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Kalida company makes the fabric of America

Lima News - 1/10/2022

Jan. 8—KALIDA — If you ask William Romes why he established Eighth Order in Kalida, expect an unequivocal answer.

"It is the community my wife is from, and it accepted me with no questions asked," said Romes, who began the venture two years ago with fellow military veteran Tom Kerr.

Romes, who served in the U.S. Air Force, now aids Americans in another capacity: As president of Eighth Order, which sells clothes derived partly from used military apparel, he asserted that a town's strength comes from the pride of its citizens.

According to the company's website, it is "dedicated to telling veterans' stories through the lens of their combat uniforms."

Eighth Order's concept stemmed from the fact Romes' and Kerr's own regalia was all but going to waste in their closets. The duo concurred it was imperative for their next endeavor to have a positive impact on veterans.

Their mindset: Why not roll up their sleeves for a daily necessity like wearing clothes and ease veterans' apprehension in the process?

"The initial thought was, there can be a lot of anxiety involved with transitioning from the military to civilian life, so let's add something familiar and confident into that dress shirt 'Joe' is about to wear into a job interview," Romes explained. "Something he's been tested in."

Kerr, for his part, said Eighth Order is a passion project that almost didn't get off the ground. "William came to me with the idea, knowing I am his toughest critic and expecting me to say it was dumb. But I thought it was brilliant," said Kerr, who has known Romes since 2008.

The business, Kerr pointed out, is a chance to pay respect to those who have served the country and simultaneously to provide a platform to share stories and preserve one's legacy.

"Knowing that we can help make a difference in our veteran community means I never really stopped serving my country," he said. "I just get to do it from home rather than a far-off land."

As is often the case with such endeavors, a percentage of profits go toward veterans who are enduring post-traumatic stress or traumatic brain injury. Ten percent is the minimum baseline "no matter what," explained Romes, but up to 50% of the Eighth Order proceeds also benefit organizations such as Global War on Terror Memorial Foundation and Georgia-based Camp Southern Ground.

"Additional amounts depend on a particular initiative we are working on" at any given time, he said.

Romes, whose work was recently featured on a segment of the national morning show "Fox & Friends," said pattern maker Meilin Schneider designs Eighth Order's products in Chicago, where they are manufactured as well.

He encouraged any interested individuals to follow the business via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Orders for Eighth Order attire may be placed online at eighthorder.com or in person at 200 E. North St., Suite 101, in Kalida — where Romes feels right at home.

"We weren't going to put the business anywhere else," he said.

Reach James Luksic at 567-242-0399.

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