I first became aware of Eighth Generation in 2019, when the Snoqualmie Tribe purchased the company from Nooksack artist, activist, and educator Louie Gong. As a member of the Snoqualmie Tribe myself, I remember excitement stirring around a new venture rooted in reclaiming Native art over “Native-inspired” designs that had dominated the mainstream. The company had already made an impressive mark as the first Native-owned business in the United States or Canada to sell wool blankets featuring Native designs, but their story had just begun unfolding. 

The 2019 purchase was a win-win. Gong, who founded Eighth Generation in 2008, spoke about his excitement for having real “muscle behind the hustle” while Snoqualmie Tribal leaders shared that each purchase would support the mission to “safeguard sacred sites like Snoqualmie Falls and support the preservation of Native culture.”

In 2020, Eighth Generation had launched its made-in-house Gold Label Collection of wool textiles, and by 2022, their collection was on the big screen. A costume designer from Marvel had reached out and sparked a collaboration to feature Eighth Generation’s Gold Label blankets in the 2022 film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 

While the commercial success is a huge accomplishment, Eighth Generation’s impact extends far beyond high-profile appearances. Their products reach not only shoppers at their in-store location, but buyers from around the world through their online shop, providing a far-reaching platform for Native artists across the country. Their recent “Inspired Natives® Emerging Artist Awards” provided $15,000 and the opportunity for a wool blanket design to Autry Lomahongva, a Hopi and Navajo (Diné) artist. The company also awarded $10,000 and $5,000 prizes to Nipmuc artists Brittney Peauwe Wunnepog Walley and Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, Akwesasne artist Lexis Jacobs, respectively. 

Beyond blankets, Eighth Generation sells home goods, decor, accessories, and gifts. Naturally, I own several Eighth Generation blankets and hold them dear to my heart. As a member of a Coast Salish tribe, I know just how culturally significant blankets are, and it’s especially meaningful to cozy up in an authentic one made by a truly groundbreaking company. 

To get a better understanding of the ins and outs of Eighth Generation, I spoke with its current leadership team about their business operations. Here’s what I learned:

SSB: How big is your team and where do you work out of?

Jane Cho, CEO: We are definitely small with a mighty team of less than 25 people.  Two-thirds of our employees are Native and come from tribes all over the country.  We operate from Seattle in Georgetown, where we do all the things related to running a business including operating a warehouse and manufacturing.  It’s an incredible space to watch our knitting machines whir and bring exceptional quality textiles to life featuring the designs of our artists.

SSB: Jane, you’ve worked in senior roles in merchandising and e-commerce before coming to Eighth Generation. How have your past experiences shaped the way you lead the company? 

Cho: I’ve mostly worked in large multi-national corporate brands and companies where each function can be very siloed.  The nature of a small business like Eighth Generation makes each of our employees have to specialize, but at the same time, be nimble enough to stretch a little beyond their area to collaborate even more effectively.  I’ve seen how big organizations succeed and have been able to identify where those lessons apply here.  I’ve also seen how big teams struggle to be nimble or action-oriented and try to avoid those pitfalls by fostering a team that values communication and collaboration.

SSB: How do you choose which artists to work with? Can you briefly walk us through what it looks like to bring a new product to fruition? 

Michelle Brown, Creative Director and Chief Product Officer: Eighth Generation started with a small group of artists who had a close friendship with the founder, Louie Gong (Nooksack). As the company grew, so did the network of artists that we work with. Artists come to us in very organic ways based on mutual interests and shared values. Working with any artist begins with identifying our product needs and pairing each with an artist we feel would represent it best. Our artists are involved with product development at every step starting with sampling and concluding with their approval before we place a final official production order. 

SSB: What’s been your most effective marketing strategy? Can you speak to your process for coming up with new campaigns or ideas? 

Mia Weber, Senior Manager of Marketing: We have had great success in looking at our various marketing channels as ‘siblings but not twins,’ which essentially means that we take time to consider how to tell the same brand story in slightly different ways across email, SMS, social media, ads, site content, and PR. We always want to have campaign cohesion, but we also know that different channel cohorts behave differently so testing channel-specific levers—like offering SMS-only promotion extensions or testing slightly different graphics or combinations of imagery across homepage, social, and email—has been vital to our strategy.

When brainstorming ideas for new campaigns, we very much let our unique product assortment and our wonderful artist partners guide how we present our products on the marketing side. Each item we sell has a special origin story from the artist who designed it and we try to honor those stories as reference points when planning photos shoots, crafting copy, and exploring marketing concepts.

SSB: What’s your approach to leading a business where employees want to stay and continue working with the company? 

Cho: If leading a company were like playing golf, for me, leading Eighth Generation is like playing with a giant handicap. Meaning, the brand’s mission already draws employees that have a passion for the success of this company.  It’s a tremendous point of pride for each of us to be working for a company that is Native owned and has a mission rooted in the success of talented Native artists.  I try to make sure each of our strategies enable us to fulfill our mission as a brand and know this resonates with our team.

Brian Whitright, Senior Project Manager: We have been incredibly fortunate to have built a team that believes in the work that we're doing. Our team gets along, lifts each other up, and complement each other's strengths. As a small (but mighty) team, we've all cultivated an environment of mutual support and buy-in of the ethos of Eighth Generation.

SSB: What do you look for when hiring?

