Young Pennsylvania entrepreneur is turning price tags into wild flowers
A sprouting new Pennsylvania business has found a way to turn price tags into flowers.
The hanging tags on products purchased at Acorn Hills Clothing Co. are actually seed lined strips that can be planted.
Nate Hryn from Curwensville, Clearfield County, launched the online store at acornhillsco.com as part of his love for the outdoors.
“My passion growing up was the outdoors. I was never a hunter or anything like that, but I loved the outdoors,” said Hryn, 20, who grew up golfing.
He credits the ecology program in high school for fueling his interest in the outdoors.
“It helped to educate me about the trees, species of Pennsylvania and what happens out there in nature. I really enjoy it," he said.
At the same time, he was also interested in clothing: “When you look good, you feel good and you do good,” he said. He wondered how he could combine his two interests into a business. Even when he went to college, he thought about starting this business but convinced himself he didn't have the time.
But last summer, he realized he should take advantage of the opportunities and resources available to him. He’s a sophomore studying marketing at Mount Aloysius, Cambria County, with a minor in accounting. He’s also getting help from the St. Francis Small Business Development Center nearby in Loretto.
His philosophy of wanting to do good in his community developed into a way of giving back to the environment through his company.
What you need to know:Pennsylvania's black bears get healthy report during winter den checks
New podcast:Central PA man falls in love with state parks and helps others fall too
The more you know:Students across Pennsylvania are raising catfish in classrooms
The tags that are being used for labels on the clothing and other products are made from seed paper that contain wild flower seeds.
Customers can cut off the tags from their new purchases and plant them instead of tossing them into the garbage.
“Within weeks they will have species of plants that are a wild flower blend for the northern United States. A lot of people have sent me pictures of their plants,” he said.
The name Acorn Hills stems from where he lives.
“Every year, think of all the acorns you see on the ground. And to me there’s no other company out there that has that brand recognition with nature,” he said. Acorns are the seeds for tall oak trees. “If you see an acorn on the ground and you associate that with me, that’s a win in my book. One of our missions is to grow the best version of yourself. It starts from the ground up.”
He’s focusing on high-quality clothing appropriate for the golf course or the trails.
Being an avid golfer, his first products veer toward golf apparel, but he has plans to add more casual T-shirts and hoodies.
“As sales start to move up I’ll be able to do that. It’s apparel designed for any outdoor activity," he said.
With growing the company, going to college and having part-time jobs, Hryn stays busy working both days and evenings.
“I like to say I work a 14-day week. It’s a process for sure. But I love every minute of it," he said.
He eventually wants to expand to have clothing and gear for a wide variety of outdoor activities including hiking and fishing and outdoor sports like tennis and golf.
“All along, planting the tags along the way,” he said.
He’s also partnering with the National Forest Foundation’s Sapling Program to further reduce his carbon footprint.
“I take a couple dollars from each sale, and they partner with me and I partner with them, and they plant a tree to help conservation efforts in our forests. It’s really a big circle of doing good. Clothing is just a vehicle to get you there," he said.
Brian Whipkey is the outdoors columnist for USA TODAY Network sites in Pennsylvania. Contact him atbwhipkey@gannett.com and sign up for our weekly Go Outdoors PA newsletter email on this website's homepage under your login name. Follow him on Facebook@whipkeyoutdoors ,Twitter@whipkeyoutdoors and Instagram atwhipkeyoutdoors.