Gardening Gloves You Will Love

On the last day the NOFA-NY 2011 Winter Conference, I made my last round through the trade show, making sure to visit any booths I’d missed the night before.  One of the vendors, FoxGloves,  had these gorgeous gloves that you can take from the garden to a night out on the town. Well, another pair you don’t use in the garden, that is. I mentioned to her that I was an aspiring Biodynamic farmer that also really needed to maintain my hands. She smiled knowingly, and I knew I’d be reaching out to her to find out more about  her Beacon, NY-based company.

Me: I’m not what one would consider a girly-girl – I’ve been known to use my nails as tools – but I was excited to see your booth at the trade show. I love these gloves! I can’t wait to use them this spring. They feel good and aren’t bulky like traditional gardening/work gloves. What are some of the responses you’ve received from your customers?

Harriet Zbikowski: Women especially appreciate Foxgloves in that they offer a form fit, are breathable, washable and you don’t have to take them off to do all the fine tasks gardening requires. Many gardeners have told me that Foxgloves are the first gloves they have ever truly been able to wear consistently. They wash up like a dream(in the machine or just under the faucet), and dry quickly. One woman said, “Thanks to Foxgloves I no longer have to spend 2 hours on Sunday scrubbing my nails for work on Monday”.

Me: Is this your first time at NOFA-NY’s winter conference?

Harriet: Yes, this was the first time I’ve been to NOFANY. Great group of people; delicious food. Sorry I didn’t have more time to attend lectures.

Me: When did you start your company?

Harriet: I started Foxgloves in the fall of 1999, I gardened professionally for years and used to go to thrift shops and tag sales to buy old gloves. After getting my Master’s in Landscape Architecture from Cornell (in my late 30’s), I moved to the Hudson Valley and was doing design work. I met a woman who is in the fashion industry, told her about my glove idea and she became my mentor (SO important).

Foxgloves have made their way around the world as gifts and are now sold in Canada, England, Germany, Switzerland, France, Denmark, Sweden and Japan. Foxgloves were originally made right in NYC, on 6th Ave & 32nd. My company grew to the point where his factory could not keep up. I tried to keep Foxgloves ‘Made in the USA’, but sewing is a skill that is hard to find these days. We have worked with several factories in different countries over the years. Our current partner is located in Indonesia, on the island of Java, outside of the city of Yogakarta. The 7 year old facility is built to OSHA specifications, they have a prayer room on site for Muslim employees and they also have a health clinic, available to families as well.

Me: Wow that’s amazing. I think it’s really important that you have this direct relationship with one’s supplier. You’ve since moved on to offer additional gardening supplies and accessories. What are some of your bestsellers?

Harriet: I sell other quality tools on our website, the Dutch hand hoe from Sneeboer tools is especially popular. You can do shallow cultivation, chop, dig holes and furrows. It has a nice long shank for reach into the garden. A fellow stopped at the booth once and said he recognized it as a tool his grandfather used. Of course, the Felco pruners are classics in their own right, still being manufactured in Switzerland since 1945. The cotton crochet hat is a favorite with travelers and beach bums as well as gardeners. Based on an Indonesian farmers’ hat, they are all cotton, hand crocheted with a double wire in the brim. They travel flat or bunched up and really hold their shape.

Me: In addition to ordering from your website, where can readers find your gloves?

Harriet: My gloves are sold at the NY Botanical Garden and throughout Hudson Valley at your local gardening supply store. You can also use the store locator tool to find a store in your area.

Me: Where are you headed to next? Do you have any upcoming tradeshows/events planned? Do you offer gardening workshops?

Harriet: I will have a booth at the Nashville Garden and Antiques Show next week, then Connecticut Flower and Garden Show in Hartford at the end of the month. In March I’ll be traveling to Vermont, Boston, Troy and Philadelphia. As a gardener, I love to travel and visit other gardens, etc. I have to update my schedule on our website – thanks for reminding me. I have been doing a pruning workshop at some of the events I exhibit at. I have a parking lot paradise garden that I will be blogging about this year as well.

I would like to thank Harriet for her generous donation of a beautiful pair of purple FoxGloves and for donating her time to this interview.  Follow FoxGloves online on Twitter and Facebook, and read about Harriet’s next gardening adventure on her blog.