NEAR SHORE
ETHICAL
SUSTAINABLE
CUSTOM APPAREL PRODUCTION
About Us
Direct to Source was born out of a labor of love - love for the industry we've spent our entire careers in, love for the craft of making clothing people love to wear, love of helping brands grow their business, love for impacting people's lives in a real and meaningful way and love for the amazing beauty of this planet we call home.
Our Mission is to impact peoples lives by making apparel that people and the planet can feel good about. We help people through creating good paying jobs in a healthy and safe environment and supporting charitable organizations. We keep plastics out of the oceans and landfills by turning them into high quality apparel that's made to last. We want to do our part to protect the planet for our children (and mermaids too).
Download and Share - Apparel with a Mission
Meet the Team
Tulio Hernandez
Tulio's Current Job: DTS Partner
Tulio's Dream Job: This is it!
After 27 years in the business running factories and serving as country manager for large apparel companies, Tulio has a passion for people and helping them reach their full potential. "The idea is to leave a mark that people can go back and see that we changed their life. Everyone thinks we're crazy in what we're trying to do, but we're doing it. We're impacting people's lives. I want to do this as long as God lets us do it."
Ana Zavala
Ana's Current Job: DTS Partner
Ana has spent years working in the apparel industry and is so pleased to be able to have a positive impact on it.
She is determined that Tulio's good work will continue. She's an amazing lady - an apparel industry veteran, a savvy businesswoman, a mom, and a friend. Not to mention a great cook!
Holli Gibson
Holli's Current Job: DTS Partner
Co-Founder & Vice-Chairman of the Board,
Denver Design Incubator
Holli's Dream Job: Being a mermaid
Holli has been working in the Apparel industry for 30 years and has spent the past 14 years with a focus on sustainability. She's worked on both sides of the business - the light and the dark. She spent the first part of her career working mainly as a designer and design director and then crossed over to the dark side - production. She's passionate about the environment and loves making clothes that people and the planet can feel good about. "It's about looking at everything, and asking the question: What can we do better and how?"
Remembering Tulio
We lost our dear Tulio to Covid last year. While we mourn his passing, his legacy will live on. He will forever inspire us to keep doing better every day to impact people and our world in a positive way.
A Tribute....
Kelly
Kelly's Current Job: Shipping & Receiving Clerk, Payroll
Kelly's Next Job: Sample Room Manager
Kelly's Dream Job: Factory Owner
Kelly has always dreamed of being a factory owner. She was working as a production sewer at another factory when we opened DTS. She came to our family as an office assistant and has proven herself invaluable with her strong work ethic and attention to detail. We want to see Kelly achieve her dream with a factory of her own one day and we're helping her prepare by having her work in all departments of the factory over time. We're excited to see Kelly succeed and carry forward the philosophy of people-planet-profit into her future.
Marelin & Luis
Marelin's Current Job: Production Sewer
Marelin's Dream Job: Graphic Artist
Luis' Current Job: Production Sewer
Luis' Dream Job: Screen Printer
Marelin dreams of being a graphic designer and came to the DTS family to earn money for college. Now that we have added in-house sublimation printing, Marelin will become our graphic prep artist while she is attending university.
Luis wanted to be a screen printer so much that he dropped out of high school to work at on of the big screen printing shops in the city. Long hours and long commutes brought him to the DTS family (Luis lives in our community). He's using his newfound time to complete his GED. When we set up our screen printing facility, Luis will move into our screen printing department.
UPDATE: Since we have sublimation and embroidery departments up and running, Marelin has left the sewing room floor to be our graphic prep artist
Celeste
Celeste's Current Job: Fabric & Trim Manager
Celeste's Dream Job: Preschool Teacher
Celeste is another of our neighbors. She graduated university with a teaching degree, but could not find a job. She joined the DTS family as a janitor as that was the only opening we had a the time. Her positive attitude and hard work paid off and she was quickly promoted to the Trim Assistant. Now she's our Fabric & Trim Manager with two assistants of her own. Her positive attitude in every situation has earned her the nickname "Luz" meaning Light in Spanish because she positively lights up the room whenever she walks in. Celeste still dreams of being a preschool teacher one day, and one of our long term goals is to open a day care and pre-school.