Meet Justin Sim | Owner of Omerica Organic

We had the good fortune of connecting with Justin Sim and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Justin, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
This is such an important question. At Omerica Organic we have such love and respect for the environment we all share! As a small business working with organic materials (mostly wood) we want to do as much as we can to preserve and protect it. We use many sustainable practices such as…

– Supporting the Nature Conservancy Tree Planting Program as our way of offsetting our wood consumption. We’ve donated over 15,000 tress.

– We operate our workshop on 100% wind power through Xcel energy’s Wind Source Program.

– We purchase all our wood in an ethical manner, from trusted reputable suppliers right here in the USA.

– Recycle, Reuse, Reduce… As a business and we’re always mindful of our carbon and waste footprint. We have implemented a number of strategies to minimize our waste. We re-use all of our scrap material, purchase items for our shop second hand if possible, utilize biodegradable packaging wherever possible, and recycle anything that is recyclable.

We hope that our efforts inspire others to do the same!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
We’ve been making high quality wood ear gauges, jewelry, and other custom products since 2004. Everything is made to order at our workshop in Lakewood, Colorado. We are an eco friendly company that has remained small and true to our craft. We have small team of close friends that do everything from customer service, design, prototype, and manufacturing all in house. Our consistent attention to detail and quality sets us apart from the competition. We’re always learning new techniques and evolving our process to deliver the best products we can.

20 years ago we started making ear gauges and other body jewelry in a small garage with minimal woodworking knowledge. Through trials, determination and an open mind we’ve been able to grow our brand into an industry leader. We used our experience and skills to branch out and manufacture many other different types of custom products like pendants, earrings, belt buckles, earrings, awards, product displays, signage, camera buttons, etc…

We’ve experienced many ups and downs over the years but we never gave up and continued to adapt. Adaptability in business and life is such an important quality to have. You never know whats coming but if you can adapt you’ll be ready for anything.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Colorado has so many fun things to do whether you’re into the outdoors, music, sports, nightlife, or the art scene.

Once you hop off the A-Line train from the airport we’d grab a bite to eat at one of the delicious restaurant’s in Lakewood like Cafe Jordano or Kickin Chicken. We could stop by Ballmer Peak Distillery, just down the street from the workshop for a cocktail. If you’re up for a sweet treat we’d have to go to Magill’s World of Ice Cream!

Next, we could head over to Red Rocks Amphitheater for a concert or movie on the Rocks! Or if you’re into sports we could make our way to catch a game whether its the Denver Broncos, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Rockies, or our 2023 defending NBA champs, the Denver Nuggets!

If museums are your thing then we’d have to visit the Denver Museum of Nature and Science as well as the Denver Art Museum. Or if we’re hanging with the kids, we could check out the Children’s Museum of Denver or Dinosaur Ridge.

After that we could peruse the local art during First Friday at the Santa Fe and RiNo art districts. The next day we’d get up and head out for a hike or mountain bike ride at Hayden Park on Green Mountain, and then do some paddle boarding at Bear Creek Lake Park or Chatfield Reservoir. There is no shortage of amazing outdoor experiences to be had, Colorado has so much beauty and adventure to offer!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to give a shoutout to all of our amazing customers. We’ve been in business for 20 years now and we wouldn’t be where we are today without all your love and support ❤️ We hope to continue making quality jewelry for you for many years to come.

I also want to give a special shoutout to Ryan Lorenz. Ryan was the founder of Omerica Organic and has been a close friend and business partner. We started working together in 2005 and in 2019 my wife and I purchased Omerica from him. Ryan was the driving force of this company for so many years and we owe him a debt of gratitude.

Finally, to all my family and friends that have supported me in so many ways over the years, thank you. To my wife Erin and daughter Charlie, I couldn’t do it without you, I love you.

Website: https://www.omericaorganic.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omerica_organic/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/omericaorganic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OmericaOrganic.Official/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/omerica-organic-lakewood

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnYzLkqt6dILySen76Ixbbw

Image Credits
Erin Sim, Mike McGinley, Cody Durham, Zach Yuskanich, Alan Bader, Justin Arellano