Hamlet Couple Goes Global With "Green" Business

In 2003, before being "green" was quite so popular as it is these days, husband and wife team Satoko Asai and Mohamed Elgayar started an environmentally-friendly organic cotton baby clothing company that has become an international success.

The Hampton Bays couple followed the old adage that from necessity breeds invention. They had difficulties finding stylish baby clothes and accessories made from certified organic cotton. So, what did they do? They made their own.

"When I looked for organic cotton baby clothes and cloth diapers nine years ago, all I could find was plain designs with oatmeal-colored fabric, said Asai.  "Baby clothes have to be colorful and fun. That's how we started Sckoon Organics."

In 2008, Sckoon's popular Japonesk cap and kimono was featured on the cover of American Baby and the couple was profiled in Entrepreneur magazine. Sckoon products have also been featured in other publications, including Child and Mothering, plus countless websites.

Using social network marketing and thinking globally, Asai and Elgayar have created a company, based right here in Hampton Bays, that supplies Sckoon Organics to specialty retailers and online/mail order catalogs throughout the United States and 28 other countries. Asai and Elgayar have developed a popular website to generate their sales: www.sckoon.com.

The Sckoon line includes colorful baby and toddler kimonos, caps, hats, tees, pants, blankets, and dolls along with a cloth diapers. All products are made of 100% certified organic cotton and metal free dyes. Snaps and closures on the entire collection are made nickel-free.

"Although many people believe that cotton is a "natural" fabric, conventional cotton is one of the most chemically loaded crops with tons of harmful insecticides and pesticides used during the growing process," said Asai.

All of the Sckoon products are made of 100% certified organic cotton and are machine-washable. Sckoon also offers 100% organic cotton reusable menstrual & postpartum pads for women as a healthy alternative to disposable products plus pet toys and clothes and baby furniture. The merchandise is available wholesale and retail.  Sckoon products are certified as organic by Demeter and AGRECO.

Cotton is, indeed, considered a crop that uses a good deal of pesticides and other contaminants. Asai said that according the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 53 million pounds of pesticides and 1.6 billion pounds of synthetics are used annually in cotton production. In addition, cotton, which constitutes 3% of the world crops, uses about 23% of the world's insecticides.