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Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/174813
SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY continued from page 70 which liked the idea but told him to "come back when the factory is up and running." Finally, the company was able to sign on two clients— Threads 4 Thought, an ethical fashion company that sells through Whole Foods Markets; and Boxercraft, an Atlanta-based company that sells to the college market. That was enough to get the factory up and running this fall. As the dream becomes a reality, Industrial Revolution II has seen a surge in interest and is involved in talks with 10 brands, "some of them quite large," says Broggi. "Two months ago, my anxiety was about getting customers. Now my anxiety has completely shifted the other way—we need to execute." If all goes well, the company plans to build another factory outside Port-au-Prince within the next few years that would use wind and solar energy to become the first LEED-certified factory in the Caribbean. But that's just the beginning of the company's plans. "Once we prove we can make this a successful model, then the third phase is to replicate this —ROB BROGGI in other developing countries," says Broggi. After all, he says with an analyst's eye for the numbers, the apparel manufacturing industry is a $500 billion industry with 150,000 factories worldwide—more than enough room for an ethical company to capture market share. And if Industrial Revolution II succeeds, then Broggi and his team will have done more than help solve the problems of one small country. They'll have set an entire industry down a more humane path. BC "With the right approach, Haiti's economic struggle is a problem that could be solved in my lifetime. If I could be a part of that, it would be incredibly satisfying." Sermoneta gloves 115 Newbury Street, Boston MA 068-073_BC_SP_SpOfGen_LateFall13.indd 72 PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION II Designer and philanthropist Donna Karan consults for the Industrial Revolution II factory in Haiti. 9/17/13 3:31 PM