Seeds II Seams: A Sustainability Success Story Made in Georgia
The story of Seeds II Seams, a small business that creates sustainable, American-made apparel from Georgia-grown cotton, begins in Swainsboro, Georgia, population 7,425. The town has been known since 1926 as the “Crossroads of the Great South” because its downtown lies at the crossroads of two historic cross-country routes: U.S. Route 80 and U.S. Route 1.
Swainsboro was also the midpoint meeting place for two partners, lifelong best friends Dr. David Talton and Steve Hawkins, who were searching for the ideal location to fulfill their vision of producing high-quality apparel made in the U.S.
“I had never heard of Swainsboro until 2018, when a business associate told me about a factory coming available there,” said Steve Hawkins, president, a veteran of the apparel industry. “The Swainsboro-Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce CEO, Ken Warnock, and the Mayor at the time, Charles Schwabe, made us feel welcome, and we realized that with a few changes, the facility was exactly what we needed.”
The partners founded America Knits in that factory, manufacturing apparel for many national brands. In January 2023, they launched their own, home-grown brand, Seeds II Seams, and began producing high-quality, sustainable clothing.
“A large contingency from the Georgia Department of Labor joined us at the American Knits grand opening. They helped us with a job fair and when the company opened a new screen-printing plant last year, they stepped up again to help train our people,” he says.
However, no sooner had American Knits, now a Georgia Made™ company, started up than the pandemic hit, and the company joined with other textile manufacturers around the country to manufacture and supply urgently needed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
“As a small business, it’s important to have a plan and stick to it, and especially not to grow too fast. But you also have to be flexible when things happen that are beyond our control, like the pandemic. That’s easier to do in a small business. With a big business, it’s like turning a cruise ship in a harbor. But we’re a speedboat,” Hawkins said.
America Knits’ contributions were highlighted by Governor Kemp in his 2021 State of the State speech.
“Governor Kemp put us on the map with that speech,” says Hawkins, crediting it for paving the way for the founding and success of Seeds II Seams. “I see why Georgia has been the Top State for Business for 10 years, because they genuinely care about bringing jobs and creating jobs, and they see that as a way for the state to grow.”
Seed II Seams reduces its carbon footprint by growing and manufacturing everything within a small geographic area. The cotton is grown at Davis Family Farms in Doerun, Georgia, and Lee Farms in Dawson, Georgia, then travels to Parkdale Mills in Gastonia, North Carolina, where it is spun into the combed, ringspun yarn that Seeds II Seams then cuts, sews, and prints on site in Swainsboro.
“The entire supply chain from ‘dirt to the shirt’ is 238 miles as the crow flies, which inspired our logo and that makes us different,” Hawkins said. “I don’t know another U.S. brand that can claim such a small geographic footprint.”
The company sells wholesale and online, shipping its 100% cotton T-shirts and sweatshirts to 14 states with a goal of selling in all 50 states within the next year.
Seeds II Seams pays homage to its roots by sending a percentage of each sale to the cotton farmers who keep it supplied. The Certified Grower Giveback program is enabled through the Deltapine® Field to Closet initiative, that connects manufacturers with American growers who cultivate Deltapine® cotton, and have a commitment to quality and environmental best practices.
“We’re obsessive about our clothes,” says Hawkins. “Young people care about how things fit, how they look, and sustainability. We check all those boxes. The fabric’s soft, the fit is good, the graphics are cool, and it’s the most sustainable T-shirt in America. What more could you want?”
Every year in honor of Georgia Small Business Week, the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) and the Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA) team up to present a few outstanding small businesses with the title of Small Business ROCK STARS. The awards salute the risks taken, innovations, outreach, and impact of the state’s small businesses. Each of this year’s winners have fewer than 300 full-time employees, make a positive impact in their community, and were founded in the State of Georgia. Learn more about the program and the rest of the 2024 ROCK STARS.