September 4th, 2012 
Jessica Althoff is the founder of shopfuturestandard.com, an online ethical apparel and accessories boutique. Ethical consumer awareness is a cause that Jessica is passionate about. Future:Standard has even partnered up with other brands that are certified ethical, fair trade and micro enterprise to develop Shop Good, San Diego’s first ethical pop-up shop. Jessica was kind enough to chat with us at Shop Good, and let us know what Future:Standard is up to.
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Q: What is your fashion background?
A: I am from Santa Rosa, Calif. I went to USD for both undergrad and grad school. While in grad school, I had an internship with Pants to Poverty, an ethical underwear company. I also have a lot of retail experience, mostly at Nordstrom.
Q: When did you realize you wanted to develop Future:Standard?
A: Well, I always knew I wanted to own a boutique. Probably about four years ago, I started thinking about an ethical clothing boutique and then, a few years later, I eventually launched F:S.
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Q: How would you define what Future:Standard exemplifies?
A: Ethical and accessible. We are a shop that wants to show you that ethical clothing is as beautiful as regular clothing. We have a casual look.
Q: What do you believe makes a quality article of clothing?
A: Well made, something that makes the wearer feel like herself, and amazing. A really good fit. I am a texture person, so I like anything soft. And, of course, made well, by people who are getting paid a fair wage and made using sustainable materials.
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Q: What gives you inspiration?
A: Other people. There are so many really amazing people out there doing really cool things. I love hearing about them. We give 1% of our sales to environmental charities. I change it every so often, but right now we are donating to Rainforest Alliance.
Q: What have been your accomplishments so far?
A: I have been most proud of our customers’ reactions to F:S so far. It is really exciting to see customers learn about ethical clothing, and make a commitment to start wearing more eco-friendly clothing. I love hearing about what they think.
(Photo Credit: Shop Good)
Q: What is next for Future:Standard?
A: We’d like to expand into shoes eventually. Then men’s. There are a lot of really great ethical mens lines out there, and I would love to carry them.
To purchase and find more information on ethical brands visit their web-site or attend the Shop Good pop-up shop in the near future.
