Ecologyst, the Victoria B.C. outdoor apparel company founded as Sitka, has secured an investment of over $950,000 from The District, a Vancouver based media company. The partnership will also enable Ecologyst to tap into Districts’ monthly online viewership of over 2 billion impressions.
Ecologyst has already invested in a videographer and photographer to support stores around the brand’s sustainable commitment, such as their series on the herring, #BigLittleFish. The short films also showcase the Ecologyst gear in action and tell the story behind the company.
Josh Carr-Hilton, an entrepreneur and founder of The District, said, “I respect what Ecologyst represents in the retail sector. Their locally made, sustainably sourced manufacturing standards represent a model I want to see succeed in our current climate. The opportunity to invest in a company whose team and brand so honestly and authentically represent standards I wish to endorse in retail is what drew me to this opportunity. Together we will expand on this vision and develop new profit-generating publishing methods through an expanded media presence. As a strategic partner, we plan to incorporate content and expand the product offering from Ecologyst across our global influence within the music sector. I’m confident that sustainable products can become a larger component of developing and mainstream musicians around the world and I see Ecologyst being that partner.”
René Gauthier, Ecologyst’s founder and CEO, said, “This funding is an endorsement of our business model that planet and profit can co-exist. We have been committed to reducing our impact on the planet, and our community has valued the stories that we have told. Working with Josh we will be able to tell the stories to a significantly larger audience. In addition, Ecologyst apparel will reach a significantly larger audience.”
Photo courtesy Ecologyst
