Hemp and Company is Vancouver Island's "Retailer of the Year"

On April 1, 2010 Hemp and Company was honoured as Vancouver Island's "Retailer of the Year" at the Business Examiner"s 2009 Vancouver Island Business Excellence Awards.

Hemp and Company is a Victoria retail clothing merchant, which specializes in using textiles from natural fibres (hemp, organic cotton, bamboo) for clothing. Their own line is manufactured in Vancouver and they also carry about 50 lines from local or Canadian suppliers, therby supporting local manufacturing. H&C feels that using sustainably grown fibres is a better environmental choice than using textiles such as nylon which are made from petroleum products.

The Business Examiner award acknowledges H&C's work including:

• Staffing - winners of "The Quality of Life Challenge" for progressive staffing techniques
• Environmental initiatives - subject of "Business Leaders in Sustainability" by University of Victoria Economics Department
• Community Involvement - member of the Values Based Business Network, the Green Collective, and the DVBA's LoJo Committee
• Support for the Arts and Environmental funding - 1% of sales goes to The Land Conservancy to support the Madrona Farm purchase

Owner Bill Finley says, "Winning this award feels wonderful. Our passion is people and what makes us successful is our cheerful, dedicated staff, our exceptional suppliers, and our loyal customers. The year 2009 will be remembered as the year we moved from Lower Johnson after ten successful years to our new "home" at 1102 Government Street. This bigger, more visible shop is ideal for showcasing our products. It is a comfortable fit for H&C and I believe for Victoria."

For ten years, the annual Vancouver Island Business Excellence Awards, created by the Business Examiner, has celebrated business excellence across Vancouver Island.