• Sonoma-USA to create one-of-a-kind, locally-made products from outdated raceway banners and materials.
• Raceway expects to divert thousands of pounds of material from the landfill each year.
• Sonoma-USA has launched a 30-day Kickstarter campaign at sonoma-usa.com/kickstarter.

SONOMA, Calif. (May 25, 2016) - TekTailor, Inc. publicly launched its new brand "Sonoma-USA" during a press conference at Sonoma Raceway today, announcing a unique new partnership that will create one-of-a-kind, locally-made products from materials used at the raceway. Sonoma-USA also unveiled a Kickstarter campaign with the goal of introducing its mission and products to a broader audience.

Sonoma-USA offers unique and purposeful products made locally in Santa Rosa with materials diverted from the landfill. In an effort to become a model in sustainable textile and apparel manufacturing, Sonoma-USA teams up with local businesses, including Sonoma Raceway, to ensure that materials like used banners and other scrap or overstock fabrics are reused and upcycled into new products.

“It's time to change the way we look at waste and all the stuff we throw away. In the United States we produce about 260 million tons of trash every year. Many of the materials that end up in the landfill will sit there forever since most plastic or vinyl based products don’t biodegrade for thousands of years, but they are perfectly fine materials that deserve another lifetime. We have to push for change on a large scale to create awareness, to make a significant impact and change behaviors along the way," says Sonoma-USA Founder and CEO Steffen Kuehr.

This new collaboration ensures that materials that would usually be thrown away will be used conscientiously. Sonoma-USA will pick up materials from Sonoma Raceway, including outdated banners and signage, and turn them into unique and well-designed new products at their sewing facility in Santa Rosa. Consumers will have a chance to own a unique piece of Sonoma Raceway eternalized in a wide selection of fun and stylish products like duffel bags, tote bags or laptop and tablet sleeves.

The partnership dovetails with Sonoma Raceway’s larger sustainability efforts, which includes a comprehensive recycling program, 1,652-panel solar installation, Sonoma Raceway Garden, 3,000 sheep that live on property to maintain grasses and fire lanes, and many more initiatives.

To further give back to the community, a percentage from every product sold will be donated to local charities. For the partnership with Sonoma Raceway, a percentage of sales will go to the Sonoma chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities, the raceway’s charitable arm.

“We’ve made significant progress in diverting traditional recyclables like cans, bottles and cardboard from the raceway, but have struggled to find alternative uses for these bulk fabrics, which is why we jumped on this opportunity when Steffen brought it to us,” said Steve Page, Sonoma Raceway president and general manager. “The quality of Sonoma-USA’s work is superb and we are very excited about the possibilities of this new partnership.”

Sonoma-USA has launched a 30-day Kickstarter campaign at www.sonoma-usa.com/kickstarter. The funds raised will help to roll out production on a larger scale and help hire more local talent to grow the design and marketing team. Products made from Sonoma Raceway banners will be offered as rewards for contributing supporters.

Sonoma-USA is a socially conscious business, tracking and monitoring not just its environmental impact, but also the social impact of its activities on employees and local community. To ensure these aspirations are fully developed in its business model, Sonoma-USA is legally structured as a “Benefit Corporation” and has started the one-year process to become a certified B Corp.

“I have been part of the local apparel and textile industry for the last six years, and I know we can make this happen,” said Kuehr. “We have the facilities, the sewing experience and a lineup of motivated businesses ready to divert materials to us. All we need to launch this on a large scale - to make a significant impact – is the commitment from our local community to give those used materials turned new products another meaningful life.”