WILMINGTON — The HALF UNITED story could begin at any number of starting points: An internship with TOMS Shoes. A bag of discarded bullet casings. A $200 start-up investment. A vision for helping children in need. But if you ask Wilmington based, brother-sister founders — Christian and Carmin Black where it really starts, it always goes back to their parents and an upbringing that nurtured a passion for people, design, charity, and entrepreneurship.
In the summer of 2009, Christian Black was a creative college student working on his own T-shirt business when his sister convinced him to launch HALF UNITED. The idea was to create a range of necklaces from discarded bullet casings. Now, 9 years later, the perfectly-named “Fighting Hunger Bullet Necklace” remains the company’s bestseller. The siblings have helped feed over half a million children, and have partnered with non-profits in Haiti, Nepal, Cambodia, and Fiji.
Port City Daily caught up with Christian Black to talk about ethical fashion, the ever-growing HALF UNITED collection and his favorite local spots.
What was the key reason and inspiration in starting HALF UNITED?
The entire reason we started this business was to use traditional business as a way to change the lives of people in need, in the U.S. and beyond. When Carmin called me, in 2009, with the idea of HALF UNITED, she was working for TOMS Shoes, a business that gives a pair of shoes away for every pair they sell. Carmin and I were raised in church by parents that both owned their own businesses but we never really considered using business to help people. After Carmin’s time at TOMS we saw that it was possible. We didn’t have a specific product in mind; we just wanted to start a fashion brand that fed kids in need.
The fashion industry is notorious for its human rights and environmental abuses how does Half United overcome that?
We really strive to do as much as we can locally, honestly and ethically. When something is not done locally we always ensure things are ethical and done right. In 2014 we visited Haiti with TOMS Shoes and fell in love with the country. Since then we have partnered with Papillon Enterprise and Haiti Made to empower people in Haiti through job creation, one of the poorest countries in the world. We have all of our metal products custom made in Los Angeles, Calif. We could very easily have our jewelry made in China, at a questionable factory, at a fraction of the cost, but we are proud to provide quality products handmade in America by hard working Americans.
Describe a typical day for you?
I typically get up around 6:30 a.m. For some reason, I always skip breakfast. I’ll usually enjoy a cup of coffee with my wife and I might watch yesterday’s news (Hulu) or read my Bible and journal. I typically get to work around 8:30 a.m. and start planning my day in (Half United’s) marketing department, reading emails and checking on how everyone’s doing in the office. Our team has all staff meetings on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:30. From there it’s just nose to the grindstone, working on creative and marketing and meetings. I get off most days around 6 p.m. and if I can I will play the drums or surf if there’s waves, spend time with family and friends. Pretty normal stuff, I reckon.
How has being based in Wilmington, N.C., changed your approach to being in the fashion industry?
Location is a big challenge for us. We don’t have the benefits in the fashion industry that a NYC or LA has to offer so a lot of what we do is online, on the phone or traveling. We could very easily uproot, but we are invested in the Wilmington community and if every fashion brand that starts here just leaves then we’ll always be in this situation. We really want to be a part of a fashion revolution in Wilmington and in North Carolina as a whole. It’s cool to see local fashion brands like Merewife, I Like It Here Club, and Freaker growing, succeeding and inspiring.
You are in partnership with your sister, Carmin Black, how do you keep family and business separate?
This is certainly a big challenge. We’ve done a lot of growing and learning since starting this in ’09. There have been many tears and fights. I’ve even punched through a desk before … I’ve said this before but starting a business will teach you a lot about yourself. Carmin and I have both matured a lot and really come to be best friends. We haven’t really set any hard lines on when and where we can be family versus business partners. We’ve tried to separate family from our work when we’re at work … but come on. We’re always going to act like siblings in some ways.
What do you think it takes to stand out these days?
You can’t try too hard. You have to be authentic. There’s been times where we’ve tried to chase a trend or do what’s cool at the time, but that only lasts for so long. Our goal is to be timeless and true to whom we are. I think that’s what makes you stand out and succeed.
What is a fashion trend at the moment that excites you?
I think for a long while, and even still, guys have been wearing tight pants. It’s cool that bigger pants are coming back into style, which is a great example of timeless fashion. Men have been wearing bigger, straight-legged pants for forever. I have some pants that look like they were vacuum-sealed to my legs and I’m like “what was I thinking?” haha! I like chino pants, high waters and shirts that are slightly larger than I used to wear. HALF UNITED is working on unisex rings, which I am totally jazzed for.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given that you’ve actually followed?
A good friend of mine, Duane Mixon, told me, before I got married, not to care more about being right than my marriage. It’s a great reminder when I want to start a fight about something stupid (not that I’ve never started a fight about something stupid.) But it’s so true and something that you can relate to any relationship. Care more about what’s right than being right … oooh, that’s good right there.
Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on?
Meetings are stupid! Carmin and I will disagree about this all day long. Not all meetings but most meetings. When I get to work I want to focus and complete a task but when I’m interrupted to talk about something completely unrelated, everyday, I lose focus and even a little motivation. Now this is another thing I need to work on because I know not all meetings are stupid and that I own a business and can’t only work on creative and marketing, but I do think there needs to be a balance.
Where do you go and what do you do when you’re not working?
I have a little secret spot around Fort Fisher that I like to go to for surf. It’s a cool spot that I enjoy going to alone or with my wife, my dog or a couple friends. Carolina Beach Skate Park is always fun in the middle of the day when no one is around. One of my greatest passions in life is playing drums so a lot of my free time is spent playing and learning as much as I can. I love good food so perhaps I would stop by a great local restaurant. My favorite spot is Surf House on Carolina Beach. Best burger on the planet.
