Joseph B. Carringer began pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors in apparel in the early 1990s. His background in men’s and women’s fashion translated to working opportunities with multiple startup hemp-based apparel companies beginning in 1997. In particular, two corporate projects focused on the design and merchandising of men’s and women’s hemp-based apparel lines targeted for large-scale US-based mall chain distribution (Pacific Sunwear and Hot Topic). Offshore project production locations included Eastern Europe (Romania and Hungary) and Northern China. Other hemp apparel consulting projects allowed him to work hands-on in the Garment District of New York, NY, with vertically integrated jobbers for brands such as Calvin Klein, Donna Karen, Jones of New York, etc. Joseph has a deep understanding of the nuances in establishing a vertically integrated industrial hemp infrastructure for product production (fiber, hurd, and oil).