Marie is from Hamburg, Germany, but lives part of the year in Bali where the pieces of her surfwear label Zealous (founded in 2010) are produced. In our interview she talks about the challenges of founding a surfwear brand (spoiler: there’s a few) but also the benefits that leading a life between a big city like Hamburg and the palm trees of Bali brings.
Marie, let’s go back in time first: What was the moment that you were fascinated by surfing?
Hi, thanks so much for having me! I think there was no particular time as I’ve been growing up skiing and snowboarding which led me to the big surf & snow brands that influenced me ever since. Of course there are almost no waves in Germany, but throughout the years, my wish to live somewhere tropical where I could learn to surf, grew stronger and stronger. I went to Australia for a school exchange at age 15, tried surfing again shortly after on the German island of Sylt and eventually booked a surf camp stay in France. There was definitely no talent to be found during these trials, but that didn’t cause me to let go of my dream. During my studies, I managed to study a semester abroad, in Bali! Honestly, I had no idea where on the globe this island was located but I knew that it had palm trees and waves! And from then on, I’ve been surfing every other day and spend as much time as possible by the ocean.
You live in Bali and Hamburg. How do you split your year between these two places?
I used to spend 2x2 months a year in Hamburg and the other eight in Bali. But because I got pretty tired from flying and packing my life in a suitcase twice a year, it’s become more like ten months in Bali and two in Hamburg. It was always okay for me to have two homes, but the longer you stay out of the rat-race, the less you fit in. Even though I don’t really see myself as the exotic stereotypical expat, I certainly need more than making money to spend it on materialistic things.
What is your professional background?
I’ve obtained a Bachelor of Engineering, in Clothing Technology and Management. I’ve always yearned to study something creative but Fashion Design didn’t seem too promising regarding job opportunities, and neither did Architecture. Ok, and my grades weren’t good enough to be accepted for dentistry, haha! The latter is still my secret little dream, maybe one day I’ll study again! So I ended up with engineering and took a lot of courses that were the complete opposite of a creative outlet. My studies included machine-building, maths, physics, statistics, a loooot of chemistry, production management, electrical engineering but also pattern making, textile technology and actually manufacturing. But hell yeah, I’m so grateful for this background because it grants me such an advantage in my work with Zealous.
How did you set up your business?
I’m a sole trader and registered in Germany. My warehouse in Hamburg is managed by my friends who run their own fulfillment company. All products are manufactured by small to medium sized family run businesses in Bali. I work directly with some of them for smaller production runs. For the big production runs, I work with an agent who overlooks the production, fabric purchasing, and timeline. For quality control I make sure to work super closely together with them, to spot any issues as early as possible.
How did you come up with the decision to produce in Indonesia?
I’ve been making all Zealous products by hand and almost gave up on it before I went to Indo for my semester abroad. Then I realized that there’s still a lot of textile businesses left in Indonesia. And throughout the first months and years, I’ve come from getting three t-shirts made with the tailor around the corner to full on production runs to serve my B2B customers in Europe.
How big is the Zealous team by now?
It’s Gesche and Julian who are running the warehouse in Hamburg, Syukri in Bali who’s managing our social media and me. Sometimes, I also have interns helping me out for a few months, so we can realize ideas and projects that I’m not able to do alone.
What are the most important criteria when it comes to proper surfwear?
An important basic criteria is to have an eye for good fits and to be able to spot what could cause problems when wearing the suit or bikini. For example a seam under the armpit could cause you rashes from paddling when sitting too high under the arm or having too much excess fabric inside. And then of course, surf bikinis should sit super tight so they won’t move in the surf. Any kind of reinforcement like tie strings, elastic bands and bar tacks helps in staying put in the surf.
What was your biggest challenge with Zealous so far?
