California Apparel News

Former model and healthy-living entrepreneur Lizanne Falsetto of thinkProducts is putting a fashionable spin on the natural-products industry by bringing together 17 influential companies in a united effort to help raise awareness and funds for breast cancer prevention and research, specifically to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The second annual thinkVitality Fashion Show will be held on Saturday, March 15, at the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, Calif.

“In 2007, the first thinkVitality Fashion Show was held with the aspiration to raise awareness for breast cancer,” Falsetto explains. “The inspiration behind the alliance was to bring together industry leaders who believe in the same concept as thinkProducts—that what you put in, on, and around your body can help prevent disease and cancer. As an alliance of value-based companies, we have a louder voice and a more effective reach to educate and empower consumers.”

From nutritional foods and supplements to beauty and household products, as well as eco-friendly clothing, the thinkVitality Alliance includes Whole Foods Markets, Seventh Generation, Giovanni Cosmetics, Kiss My Face, and Ecover, among others. As a major contributor to healthful eating and a cornerstone of this project, Falsetto’s thinkProducts all-natural, high-protein, low-carbohydrate nutrition bars are made to boost the immune system and prevent disease.

The eco-fashion representatives of this alliance—Stewart & Brown, Under the Canopy, Deborah Lindquist, and Linda Loudermilk—are a quintessential element to the upcoming fashion show. Loudermilk is a newcomer to the event, while designer Deborah Lindquist is a returning participant. Falsetto and Lindquist have partnered in the past to raise funds for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Together they also created the thinkPink wrapper dress. “I’m happy to be participating in the thinkVitality Fashion Show and am proud to be part of a growing community of designers helping to improve our environment by designing clothing with ethically produced materials, and manufactured by ethical and fair trade standards,” says Lindquist. “The event was a huge success last year and will be even better this year.”

Marci Zaroff, founder/president of Under the Canopy, says her company is “proud and excited to join forces with such a passionate group of leaders and companies to promote cancer awareness and prevention and to make a difference to human health, the environment, farmer welfare, and future generations.”

“We are thrilled to join forces with thinkProducts to inspire, transform, educate and demonstrate that great style and taste are not mutually exclusive with social and environmental awareness and responsibility,” Zaroff continues.

The California Apparel News interviewed thinkVitality organizer Lizanne Falsetto to bring further insight into this fashionable, charitable, and earth-conscious endeavor. CAN: Did your former experience as a fashion model play a part in choosing to present the thinkVitality Alliance at a fashion show event?LF: As a fashion model, I started really investigating the connection between proper nutrition, true health, and vitality. Instinctively, I knew that true vitality was that elusive glow that radiates out from people who are truly nourished in their body, mind, and spirit. I also realized that this glow starts with eating pure, whole, nutrient-rich food, and leading a wellness-oriented lifestyle. This realization led me to become an entrepreneur and create thinkProducts. The fashion show is a perfect medium that combines my roots as a model and my mission as an entrepreneur. The alliance coming together at this fashion show provides a fun yet effective display of healthy choices in natural, organic, and eco-friendly foods, household and cosmetic products, and clothing.

CAN: How did you select the participating companies?LF: I pursued the top leaders in the natural industry across multiple categories ranging from food and supplements to cosmetics and hair care products to household products and healthy lifestyle magazines. We are pleased that so many powerful names have the same mission as thinkProducts and have come together to sponsor such a worthy cause. As the old saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child.” We believe it takes the powerful industry leaders to come together with one voice.

CAN: What led you to present a mix of nutritional items, fashion, and household products?LF: Because what you eat, what you wear, and your surroundings impact your overall well-being and helps you to fight illness and disease.

CAN: Were there certain criteria that had to be met to ensure that all of these companies were eco-friendly?LF: The companies that have come together represent themselves with the highest level of integrity and are top industry leaders.

CAN: How did the sponsorship with Whole Foods come about?LF: There is a powerful synergy between Whole Foods Market, thinkProducts, and the other alliance members. We all believe that products in their purest, most natural state keep people and the environment healthier.

CAN: Why did you choose Susan G. Komen for the Cure as a beneficiary of the event?LF: Many of my family members and friends have suffered from cancer. Most recently, my aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer. Being a woman, this is something that I think about for myself, and my children’s future, as well.Like thinkProducts, Susan G. Komen for the Cure believes that in addition to finding a cure, we need to simultaneously educate and empower individuals to help prevent cancer through a healthy lifestyle and environment. Susan G. Komen is also the only organization fighting to cure breast cancer at every stage. They have invested $1 billion in research, education, and health services.

CAN: How is money being raised for this event?LF: Our goal is to raise $250,000 through alliance member sponsorships and others donations. With the event being free, we will welcome attendee donations to help reach our goal.

CAN: Do plan to continue this event annually? LF: Yes. Based on the success of our first show in 2007, we expect the fashion show to continue to raise awareness in the industry and among both natural and mainstream consumers. Our goal is to create a thinkVitality board of natural industry leaders in 2009.

CAN: Will the video and photo campaign be featured elsewhere after the event?LF: The photo campaign will be shown in Clean Eating magazine in their second national publication and in the Natural Food Merchandiser. The video will be used for further press awareness.

CAN: Will you be launching any new thinkProducts to coincide with this event? LF: think5 will be launched at expo, the newest member to the think family.think5 was created by starting with two cups of fruit and three cups of vegetables and slowly drying them to capture all of the delicious goodness and nutrition on the go. The fruits and vegetables in think5 have been carefully selected to provide complementary nutrition that work together to promote overall well being.