20 on '20: Retail is growing, but without workers, is also stagnating

File photo / Courtesy Tom and Kate Chappell Tom and Kate Chappell, founders of Tom’s of Maine.

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By Joy Choquette

Tom Chappell has long experience in the sustainable personal care business — he was the co-founder of Tom’s of Maine — and, despite the challenges everyone has with finding skilled workers, he has a positive outlook for 2020 and beyond for his most recent venture, Ramblers Way.

“For 10 years we have been building a supply chain, product line, team and a reputation,” says Chappell, owner of Kennebunk-based Ramblers Way. “And now we’re ready to drive it with efficient use of significant amounts of cash.”

Ramblers Way, a certified organic wool company, is an apparel company dedicated to sustainability. That sector — sustainable clothing — is experiencing significant growth and is growing by 11% per year.

In 2020, the company will focus on expanding its presence online. It currently has a retail store in Portland and online ordering. Chappell says Ramblers Way will use the data from recent market research and share it with its target audience through social media.

Education is an important piece of the puzzle for the company. “We educate consumers on how we make our products from fiber to finished garment in the U.S.,” Chappell says. “And what is the meaning of sustainable clothing or organic [clothing].”

Challenges for the company are basic but frustrating.

“Our biggest challenge is finding enough people to sew our garments,” says Chappell. “We don’t have enough at the moment and the market is pretty lacking in available skills.”

Currently, the merino wool is purchased and turned into yarn before it is knitted into fabric in Massachusetts. From there, the material arrives in the Kennebunk manufacturing facility, where it’s made into clothing.

Another challenge is the industry’s own growth.

“All the excitement of this high growth could cause us to lose our focus and discipline internally.” Chappell says that he is not worried about a shrinking market because of the fast growth of sustainable clothing sector as a whole.

Still, the company is uniquely positioned.

“We are the leader in sustainable wool clothing,” Chappell says. “Our expertise is in wool, so we know where to get it and how to get it to market because we’ve been doing this for 10 years.”