Costa Mesa-based 88 Orange is trying to smell success.
The company expects to hit more than $1 million in sales next year making organic T-shirts, candles and perfume inspired by Orange County’s orange groves.
88 Orange’s shirts are laundered in the company’s signature orange blossom scent, which also flavors its perfume and candles.
The company packages its products in boxes that are decorated with old photos of OC orange groves.
88 Orange makes all of its products in the U.S. and sells directly to more than 50 stores across the country, including Laguna Supply in Laguna Beach, Philadelphia’s Joan Shepp and Savannah, Dallas-based Tootsies Inc.
The company’s shirts sell from $65 to $95.
88 Orange’s perfume sells for $50. Candles sell for $40.
Heather Artukovich and Andrea Drakeford started 88 Orange last year with a goal to make a dent on the upscale T-shirt market.
The partners are going up against other apparel companies that make pricey cotton shirts, including Garden Grove-based Three Dots LLC and Splendid, part of Los Angeles-based MO Industries LLC.
88 Orange is big on detail.
It makes long-sleeve V-neck shirts with rouching at the wrists and camisoles layered under sheer T-shirts.
Artukovich’s background in clothing design and production and Drakeford’s experience in sales and marketing helped the duo overcome some of the initial challenges that startup clothing makers face.
Right now, the partners are running the business out of their 2,500-square-foot headquarters.
Few workers means that Artukovich and Drakeford have to do everything from answering the telephones and handling sales to cleaning the toilet, they said.
“It’s a 24 hour job, 7 days a week,” Artukovich said.
This year the company plans to hire at least two employees, Drakeford said.
A line of body butters and air fresheners are set to debut some time this year, they said.
Metal Gear
Tattooed Steel LLC toughens up metal accessories with tattoo style art.
The Huntington Beach company makes steel cuffs, money clips, belt buckles, dog tags, titanium rings and T-shirts with tattoo-style art.
The privately held company is backed by investors and doesn’t disclose sales. It’s run by Chief Executive Greg Goeser, who started it in 2005.
Tattooed Steel counts about 10 employees in its 15,000-square-foot OC headquarters. The company taps some 20 graphic designers and artists that specialize in tattoo, comic and graffiti art to supply drawings for their products.
The designs are stamped onto steel and other raw materials using a patented laser technology.
The company sells about 12 different products in 100 designs on its Web sites. The products sell anywhere from $30 to $150.
Tattooed Steel is one of many local apparel companies to draw from the tattoo art trend.
Companies including Seal Beach-based Affliction LLC, Irvine-based Sullen Inc. and Lucky 13 Apparel of Santa Ana are just some of the locals that gather inspiration from skulls, roses, crosses and other tattoo icons.
Tattooed Steel makes its niche by making accessories, its bread and butter, Goeser said.
The company has considered making metal accessories for other clothing companies that want to use their own brands but is mum about any future plans, according to Goeser.
To get the word out about its products, Tattooed Steel is placing products in swag bags and sending presents to artists, musicians and movie stars.
The company also is working on products that will be featured on an undisclosed television series set to air on VH1, Goeser said.
Car Wash Pitch
You’ve seen ProntoWash USA LLC’s makeshift car washes at parking structures and parking lots around OC.
The Miami-based company’s Newport Beach office is on a big push to open more locations in the county, President Jim Fitzpatrick said.
ProntoWash specializes in what it bills as environmentally friendly car washes.
The company’s franchisees use ProntoWash’s signature biodegradable cleaning solution and mobile detailing equipment to clean cars with less than a pint of water.
The washes cost about $20. Full car detailing runs from $150 to $200.
ProntoWash sets up small cleaning stations in parking structures and parking lots so that people can drop off their cars before they go to work or run errands.
ProntoWash is privately held and doesn’t disclose its sales. The company counts about 20 workers at its Newport Beach office, which oversees all of the ProntoWash franchises in Southern California.
The company has 50 locations across America, four of which are in OC.
ProntoWash is at Allergan Inc.’s Irvine headquarters, the Irvine Spectrum Center, Newport Corporate Tower in Newport Beach and at 2600 Michelson Drive in Irvine, home of the Business Journal.
ProntoWash recently inked a deal to open a location at the Westfield MainPlace mall in Santa Ana.
Another deal for OC is set to close this month, Fitzpatrick said.
