Growing up in Wisconsin with the riverbank for a playground, Aaron Porvaznik developed a passion and respect for nature early on. But it wasn't until many years later that he figured out how to make those feelings for the outdoors a part of his everyday working life. Last year, he launched Olive & Myrtle, an eco-conscious online shop with a warehouse in St. Paul's Lowertown and the tagline "sustainable by design."

A designer who earned his bachelor's degree in fine arts with an emphasis in graphic design from the University of Wisconsin/Stevens Point, Porvaznik gave a lot of thought to his business before starting it. He knew it was a gamble to open a store selling gifts and home goods with a modern sensibility that weren't really household necessities as the economy continued to flag.

But Porvaznik is no stranger to retail. While still in college, he interned at Target and after graduation he went to work for them full time, staying on for eight years and rising to a position as art director. All the while, he watched, and learned and considered what he wanted to do in the future. One thing was clear: the market for well-designed, sustainable products was growing. "Working at Target I got hooked on the retail environment," he says. "I learned what it's like to have a brand built behind design, and I decided to build my company behind both sustainability and design."

Good Design and Sustainability: A Fundamental Linkage

The two are "fundamentally linked" in Porvaznik's mind because, in many ways, well-designed products are inherently sustainable. Designers are the ones, he explains, who help decide whether a product will be constructed in a way that will ensure a long lifespan. They also often have the option of choosing raw materials and means of production that are earth-friendly or not.

"Whether it's a car or a bowl, designers know that their choices can make a difference," he says. "You can create the most aesthetically pleasing bowl, but if it's depleting natural resources or has some kind of carcinogen in it to give it an extra special shine, you've decided to make something that's isn't good for people or the planet."

At a time when it seems everything that can be labeled "green" has been in order to market it more effectively, Porvaznik is already gaining a reputation for being dedicated to sourcing products that are truly sustainable�not just posers. This doesn't mean some products on the website aren't greener than others, he says. But he does do his homework to be as sure as he can be, without visiting every artist and manufacturer personally, that he is buying products that fit with his mission. "I don't think I'm doing things better than everybody else, I'm just doing things based on my values and what feels right," he explains.

Due Diligence

In addition to doing online research, he contacts companies and artists to talk about their work and ask questions about materials and production. He favors those who have earned certifications for things like fair trade and labor practices, as well as organic cotton and safe dyes--even though he knows there are plenty of companies out there who are doing the right thing but can't yet afford certification. "I'm a one-person company at this point, so I do all I can do from St. Paul because I can't fly to India or China, or even California at this point," he says. "In some ways, I have to trust people when they tell me what their social and environmental values are."

It's not uncommon for him to be smitten with something only to have to pass on it. One of his most recent disappointments were some lunch totes and laptop bags that were reusable and beautifully designed. But upon further inspection, he found they were made with an oil-based material. "So I skipped them because that is a non-renewable resource--even though I would have loved to have had them," he recalls.

Shades of Green

This is not to say, though, that everything on offer at Olive & Myrtle is "100 percent the most green product in the world," Porvaznik points out. No matter how discerning he may be, he knows there are items that won't pass muster with some shoppers. To clear up any confusion and help customers make informed choices, he is open about the sustainability features of each product and he lists them on the site. "It seems like everybody has a different idea of what green is, so this way everyone can decide whether something they like fits their criteria or not," he says.

It was this fact that people do believe in different "shades" of "greenness," as it were, that inspired Porvaznik to name his shop Olive & Myrtle. "People think I named it for my grandmothers who were into reusing stuff or liked to pickle," he says laughing. "But the truth is I like the two-shades-of-green idea: olive green and myrtle green, olive trees and myrtle bushes," he explains.

Though sales have doubled since the site launched a year and a half ago, Porvaznik sees himself juggling both the running of Olive & Myrtle and freelance graphic design work for the foreseeable future. He feels fortunate to be growing even in this economy and frequently breathes a sigh of relief that he cast off his idea of opening a bricks-and-mortar store in favor of an online locale--though he's glad to has the warehouse for inventory.

In five years, he hopes to have at least two or three people working with him and focusing in particular on things like public relations, shipping and general operations. "I didn't start this business to run it alone," he says. "My hope has always been to have Olive & Myrtle create meaningful work for me and others as we grow it even bigger."

Meleah Maynard is a Minneapolis-based writer and editor.


Photos, top to bottom:

Aaron Porvaznik, Olive & Myrtle personified, in his Lowertown warehouse.

Bowls "reclaimed" from coconut shells, by Bambu.

More Olive & Myrtle wares: Low-fired ceramic vessels and salt and pepper shakers, by Perchi

Organic-cotton stuffed animals

Porvaznik researches all his goods for real sustainability-cred.  "I'm just doing things based on my values and what feels right."

All photos by Bill Kelley