Logan Flanner, Warehouse and Sourcing Manager: I look for attitude, work ethic, and how someone handles challenges. Experience is great, but it’s not everything. Most of the people I’ve hired this year didn’t have specific experience in the role, but they had a willingness to learn and the right mindset. I can teach someone the job, but finding someone who wants to learn, takes feedback well, and puts in the effort is what really matters.

Cho: Similar to Logan, experience counts, but people’s demonstrative willingness to dive in, learn, and be a true teammate to each other is important.  We’ve built a team that balances these aspects.

SSB: What are some lesser-known or lesser-seen challenges of running an art and lifestyle brand? And how do you navigate them? 

Cho: I am so thankful for our exceptionally talented Chief Product Officer Michelle Brown, who has a far more discerning eye than me. To me, everything is so beautiful!  It’s no wonder because the breadth of the distinct styles of art of different tribes and the personal lens of each artist make for amazing art I get to experience here. I rely on the focus and experience of Michelle and our team to curate an assortment that drives business and is faithful to the vision of each artist.

Whitright: The biggest challenge is existing within a market that is not prescriptive. We love that everyone has their own taste and aesthetic, but it certainly is never a "one-size-fits-all" landscape. Luckily, we have a diverse team that can each bring their perspective and thoughts to help our brand succeed.

SSB: How has operating in Seattle shaped your business? Are there any unique aspects to operating here that you might not get in other cities? 

Brown: We have been incredibly fortunate to operate in the beautiful city of Seattle. We have benefited from incredible community support that has highlighted and amplified the work that we do as a tribally owned business. Seattle is an incredible international tourist destination which lends to new customers learning about our work, artists, and products for the first time. 

SSB: Can you elaborate on your relationship with the Snoqualmie Tribe and the Coast Salish land where Eighth Generation is located? 

Cho: Our founder, Louie Gong (Nooksack), started this company as a vibrant and resonant opposition to cultural appropriation of Native artists.  He knew that a fair partnership with Native artists can create a powerful alternative to a market that is rife with stolen or uncredited art.  Reciprocity and fair partnerships are values important to the way Eighth Generation conducts its business. The Snoqualmie Tribe owns our company and continues to create ways to further grow our business. We are honored to be on Coast Salish lands, where we are able employ Native employees and ship authentic native-designed products all over the world.

SSB: How much of your sales come from foot traffic vs. online shopping, and how do you balance the two? 

Cho: Many people know of us for our store, but the largest share of our business is online.  The next largest portion of our business is custom textiles we do for other companies, tribes and organizations.  We have even done custom work in Aotearoa, New Zealand.  The balance between a physical store and an online channel is important because while the online channel allows your business to reach customers globally, the store creates an intimate way for us to share the stories of each product and the tribal artist.  We recently opened a brand new shop at the Snoqualmie Casino and Hotel and we’re excited to continue to showcase the quality of our products.

SSB: What are some things you’ve learned about yourself since becoming a leader at Eighth Generation? 

Cho: I can never stop learning and I don’t know enough.  I’ve specifically learned to rely on the expertise of my colleagues.  When I do my best not to be the “expert” when I’m working with my teammates, I believe it creates an openness in the organization to listen, ask questions and learn.  I’m so thankful to every person on my team that’s answered my questions, provided cultural context and shared their knowledge with me.

Flanner: I’ve learned how important it is to stay grounded in what matters to me. Being a leader here has deepened my appreciation for the community, connections, and stories behind what we create, and reminded me to bring those values into my work every day. It has also taught me that leadership isn’t just about guiding others, but continuing to learn and grow alongside them. These people are amazing.

SSB: Do you have any favorite responses or feedback from customers or artists you’ve collaborated with, and what about it is meaningful?

Brown: Occasionally we receive customer service emails highlighting customer feedback. We are reminded of the important work we collectively do as a team when we hear how a product impacted someone during a special moment in their life, or hearing about customers learning about a specific artist whose work holds special significance. These moments remind us that we are all connected in this larger web of community and that the significance of the work is far reaching.

SSB: How do you separate work life and personal life when in a leadership role?

Brown: For me, it's all about balance and authenticity. Being a member of the Indigenous community, some of the work organically bleeds into personal life in a beautiful way. As always, it is wise and important in any leadership role to hold space for personal life and rejuvenation. The work will always be there when you come back.

Cho: I think the idea of trying to obtain an ideal work life balance is the problem sometimes. I try to stay open to work-related a-ha moments during my personal time and also to keep my mind on personal matters during the work day.  I allow what motivates me as a person to tilt my day sometimes into work and other times into work.  I take thoughtful moments to assess if I’ve fulfilled my responsibilities as a leader, a parent or partner and try to do it without feeling guilty and adjust as I need to.

SSB: Given blankets and textiles are core to the business and hold a deep traditional history, does anyone want to share what blankets mean to them?

Whitright: Growing up, I didn't know that blankets were traditional. I thought everyone had the same experience of digging through an old chest by a couch at their grandmother's house to pull out the itchy, most over-sized, beautiful wool blanket and baking themselves to sleep from the warmth. While the blankets continue to evolve, they haven't lost that magic for me when I fully unfurl one during winter, or when I'm feeling nostalgic. I love the fact that I'm part of the journey for other people's memories and traditions that they're creating. 

What’s the best way for people to get in touch to work with you? 

Cho: We have a dedicated email address for people to use for all things Eighth Generation.  If you want to partner or collaborate with us or have a question, you can contact us at [email protected].