Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tanya Ragragola. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Tanya, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I wanted to create a brand and be a part of a global movement that is driving awareness and change throughout the apparel industry. Play Salty understands that we cannot tackle this feat of preserving Nature and her oceans by ourselves. However, together, we can make persistent changes for the betterment of our earth. Dreams of being part of the solution instead of adding to the global climate crisis are what brought me to find my purpose today.
As a sustainable apparel business owner, what makes me most proud of my business is my contribution to making the earth a better place to live, to breathe in, to be in. Having an eco-friendly brand allows me to be the responsible adult I have morphed into. I am also proud of the amount of work and planning that goes into creating each piece of apparel and I am completely in love with the process. Every year Play Salty sees an opportunity to grow and that is what we have been doing with our revenue growing steadily year over year. This makes me extremely proud because this shows me that we are doing something right and that the many sleepless nights are all worth it in the long run. Play Salty is not just a random company to me that we are building, it’s part of who I am as a human being. It has taken a lot out of me as it is a demanding dedication that requires a lot of hard work and mostly perseverance, but I enjoy it in every way.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
The ocean is a source of life, everything eventually flows back to the sea. From the rivers and lakes in the mountains, and the creeks that flow to the sea, it all goes back to the source, the ocean. She is, after all, one of nature’s greatest gifts. Something we also need to protect, cherish and preserve.This was the inspiration and founding idea for creating Play Salty, an eco-conscious apparel brand, inspired and designed around my deep love for the ocean. As we are all innately drawn to her, in one way or another.
Play Salty is more than just a surf brand, we are an eco-friendly ocean lovers’ apparel. The name “Play Salty” is universal. It can be anything from playing on a beach in the sand, stand up, paddle boarding, fishing, surfing, kayaking, or simply floating down a river. Play Salty is a brand that ocean lovers and everyone, of all walks of life can enjoy; just like the ocean.
I chose to quit my job and dedicate my life to creating this sustainable apparel brand and advocating for our planet. I became a member of 1% for the Planet because I understand the difference it makes in the long run for our planet if we recycle, reuse, and implement sustainability practices proven to work. At Play Salty we understand that textiles are at the top, along with aluminum, as the highest greenhouse gas emitters per unit of material. A substantial amount of the high carbon footprint is associated with the source of energy for production. It requires 700 gallons of water to produce one cotton shirt and 2,000 gallons for a single pair of jeans. Implementing sustainability practices while creating our apparel helps make a contribution to health and a difference to the planet in the reduction of industrial water pollution.
With Play Salty, we have rooted ourselves to make a positive impact on the planet, to make swimwear, surf, beach and ocean apparel for everyone who loves the water. In the infancy of building Play Salty, as a brand, we became 1% of the Planet members, as another way to show we are doing our part to give back. The foundational pieces are based on being eco-friendly and on sustainability, working with manufacturers and designers who align with those values. Manufacturing factories which have safe practices, are eco-friendly (currently eco-conscious at the least), and most importantly humane and sweatshop free. Even our packaging is rooted in a sustainable approach. We petitioned our fulfillment company to use recycled packaging. Others using that company followed in suit; they listened. The packaging from our shipping department is from “the better packaging co.” (another women-led brand) that’s compost friendly. Our parcels are Boox boxes that are reusable, not single-use plastics. We also make the conscious effort to utilize kraft paper packing tape instead of clear plastic for our oversized parcels.
Play Salty goes above and beyond in regard to its apparel production practices. I personally ensure that Play Salty does its part by creating environmentally conscious goods. It is also my mission to ensure that awareness is displayed with every piece we create so that people can grow conscious of the repercussions associated with the mass production of retail goods. Play Salty is an advocate for the ethical garment manufacturing process that respects our oceans, our environment, our people, and our animals. This is why I became a sustainable brand small business owner.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I will tell you what was most impactful on me on my journey… As a woman in the corporate world working with 2000 suits and only being the third female hired, I found it hard to break the ‘in’ of manufacturing boundaries. I’m self-taught and had to learn all the ins and outs of manufacturing and being a buyer for my own business. Every person I contacted assumed I was a man and addressed me as such. They all assumed or more or less treated me as if I knew nothing about sustainability and the buying of recycled fabrics. A lot of the sourcing I did with such businesses actually involved trying to sell me fabrics that said person claimed to be recycled fabric. However, they were not! This only added fuel to my fire and to my mission of building a sustainable brand with eco-friendly fabrics.
I feel it is no secret that women are underestimated, underpaid, and undervalued. This fuels me to make a space for women to be the exact opposite while doing something for the good of the planet and the people residing on it. I’ve been bullied as a woman. I’ve been told to be quiet, as my opinion does not matter. I could go on and on, but I will end here. Let’s raise each other up and do what we can to make this world we live in better for us all! Together is better!!
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
We’re always looking to connect with like-minded individuals to partner and/or collaborate with. We strive to attract not only new customers, but our target audience of believers in our eco-friendly and sustainable approach and have them join us in our mission to leave our environment in a better shape than how we found it, and in style. As we say at Play Salty, it starts with a ripple.
Anyone interested in connecting with Play Salty can do so by sending us a DM on Instagram at @playsaltyapparel or email us at aloha@playsalty.com. Please feel free to read more about us and our mission on our website at https://www.playsalty.com/pages/about.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.playsalty.com/
- Instagram: @playsaltyapparel
- Facebook: @playsaltyapparel
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanya-ragragola-55a67810/
