Today we’d like to introduce you to Jody Smith
Hi Jody , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Asatre (Ah saw tray) as we know it started in 2021. Asa meaning hemp in Japanese and Tre meaning 3. Since there are 3 founders (Ethan, Chyna, and Jody Smith) of a hemp company, we thought this was a great name and created and trademarked the word, “Asatre”!
However, the actual start of our hemp business venture was in 2018. But, not as you might expect. It all started in a small spare bedroom in Oakland CA. After Ethan graduated from Oaksterdam University, the horticulture school that specializes in cannabis, we learned about the myriad of benefits the cannabis plant provides and wanted to share that with the world. We initially opened a CBD online store with the goal of spreading its wellness and therapeutic benefits across the US. To further our brand name we began to offer organic and eco friendly hemp clothing with our logo on it.
In 2018, when The Farm Bill classified hemp similarly to cotton or other agricultural products, we wanted to know more. What we learned. It is one of the first and strongest natural fibers to be cultivated. It is versatile and durable. It can be grown almost anywhere without chemicals and pesticides. It helps to purify the soil and absorbs Co2. It is natural resistant to mildew and helps to protect against UV rays. So, why not hemp?
So by the end of 2019, we decided to focus more on hemp clothing and accessories. Each day finding new fabrics, manufacturers, and products. Suddenly we had hemp sweatshirts, hemp yoga pants, hemp backpacks, hemp soaps and more. Asatre blossomed into a high quality hemp clothing store and we ultimately decided to remove our CBD products, narrowing in on the sustainability of long lasting organic clothes in a world of fast fashion. Suddenly the spare bedroom was no longer suitable, and we upgraded to a warehouse in Georgia full of products, welcomed new team members, and collaborations with new partnerships. The 3 of us founders never imagined we’d be where we are today, but are motivated more than ever to continue to learn, grow and spread awareness of organic hemp fabric everywhere!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting any new small business has obstacles. Of course, funding of products, payroll for employees, best use of your limited funds for advertising and marketing, unpredictable retail sales and unexpected events (like Covid).
The road is never smooth. But, we continue to grow and improve each and every day. Our products, website, marketing, customer service, inventory, and accounting all has significantly improved. However, we have just scratched the surface of where we want our business to go.
Customers have just started to learn and understand the value and benefits of hemp clothing and accessories. As the market for hemp products grow, we hope to be known for our quality, value, and customer service.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a small company, we listen to our customers. Although we sell on many platforms including our website, Amazon, and Etsy, we have always been accessible. We take great pride and satisfaction with our Top Seller badge on Etsy, our 4.9 stars with 22,000 sales. Our customers know and expect that we stand behind our products and we will do what we can to provide an exceptional experience.
We don’t just sell hemp products. We continually try to improve upon them and create new ones. Our customers are heard and valued.
Any big plans?
As always, we continually try to get better than we were the year before. In terms of our products, we try to improve upon the quality, durability, style, sizing, and value. We expect to add several new products and fabrics this fall and next spring. We will add more products to Amazon so they can be seen and purchased world wide. We will continue to improve upon our marketing and become more accessible through Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, as well as our current platforms.
We hope that we can bring our eco friendly hemp products to main streets world wide.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.Asatre.com
- Instagram: @Asatre.co
- Facebook: Asatre
- Twitter: @Asatreco
- Youtube: @AsatreCo-mr1qc
Image Credits
Madison Smith
