Catheryn Snyder and her husband John in their soon-to-be-opened Perpetua Boutique Organique on South Fourth Avenue in downtown Ann Arbor. The boutique is scheduled to open in early May.

Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com

Offering consumers fashionable clothing without sacrificing sustainability is the mission for Ann Arbor’s newest shop, Perpetua Boutique Organique.

The downtown store is located at 209 S. Fourth Ave., the space formerly occupied by the Ann Arbor Biscuit Company. Its owners hope to open in the beginning of May. They plan to sell a variety of clothing and accessories made from organic materials and fair trade labor.

“It’s not flowy, flowery skirts and hemp necklaces and things like that,” Catheryn Snyder said, who owns the shop with her husband John. “It’s stuff you can wear every day.”

Catheryn Snyder said the shop will contain a variety of “classic-looking” clothes for both men and women. including skirts, shirts, pants and accessories. The difference, she said, is the clothes at her shop will be made from environmentally friendly materials either grown without toxins or made from recycled products.

“We have to do this,” she said. “The environment is where we live. If we ruin it, we’re not going to have a place to live anymore."

Perpetua will feature clothes made from soy, organic cotton and ecoKashmere fabrics as well as vegan belts and accessories made from recycled clothing and leather. Prices will range from $10 t-shirts to $300 coats.

“It’s important for me to have stuff that’s affordable but nice,” Catheryn Snyder said.

In addition to more traditional clothing, the couple said Perpetua may also sell some unusual pieces, such as belts made from conveyor belts, bags made from recycled plastic bottles and a coat made of tree bark.

Brands, they said, include Loomstate, Del Forte, Grace & Cello and Stewart + Brown.

“We want to have some really nice stuff,” John Snyder said. “The whole idea is to get away from the notion that you have to sacrifice fashion for sustainability or vice-versa.”

This is the first business for the Ann Arbor couple, who met through friends after graduating from the University of Michigan a few years ago.

John Snyder, who holds a bachelor’s degree in English, is an automotive journalist and production editor for WindingRoad.com, a digital automotive magazine.

Catheryn Snyder majored in women’s studies at U-M, and after working for several years with non-profit organizations, is working as a substitute teacher until Perpetua opens. She also works part-time at Bgreen, an Ann Arbor store that sells eco-friendly products, where she said she’s learned a lot about both the green movement and retail.

“I’ve always wanted to have my own store,” she said. “We’re kind of going blind but learning along the way.”

The couple said they want to use the store as a way to fundraise and support local non-profit organizations and host classes on eco-friendly shopping and clothing restorations.

They said they also hope to sell and decorate the store with work from local artists.

Eventually, they said, they hope to sell clothing and accessories from local designers and expand to include environmentally-friendly home products as well.

Perpetua will be open from 10 a.m to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays. It will be closed Mondays.

“I’ve always wanted to do something that benefits and helps other people,” Catheryn Snyder said. “This is just one way that we can help.”

Erica Hobbs is a reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734 623-2537 or via e-mail at ericahobbs@annarbor.com.