Project Description
A vegetarian since childhood, in 1990, Marci co-founded a thriving health & environmental educational center called “Gulliver’s Living & Learning Center”, with an AVEDA spa, national magazine (“Macrocosm”) and organic cafe (“Lilliput”), known today as the world’s largest nutrition school: “The Institute for Integrative Nutrition” (www.integrativenutrition.com).
After a decade in the natural/organic food and beauty worlds, Zaroff recognized the “missing link” in the wellness equation, and in 1996, seized the opportunity to launch leading lifestyle brand Under the Canopy, to coin and trademark the term “ECOfashion®” (www.ecofashion.com) and to pioneer the market for organic & sustainable textiles. Zaroff is a recognized visionary and authority in organic/sustainable apparel & home fashions and has created a unique development, distribution and monitoring business model to ensure that the process and the products remain pure, transparent & authentic.
Marci keynotes and speaks internationally on organic/sustainable textiles, creative leadership/strategy, social innovation & green business/design. She was a key driver in defining the USA & Global Standards for organic fiber certification (GOTS), launched organic/sustainable fiber initiatives in top retailers such as Whole Foods Market, Macy’s, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond and AVEDA, and is featured extensively in major TV & print media, including Entrepreneur, Newsweek, The New York Times, USA Today, InStyle, Lucky, Vanity Fair, CNN, Entertainment Television, Good Morning America & the Discovery Channel, to just name a few. Zaroff has received countless recognitions, such as ABC News’ “Legends and Legacies”, “Honorary Member” of the Turkish Textile Association, the Natural Product Industry’s “Socially Responsible Business Award”, New York Moves “Power Woman Award”, Fashion Group International’s “Rising Star Award” and ELLE Magazine’s “Mercury Style Award”.
Marci serves on the Board of Directors of the Organic Trade Association, Textile Exchange and AllergyKids Foundation, and is/has been an Advisor to Teens Turning Green, Fair Trade USA, the Green Spa Network, MetaBrand Corp, Sustainable Brands International, Yellow Leaf, To-Go Ware and YOXI TV. In addition, Marci helped Fair Trade USA develop the first USA Fair Trade certification of textiles and will be spearheading their national launch in 2013.
Marci offers sustainable supply chain & marketing consulting to both for and non-profits, with past and/or current clients/partners such as Operation Warm, Walter Wilhelm Associates, Bureau Veritas, Yogiiza, Give Bag, UB Real and others. An artist and yoga enthusiast, Marci lives in her hometown of Boca Raton, Florida with her two “green” teens, where she is Chairman/Co-Founder of “South Florida Green Drinks” in partnership with Global Green USA. Marci has had the honor of introducing former Vice President Al Gore at South Florida’s Mizner Amphitheater, has received a prestigious Henry Crown Fellowship from The Aspen Institute, and is featured in the newly released book: “ECO AMAZONS: 20 Women Who Are Transforming the World.”