Soft sunlight filters into the windows of the historic downtown Olympia Steam Plant building. I stretch out and relax on the plush bed, sinking into the layers of comfort as the wooly down pillow cradles my head. If I let myself, I could drift asleep in mere moments, without counting a single sheep. Settling into a cozy bed in the middle of the day is a luxury few can afford, but I’ve been invited to do so at Holy Lamb Organic’s new showroom. So, I close my eyes for a few seconds and unwind, enjoying the comfortable peace in the middle of my busy day.
Founded in a bus in 2000, Holy Lamb Organics has come a long way in the past 18 years. New owners Jason and Mindy Schaefer would like to take it a bit further, making their products more visible and accessible to a greater number of customers, which is why the couple decided to open a showroom in downtown Olympia. “We wanted to give our customer a more accessible touch and feel experience,” says Mindy.
The couple also went to work getting the production facility Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification. “When we took over, one of our first priorities was getting the production facility warehouse verified organic,” says Jason. The move demonstrates the company’s continued commitment to producing high-quality and certified organic products for their customers. The certification provides assurance that each material can be traced back to the sheep it was sheared from from or the cotton field it was grown to guarantee the purity of the materials.
The new showroom is located in downtown Olympia’s Historic Steam Plant building. Likewise, their original showroom in Oakville is also located in a historic building, an old general store built in 1902. “We like the idea of working with unique older buildings,” Jason says. “Rather than tearing it down and making something new, let’s work with the past and find ways to improve on it,” he adds. That philosophy extends to how the couple runs the business.
Jason and Mindy each enjoy a restful night’s sleep on their own products, but the quality natural and certified organic goods might not be the only reason they sleep so well. They have owned the business for less than a year, but in addition to the new showroom and organic certification, they have made improvements to employee compensation. The couple seeks to follow in their predecessor’s footsteps by treating their employees as valuable assets and compensating them accordingly. ”We recently added paid maternity leave to our list of benefits,” says Mindy. The company currently employs 30 employees, most at the Oakville production facility, an increase since they took over. “Not all manufacturing jobs have left the US,” says Jason. Nothing offers Jason and Mindy a better nights rest than taking care of their employees, but falling asleep on a soft, wooly pillow is pretty close.
The Olympia showroom is hosting a grand opening event on August 11. Beginning at 10:00 a.m. you can come by and enter in a raffle, take part in a product demonstration or simply check out all the products that Holy Lamb Organics has to offer. The raffle continues hourly with a grand prize drawing being held at the end of the day.
At the grand opening, customers can do a bit of the labor themselves, stuffing their own wooly pillow to the perfect firmness –with expert assistance, of course– for the deeply discounted 50 percent off purchase price.
Believe it or not, wool is a great option no matter the season. Though wool is often associated with keeping people warm, it is actually a great temperature regulating fiber, offering superior comfort even during the summer. Synthetic fabrics cannot compete. “Imagine you were wearing a pair of polyester socks, when you take them off at the end of the day, you would be drenched in sweat,” says Jason. “The material simply doesn’t allow the skin to breath.” The same is not true for wool, which has natural temperature regulating properties which will leave the skin dry offering superior comfort.
Wool offers an additional benefit for individuals looking to rid their home of harsh chemicals. The federal government requires mattress materials to undergo testing for flammability. Many synthetic materials fail these flammability tests and must be treated with fire retardant chemicals to ensure their compliance with federal regulation. However, wool is naturally flame resistant and the products at Holy Lamb organics can be produced without the addition of chemical flame retardants.
Jason and Mindy invite you to join them at the grand opening of the Holy Lamb Organics Olympia showroom on August 11. Come by and take a test-rest, and experience the quality of locally produced natural products.
Holy Lamb Organics Olympia Showroom
The Steam Plant
113 Thurston Ave NE, Olympia
Sunday – Monday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday – Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Friday – Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
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