My biggest challenge were the first two years or so after switching from handmade by myself to having the products made by someone else instead. There are so many things to consider when having lots of products manufactured at the same time, shipped and imported to Germany, and distributed here. You’ve got deadlines, but will the fabric you need be back in stock before it’s too late? You will have to pay penalties, if you deliver late to your wholesale customers. But what if the shipping and custom clearance takes unexpectedly long? And what if some of the products suddenly have a completely different color? Or you’ve got them imported already before you realize that the quality is not sufficient? And what if you’re about to send your main order of the year to your manufacturer and they suddenly tell you they’re closing down? This was all happening while I was still in my final years of studying and writing my bachelor thesis. I’ve had a lot of sleepless nights in the beginning before I eventually learned that everything will be fine. No one will bite my head off for the striped t-shirt they’ve ordered is now plain colored because the fabric was sold out. It’s all about finding solutions and there are mostly always alternative ways to get things done. I definitely got more chilled throughout the years and it’s all kinda daily business now.
What do you appreciate most about having your own label?
The freedom of spending Mondays somewhere on a tropical beach if I want to. The opportunities and inspiration I get from collaborating with other artists, photographers, yogis, surfers and open minded, adventurous people. Most of all, it’s the creative outlet I’ve always needed!
Can you make a living from Zealous or do you have other jobs besides?
I can actually make a living :) But it’s been a few years of hard work, trials, errors and no income, until it started paying off.
Your label supports a fair production and works CO2 neutral. Through which actions do you achieve both things?
As I mentioned above, most manufacturers in Bali are super small and a lot of people work from home. There are no chart boards with time limits they have to obey for production of specific products. It’s all a bit more chilled and done in island style. That also allows me to come by and see everyone involved whenever I want and need to. And through speaking with them, I know that they earn enough to make a living and send their kids to school.
I’m offsetting the CO2 emissions that Zealous causes by flying back and forth from Germany to Indo, motorbike rides and deliveries, product shipments, the online shop as well as emails and the electricity we need for daily work. For example, at the moment, I’m trying to offset the current emissions with an organization that works on reforestation of mangrove trees which are super efficient in storing CO2. All shipments to our end customers are shipped with DHL Go Green for which we pay an additional fee to cover the emissions caused with the shipment.
My boyfriend and I also want to set up solar panels in the office pretty soon to run the air conditioning and have all devices charging on solar power!
It’s a lil’ downer but still a big deal for most entrepreneurs and businesses: Covid19. What impact does it have on Zealous?
Luckily, I’ve launched the new SS20 collection just before the whole corona thing started in Europe. But yes, I’ve absolutely noticed a few slow weeks since then when the news in Europe were going crazy and people were thinking about a lot but going on summer holidays. As an online business, I’m grateful to not have had such a strong impact as retail businesses who eventually had to close their doors and missed out on essential sales to cover their costs. That also meant that quite a few of my B2B customers had or still have issues paying for the collections I’ve already delivered. But with the government helping out with funds and better conditions on loans as well as having long term and friendly partnerships with my customers, we could find solutions for everyone.
A bummer though was that I had planned to open the first Zealous women’s surf store in Bali this year! That is definitely postponed to who knows when. And as my boyfriend and I are planning to move to Lombok sooner or later, it’s probably the sign to open the store over there :-D
What are your future plans for Zealous?
Definitely to open this shop! But I got used to the idea of going with the flow. Besides that, I’m currently working on bringing a stylish new item on the market which I haven’t found anywhere else yet. So stay tuned!
What's your advice for other surfpreneurs who are just starting out?
Work your a** off, be persistent, know your worth, and remember that everything will be alright!
Last but not least: Which was your perfect wave so far?
A barrel I’ve caught on my 9’0 single fin out at Kuta Reef a few years ago – uncomparable.
Marie, thank you so much for all your answers & fingers crossed your shop will open soon. Plus, I am really curious what that stylish new item is ;) All the best for you & Zealous!
Interviewed by Sophie Krause
Writer and marketeer being addicted to chickpeas, loving everything outdoors (but especially the ocean) and wishing her zodiac sign was turtle. Sophie is collaborating with Surfpreneurs Club as writer to inspire others (and also herself) with the unique & exciting stories of all the great people you will (kind of) meet here.
Interviews with surf entrepreneurs
