How a Volunteer Day Inspired ParksProject.US, a Stylish Social Enterprise Brand

From operating out of coffee shops, to raising more than $2 million for national parks, Parks Project cofounder Keith Eshelman takes us behind the scenes of starting and growing a mission-driven retail brand.  

 

From Yellowstone to Yosemite, and of course, the Grand Canyon, national parks are loved by millions. They are sacred places that preserve our natural heritage, protect endangered species, and offer a much-needed escape from our busy lives. These parks are a testament to our nation's commitment to conservation and provide a space for people to connect with the natural world. By visiting national parks, we can learn about the history, geology, and ecology of our country, and develop a sense of stewardship for the land.   

 
As incredible as national parks are, they are not immune to threats. Some of the most significant dangers to these natural treasures include climate change, overcrowding, and underfunding. Rising temperatures, droughts, and wildfires are just a few examples of how climate change is affecting national parks. Additionally, national parks require constant upkeep, from maintaining trails and visitor centers to managing wildlife populations and combating invasive species. Underfunding is another major concern, as it can lead to a lack of resources for park staff and inadequate maintenance, which can harm the health of ecosystems and jeopardize visitor safety.  

 

Protecting the national parks might literally sound like a massive amount of grounds to cover. But social entrepreneurs like Eshelman have taken an innovative approach. It all started in 2014, when he and his friends were volunteering in the mountains of Santa Monica, where a combination of environmental damage and lack of funding was decimating the area. They began to search for volunteers, and surprisingly found an eager group of nature-lovers ready to spring into action. This gathering eventually led to the creation of ParksProject.US, an outdoor lifestyle brand that purveys premium park products like apparel, home goods, and accessories that all give back and promote the conservation of parklands.  

 

From sustainably-made tanks and tees, to beanies and outdoor gear, its products represent more than retail. It aims to build a community of younger generations who are committed to championing the preservation of our natural parks. But Eshelman and team believe that social enterprises must also be meticulous–and transparent–about monitoring their impact.  

 

 

By 2015, Parks Project was operating out of garages, cars, and coffee shops. Its small but mighty team of about five had managed to raise nearly $4,000. By 2018, Eshelman said that dollar-figure rose by 100x, in large part due to key partnerships with National Geographic and REI.  
 
Fast forward to the present, the Parks Project has since grown to a team of 22, and Eshelman says it has since committed more than $2 million through its giveback program. Here, Eshelman details what it’s like to launch and grow a mission-driven retail brand, the bumps along the way, and how the team has navigated those twists and turns by focusing on the company’s North Star.  

 

Tell us more about the Parks Project–is it just an apparel store? 

Parks Project's mission is to leave the parks a better place than you found it. Our goal is to protect and preserve parklands for generations to come by educating, advocating, volunteering, and activating park supporters to participate in conservation. To date, Parks Project has contributed over $2,500,000 through their giveback promise to help fund vital projects in national parks around the US. 

 

What motivated you and your team to take the first step in launching your organization? 

It started in 2013 when fellow cofounder Sevag and I were doing a post-fire habitat restoration volunteer day, and there weren’t many folks around. That spurred the idea of getting more of our generation connected to the parks and volunteering to help support all the ongoing projects we had learned about. The original vision of the Parks Project was to get friends to volunteer in our parks so we could make a difference and support our favorite open spaces. So we got out as a group, did work, felt good about it, and planned to celebrate with a cold one or two after a day's hard work.  

Then from our experience in apparel and understanding how social enterprise worked after a combined 11 years working at TOMS, we thought it would be cool if people could wear this cause too. 

What was one of the hardest or most unexpected obstacles you had to overcome to get the Parks Project off the ground? 

The obstacle we are maneuvering through is finding the right balance between sustainable business growth and funding projects to restore parklands. We exist to fund projects in the parks, so it’s important for us to grow in a healthy way so we can achieve our audacious goals. So in looking back, especially in the early years, it has been really challenging to finance the growth of the business while giving back lots of our proceeds to park projects. But we made it with flying colors! 

 

Tell us about a moment you are particularly proud of in your business journey? 

There have been many, and in building anything, you have to look at various moments, like building blocks that will eventually provide a foundation. When you get the foundation sorted, then the visible things materialize.  

 

From getting an encouraging email from the creative director at Patagonia to landing our first buy with Urban Outfitters to being the smallest company (next to Disney, REI, Budweiser, etc.) to getting the official license for making National Park Products, there were definitely a few. Additionally, last year, Fast Company recognized us as the most innovative company in retail. Or maybe when we got our first couple of reorders from small boutiques way quicker than we expected and realized that there was a demand for our products! Validation can provide a lot of motivation, but we saw this social enterprise as something that could do some significant work and make a dent in funding projects in the parks. When we visited the nursery we were funding in Muir Woods, that was also a defining moment. We realized our little company was putting thousands of redwoods back in the park. And we thought, if we could scale this company, we could contribute so much.   

 

Any advice you can share for someone thinking of getting their own idea off the ground? 

Get out and celebrate the splendor of this world–and get lost in parks that seem to provide the most pristine and remote environments that nature has to offer. When we experience these places, we have connections with them. From those connections, we will feel more desire and responsibility to take care of them so we can hand them down to the next generation. So get off the screen and plan your next trip; see you out there! 

 

Why did you choose the .US domain for your social enterprise? 

Because it's the country we were founded in, but also the United States has an opportunity to make a difference in supporting parklands in our country for generations to come. 

 

What's next for you and the Parks Project team? 

We have a great volunteer day planned to restore some park habitats in Los Angeles, our hometown and backyard. It’s always about protecting what we call home.