Up Close with EcoDragon

EcoDragon, a natural life-style company, is directed by brothers Eric and Wes Crain. Founded in 1993, the company is guided by the ideals of creating natural fiber products for a healthy lifestyle and a healthy planet. We offer fashion-conscious consumers environmentally-friendly alternatives in footwear and knitwear.

EcoDragon is proud to be working to reintroduce hemp to the American consumer. It is the only fiber that fully meets the environmental standards we have set for our company, and it makes extremely comfortable shoes and apparel. While earth-friendliness is essential to our mission, EcoDragon products are always unique, quality and hip.

HEMP

Hemp is one of the world's foremost renewable resources and has a long and impressive list of attributes. It grows successfully without the use of chemical pesticides or fertilizers. Where other crops rob the soil of nutrients, hemp actually replaces them, making it an excellent rotation crop. It is the strongest vegetable fiber grown and the most versatile - used for thousands of years to produce fabrics, paper, ropes and food.

Our Original Hemp Sandal has been the inspiration for everything that has followed. Like all our sandals, the Original is hand-sewn from hemp and has a patented sole that uniquely conforms to the foot.

A revolution in footwear - natural - hemp - comfort.

In 1997, the company added a knitwear line, introducing the first ever 100% hemp sweater as well as exotic blends with hemp, Tibetan yak's fleece and Mongolian camel hair.

EcoDragon supports traditional farming and handicraft techniques from our manufacturing base near the beginning of the ledgendary Silk Road. There, farmers have grown and worked with hemp for thousands of years, organically and sustainably.

As the 3rd world economy struggles to catch up with Western industrial nations, pollution has become an all too frequent by-product. EcoDragon, however, creates a valuable export that provides a significant boon to the local economy, without adding more toxins to the environment. We are also ever conscious of fair labor practices and never use child labor or sweatshops, and this is written into our contracts.

Founded in this global spirit and tradition, EcoDragon creates natural products for a new millennium from organic thinking, sustainable land practices, compassion towards others and giving back to our community - from our home in New England to our work in Tibet.

ECODRAGON AND CHINA

Eric and Wes Crain began creating EcoDragon as a fusion of their deep family roots in China and their desire to establish a progressive business. The result is a natural apparel company with strong connections to China built on fair trade, environmentally sustainable practices and respect for the historical culture. Today, EcoDragon is a model for global social responsibility in trade. From community empowerment to ecological standards, EcoDragon is pioneering an alternative, better way of doing business in the international economy.The seeds of EcoDragon's current business in China were planted at home for Eric and Wes.  Their parents were some of the first American travelers to China in 1975, at the end of the Cultural Revolution. "Our house was always filled with visiting Chinese professors and artists," recalls Eric. "Both of us traveled to Asia on trips where we experienced Eastern traditions at an early age," adds Wes.

Another important early influence was also local: Helen Snow returned to the Crain’s hometown with husband Edgar Snow, author of Red Star over China, his tale of the 1930s revolution in China. "Helen told us fascinating history, from the forming of a new country to helping establish the Gung Ho cooperatives." says Eric. “Her vision and tireless work on behalf of building mutual understanding was an inspiration. “The heart of EcoDragon’s connection with China is Xi-an, the ancient capital where 7,000 life-sized terra cotta warriors wearing hemp-soled shoes and protecting the tomb of emperor Qin Shi Huang were recently discovered. Xi-an is the gateway to the ancient Silk Road, the major trade route to the West and also the agricultural region that has traditionally grown hemp. Hemp has a rich history in China, dating thousands of years. EcoDragon has adopted this sustainable tradition of organic farming and indigenous skills of processing the fiber to develop our products.

The combination of family history, personal interest in Chinese traditions, and the wish to promote positive Sino-American exchange is why EcoDragon does business with China. "We are creating a progressive model for global business trade that offers an alternative to the usual approach," explain Eric and Wes. "Our fair trade principles and high environmental standards guide the way we do business in China. Add to this our knowledge of and respect for Chinese culture, and EcoDragon is able to positively impact this important trade relationship as a truly socially responsible company."