge… So, we’re really looking forward to showcasing our coastal and our surf collections this summer at that store.”
Asked to explain the brand’s environmental bent, DeCavage said, “We’re on a mission to spread eco optimism and that to me is just good positive feelings around nature because the news of climate change and all the things that are going wrong in the world is overwhelming for people. And it can be very depressing. And people feel like, ‘What can I do as one person?’ So, we really like to frame environmentalism in a happy light and let people know that there’s so much that we can do as individuals.”
DeCavage added, “(We also want) to help them get reconnected with nature. And a lot of our imagery and our products are featuring different plants and animals.”
For example, she said, “Our surf collection features a lot of different sea creatures like sea horses, sea turtles, different fish and whales.”
The Bristol resident said, “It’s really about reminding people of all these wonderful animals and lots of bright colors and happiness.”
With all the handwringing about fast fashion and its impact on the environment, Cinder and Salt is the opposite of fast fashion, explained DeCavage.
“I can’t even keep up with that (in terms of production),” said DeCavage. “Even if we wanted to turn out new products every week or every two weeks, it’s not going to be possible for us.”
That said, DeCavage said, “Being a responsible consumer and citizen of this earth is to not make waste. It’s really important to me that the products that we make last for as long as people want to wear them. We have people that bought an octopus T-shirt from us 10 years ago and they’re like, “It just wore out. I need a new one.’ That’s awesome. I don’t want you to have to buy things every year. I want you to be able to wear your favorite clothes for as long. Many of the designs that we’re selling are still the same designs we sold 10 years ago.”
Although she hasn’t had much time yet to see if the visitors and residents on Cape Cod will be receptive to her environmentally friendly message (“We’re still the new kid on the block”), DeCavage is hopeful.
“I do believe that people on Cape Cod care a lot about the ocean,” said the store owner. “I know there’s a lot of great environmental organizations up there and a lot of protected marine areas and marine life, so I’m excited to start partnering up with some of those organizations soon.”
Cinder and Salt’s new location is at 645 Main St., Chatham, Mass. The store is open Wednesday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cinder and Salt also is located at 195 Main St., Middletown. That store is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For information, visit CinderandSalt.com.
Model Abigail Friend poses in a variety to tops available from Cinder and Salt in Middletown, Conn. and Chatham, Mass.
PHOTOS by MIKE CHAIKEN
