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

Hi Christy, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
My business is all about community, local and further afield. I started Shoo for Good, which makes mosquito-repellent cotton scarves and wraps, to solve a problem and do good in the world.

My family and I love to entertain friends in our Santa Monica garden, but that joy was being taken away by a tiny, little pest. Thanks to climate change and a new invasive species, mosquitoes have changed the way we spend time outdoors.  When we’d have guests over, I’d find myself, apologetically, offering them a spritz of bug spray with their glass of rosé.

Mosquito-repellent hiking clothing exists for campers and this is a solution for less rustic situations. Shoo for Good is for people who love spending time outdoors but don’t love slathering themselves with bug spray—and who don’t want to look like they’re about to hike Mt. Whitney. I had an idea, but the company wouldn’t exist without the give-back component.

I reached out various anti-malaria organizations and decided to partner with The United Nations Foundation’s United to Beat Malaria, promising them a portion of every sale. As malaria is most prevalent in Africa, I focussed my search on finding artisans in that region who could produce beautiful textiles, who earned fair wages, and whose practices were sustainable. I found a woman-run group, members of the World Fair Trade Organization, and it all came together.

And then it took off. Turns out I wasn’t the only one who wanted a solution to the bug problem and to do good in the world. Catherine Zeta-Jones was an early fan (deeming our wraps something she “can’t live without”) and last summer we supplied scarves for guests at a former president’s big birthday bash. With the help of our customers, we’ve created much-needed employment in Ethiopia, have helped hundreds of families in malaria-stricken regions by providing protective bed nets, and allowed ourselves to enjoy our time outdoors, bug-free.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Shoo for Good’s 100% cotton scarves and wraps are made entirely by hand in Ethiopia from locally sourced cotton and colored with natural dyes. They’re enhanced using Insect Shield technology, which tightly binds a small amount of odorless, EPA-registered permethrin to the fibers of our textiles. There’s no need to slather yourself with sticky bug spray and no need to shower off after spending time outdoors. Our wraps repel mosquitoes, my personal enemy, but also noseeums, biting flies, ticks, and other bugs, and the repellency lasts for 70 washings.

They come in four styles, from an elegant, super-lightweight scarf to a heavier throw. They’re great to drape over your shoulders at outdoor weddings or other events, to have on hand when entertaining friends in your own garden, and to bring on vacation—and not just to the tropics. I’ve been hearing reports of mosquitoes in Tuscany and the South of France and fierce midges in Scotland.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh! So much to do! Our dear friends are coming from NYC tomorrow so I’ve given this some thought.

A bonus of the pandemic is that we have so many outdoor dining options. Some favorites: Birdy G’s in Santa Monica’s Bergamot Station, aoc on San Vicente or in WeHo, Father’s Office on Montana for a burger, and Vicente Ristorante for the best Italian food in town. We take all our out-of-town friends to brunch at Back on The Beach. I love it because we can have our feet in the sand, solid food (I always get the breakfast quesadilla), an ocean-scented breeze, and a parade of beach-goers for entertainment.

Activity-wise, we’ll hike Kenter Canyon or Los Liones, if it’s not too hot. If it’s warm, we’ll stroll along Descanso Gardens in La Canada. So beautiful and relaxing. We’ll visit one or both Gettys. Walk along the Venice Canals and stroll Abbot Kinney. I’ve been wanting to get to the Broad (it’s been a while), so will take the occasion to get out that way. While over there, we’ll duck into Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and have lunch at Grand Central Market (Wexler’s and McConnell’s for me).

And, of course, we’ll spend time in the garden, lazing by the pool, sipping rosé, and dining under the pergola. We’ll be wearing our Shoo for Good wraps, of course!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
A big shout-out goes to the super-talented Lisa Moseley, the Santa Monica-based garden designer who created an inviting oasis that beckons us outdoors. If I didn’t love being out there as much as I do, Shoo for Good wouldn’t exist.

The team in Ethiopia deserves a shoutout for working with me remotely on new designs and for creating cotton scarves and wraps more beautiful than I could have imagined.

I’m grateful for the willingness of The United Foundation’s United to Beat Malaria to partner with a company that was nothing more than a vision at the time. This is what made it all come together.

Marni Burns of The Seed Agency in Manhattan Beach created the just-right branding to get the project off the ground and has helped with everything from photo shoots to web design to email campaigns and more ever since. Not only does Marni have a refined eye, she has the best outlook on life and the absolute best laugh.

And lastly, my husband, Henry Shapiro, gets a shoutout for his ongoing encouragement and support.

Website: shooforgood.com

Instagram: @shooforgood

Twitter: @shooforgood

Facebook: Shoo for Good

Image Credits
Beach photos: Shaun Fenn Pool photo: Brie Childers

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.