# Howies > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Howies > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Howies.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howies > Source revision: 1352853054 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Howies** is a clothing company based in west [Wales](/source/Wales). The company was founded in 1995 and produces eco-friendly T-shirts, jeans and sportswear, with the aim of having ethically correct practices.[2][3] Howies use natural fabrics as alternatives to petrochemical-derived modern fabrics, including [organic cotton](/source/Organic_cotton), [merino wool](/source/Merino_wool) and [recycled cotton](/source/Cotton_recycling).[4][5] Howies T-shirts often have images or slogans with political or environmental themes and are [screen printed](/source/Screen_printing) by hand in a workshop located at the brand headquarters.[5] ## Brand The Howies brand has a strong identity within many UK active sports, notably [mountain biking](/source/Mountain_biking),[6] [surfing](/source/Surfing) and [skateboarding](/source/Skateboarding), and has sponsored a number of athletes in these disciplines.[7] It has made a number of special edition products associated with the Howies brand, notably with Curtis Bikes who continue to offer Howies blue as a standard colour option on many of their bikes. The company is particularly well known for its T-shirt designs, notably the *classic* logo design as well as *9 bikes*, *CCTV*, *Life**, *Blood Donor* and *Home Work*. The Howies name is often written in lowercase - the company's preferred style. ## History Howies was founded by Clare and David Hieatt in 1995. The name "Howies" is derived from Clare's maiden name of "Howells".[4][8] Howies first marketing and team manager was Jeff Boardman 1996 - 2001. Branding expert Mark Simmons was managing director from 1999 to 2001. The company relocated from [London](/source/London) to [Wales](/source/Wales) in 2001[9][10] and the company's first proper mail order catalogue is produced.[10] In 2003, [Levi Strauss & Co.](/source/Levi_Strauss_%26_Co.) threatened to sue Howies over the placement of a logo bearing tab on the rear right buttock pocket of their jeans. The Howies Tab is grey, the Levis Tab is Red.[11] In 2011, the Hieatts sold the company to [The Timberland Company](/source/The_Timberland_Company), for £3.2m.[9][12][13][disputed – discuss] In November 2008, Howies was cited as the 6th most 'recession-proof' company in the UK.[14] In September 2009, David Hieatt, one of Howies' founders, mentioned on Twitter that he was due to leave the company at the end of October 2009.[15] In December 2011, Howies closed its London shop, which was situated on [Carnaby Street](/source/Carnaby_Street).[16] In January 2012, Howies' management team announced that they had purchased the company back and that Howies would continue to operate from [Cardigan](/source/Cardigan,_Ceredigion) as an independent company.[17] ## References 1. ["Howies - Info"](http://www.howies.co.uk/info#contact). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20161024223810/http://www.howies.co.uk/info#contact) 2016-10-24 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2016-10-24. 1. [Daring to be different in a brand new way](https://www.theguardian.com/guardian_jobs_and_money/story/0,,1226801,00.html), *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)*, 2004-05-29 Accessed on August 24, 2007. 1. [howies mixes fun with ecology](http://search.ft.com/ftArticle?page=11&queryText=%22Levi+Strauss%22&id=060310007485)[dead link], *[Financial Times](/source/Financial_Times)*, 2006-03-10 Accessed on August 29, 2007. 1. ["Feature.003 HOWIES"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070824221758/http://www.steal-life.com/features/04howies.html), "STEAL-LIFE", January 2005. Accessed on August 23, 2007. 1. [howies Interview](http://www.singletrackworld.com/article.php?sid=1529) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20070930015422/http://www.singletrackworld.com/article.php?sid=1529) 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine, Issue 18, Singletrack Magazine, 2004-12-15. Accessed on August 23, 2007. 1. Bicycling Staff (April 2012). "Below the Belt". No. 3, vol. 53. Hearst Publishing. Bicycling. pp. 102–103. 1. Parrish, Nick (October 18, 2007). ["Howies"](https://adage.com/article/special-report/howies/121190). *AdAge*. Crain Communications. Retrieved 13 June 2022. Howies ... got even more play on the backs of sponsored skateboarding, mountain bike and BMX teams. 1. ["howies - now more than just an escape route, Llwybro-Routes, Welsh Assembly Government's Department of Enterprise, Innovation and Networks"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070927200226/http://www.wda.co.uk/index.cfm/opportunities_for_people/llwybro_routes/casestudies/mid_wales/howies/en11755). Archived from [the original](http://www.wda.co.uk/index.cfm/opportunities_for_people/llwybro_routes/casestudies/mid_wales/howies/en11755) on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-08-23. 1. [Timberland buys 'green' company](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/mid_/6357445.stm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20191008120135/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/mid_/6357445.stm) 2019-10-08 at the Wayback Machine, *[BBC News Online](/source/BBC_News_Online)*, 2007-02-13 Accessed on August 24, 2007. 1. [howies, Our History](http://www.howies.co.uk/content.php?xSecId=5) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20070828152149/http://www.howies.co.uk/content.php?xSecId=5) 2007-08-28 at the Wayback Machine, Accessed on August 23, 2007. 1. [David v Goliath battle as Welsh jeans company tells Levi's to butt out](https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/may/02/wales) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160307165220/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/may/02/wales) 2016-03-07 at the Wayback Machine, 2003-05-03 1. [Timberland buys howies, Inteletex](http://www.inteletex.com/NewsDetail.asp?PubId=&NewsId=5058) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20070928171232/http://www.inteletex.com/NewsDetail.asp?PubId=&NewsId=5058) 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine, 2006-12-05 Accessed on August 24, 2007. 1. ["How a Welsh jeans firm became a cult global brand"](https://hiutdenim.co.uk/pages/how-a-welsh-jeans-firm-became-a-cult-global-brand). *Hiut Denim Co.*. Retrieved 2023-01-24. 1. [Stores must up their game to beat recession](http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article5068028.ece) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110612081520/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article5068028.ece) 2011-06-12 at the Wayback Machine, 2008-11-03. 1. "Glad do lectures is done now. Gives me time to have a think about what I will do after I leave howies at end of Oct.". No. 4056845617. 17 September 2009. 1. [howies – a small independent, ethically minded store forced to close London Store](http://geographyblog.eu/wp/howies-a-small-independantethically-minded-store-forced-to-close-london-store) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20121027013146/http://geographyblog.eu/wp/howies-a-small-independantethically-minded-store-forced-to-close-london-store/) 2012-10-27 at the Wayback Machine, 2011-12-17. 1. ["On Our Own Two Feet" a howies blog post](http://www.howies.co.uk/brainfood/?p=22675) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20120108023549/http://www.howies.co.uk/brainfood/?p=22675) 2012-01-08 at the Wayback Machine, 2012-01-06. ## External links - [Official website](http://www.howies.co.uk) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Howies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howies) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howies?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.