Why Sustainable Apparel Brands Fail (And How Wildhaven Wools Is Doing It Right) with Julia Billings What does it really take to build a sustainable apparel brand that lasts? In this episode of The Business of Apparel Podcast, Rachel sits down with Julia Billings, founder and CEO of Wildhaven Wool, to unpack the real story behind building a values-driven kids apparel brand from Alaska, without cutting corners, chasing trends, or underpricing the product. Julia shares how she turned a personal need into a profitable brand, why merino wool is one of the most misunderstood materials in fashion, and what most founders get wrong about sustainability, pricing, and growth. This is an unfiltered conversation about long timelines, tough decisions, pricing with confidence, and why loving your idea is non-negotiable if you want to survive entrepreneurship. If you're building (or thinking about building) an apparel brand, and want to do it ethically, profitably, and with intention, this episode is required listening. Sign up for the Secrets Behind Billion Dollar Apparel Brands Masterclass here: https://www.thebusinessofapparel.com/secrets Join The Board here: https://www.thebusinessofapparel.com Key Moments: 00:27 Julia Billings: Founder of Wildhaven Wools 00:54 The Origin of Wildhaven Wools 02:54 The Benefits of Merino Wool 04:28 Sustainability and Longevity in Kids' Clothing 06:42 Masterclass Announcement 07:54 Commitment to Sustainability 14:03 Advice for Aspiring Apparel Entrepreneurs 17:50 Overcoming Initial Hurdles 18:31 Starting Small and Understanding Your Customer 19:20 The Importance of Passion and Innovation 22:05 Believing in Your Vision Despite Doubts 25:02 Fail Fast and Learn from Failure 28:01 Pricing and Profitability 32:00 Community Impact and Final Thoughts CONNECT WITH JULIA: Julia Billings is the founder of Wildhaven Wools, a sustainable children's clothing brand making merino wool base layers designed to expand as kids grow and fit for 3+ years. An Alaskan mom who believes deeply in the importance of raising kids in connection with nature, Julia started Wildhaven to make warm layers that could keep up with her rowdy kids all-day outdoor play, without harming the planet and its inhabitants in the process. Since starting her brand in 2022, Julia has grown Wildhaven from a home sewing operation to US-based commercial manufacturing and a business that pays her a paycheck and employs other women in her rural community. In addition, Wildhaven has helped thousands of customers outfit their kids in 100% natural ethical merino and live the core belief that all kids deserve a childhood spent outside and wild. Website: https://wildhavenwools.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildhavenwools/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildhavenwools Watch more of The Business of Apparel Podcast episodes: Wholesale 101: https://youtu.be/lpezH1YwCyE Use AI in Your Apparel Brand: https://youtu.be/Dn9tjPNmfaw Grow A 7-Figure Apparel Business: https://youtu.be/rpQYDyo5Rao We can't wait to hear what you think of this episode! Purchase the Business of Apparel Online Course: https://www.thebusinessofapparel.com/course ABOUT RACHEL: Rachel Erickson—Fractional COO, Apparel Industry Consultant, and founder of Unmarked Street and The Business of Apparel. With 20+ years in technical design and product development leadership, I've sat at the executive table of a $25M apparel line and helped scale it to $60M in one year. After decades working inside major fashion companies, I learned the truth behind billion-dollar brands, and it's not about chasing trends or pumping out endless products. It's about building clean processes, tightly edited assortments, and obsessively focused customer targeting. I help founders and CEOs of performance apparel brands: ✅ Build lean, profitable product lines ✅ Streamline operations for growth ✅ Replace overwhelm with executive clarity ✅ Create garments that fit bodies in motion Whether you're just hitting $1M in revenue or trying to break through the $10M ceiling, my team joins you as an embedded operations and product partner—running fittings, line plans, tech packs, and vendor communications so you can get back to leading. To connect with Rachel, you can join her LinkedIn community here: LinkedIn. To visit her website, go to: www.unmarkedstreet.com.
