As we’ve likely all experienced, ethical fashion can be… complicated. How do I know where and how it was made? How can I ensure the fabric is quality and earth-friendly? And why is sustainably-made fashion more expensive?

Enter in: The Classic T-Shirt Company, a brand making sustainable style as simple as possible by producing exceptional quality organic cotton essentials—and staying transparent all along the way.

Where and How it Was Made: Committed to localized production, The Classic T-Shirt Company partners with a state-of-the-art factory in Los Angeles that ensures fair wages, good hours, and healthy working conditions for the knitting stage of production and then does the cutting, sewing, quality control, and packaging in-house.

What it’s Made From: The Classic T-Shirt Company creates durable yet soft and lightweight tees for women and men made from 100% premium Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified cotton.  The brand even publishes their GOTS certificate number to guarantee maximum transparency.

And when considering long-term sustainability, quality and fit are as important as the source of that material (because the longer we wear our clothes, the fewer pieces we have to purchase).

Considering this, The Classic T-Shirt Company produces each and every tee is carefully using over 20 measurements to ensure a reliable fit. Plus, all fabric is put through shrink tests to guarantee that they will “retain their original shape and quality wash after wash”

Why it Costs More: After becoming accustomed to getting $5 tees and $10 jeans from fast fashion brands, it can be difficult to get used to the prices of sustainable and slow fashion brands. The reality is, we’ve become used to artificially cheap prices that don’t consider the actual costs of cost-per-wear, (it’s not really a good deal if it falls apart after 2 washes!) paying fairly for labor, and sourcing materials in a way that ensures there are still resources available for future generations.

Understandably, though, you may still be wondering—but where does that extra investment I’m paying for an ethical fashion piece actually go? The Classic T-Shirt Company answers that question with their radically transparent pricing model, publishing the exact breakdown of where each dollar that you’re paying for their tees goes.

To explore these topics about production, material sourcing, the importance of organic cotton, the costs of responsible fashion, and more, I interviewed The Classic T-Shirt Company co-founder, Paul Garibian.

Let’s dive in!

Why did you decide to start The Classic T-Shirt Company?

After spending 15 years in the software industry and with our first baby on the way, my wife Olga and I wanted to start something that mattered and by doing so, become a good example to our daughter.

We wanted to improve the world that our baby will come into and when we learned that fashion is a top contributor to some of the worst environmental problems, we said, let’s take one simple product and make it better.

We both love t-shirts and wear t-shirts daily, so we said, why not make the most ethical t-shirts possible?

With 2 billion t-shirts sold annually, we decided to dedicate the company to improve each step of the supply chain of this one product. The brand was launched symbolically on July 4th, 2018—U.S. independence day. All of our manufacturing is done in Los Angeles, CA and hence the date.

Why did you choose organic cotton for your tees? What are the benefits of organic cotton?

Unfortunately, the clothing industry is known to be one of the most inhumane and environmentally damaging enterprises in the world. Garments tend to be made as fast as possible and in inexpensive ways. As a result, clothing quality suffers, and store clothing racks lack conscientious items, such as organic cotton clothing. The vast majority of companies tend to capitalize on the exploitation of workers and practices that endanger our environment.

But as consumers, we have the power of choice. We can use our purchasing power to support companies that aim to make customers and our environment a top priority. And choose to stand against the production of conventional cotton, one of the most chemical-intensive crops to grow that harms both our local and global ecosystems.

You can choose to say no to conventional cotton and say yes to organic cotton, which will ensure that your dollars are motivating a potentially powerful global movement and not contributing to a universal problem.

And why did The Classic T-Shirt Company choose GOTS-certified organic cotton?

This is the only scalable way to make sure the cotton we are using is actually coming from farms that grow and harvest organic cotton.

The Classic T-Shirt Company is committed to social sustainability as much as it is to ecological sustainability. Why do you believe that ethics and labor standards must be considered when building a truly “sustainable” brand?

First, many people in the clothing production industry make less than the poverty line in their respective countries (Bangladesh $68/month vs $73/month poverty line).

Second, that chemicals used in conventional cotton production are very harmful to the waterbed and to the farmers in the rest of the world on small farms. Lastly, we can all make a difference by investing in ethical and quality basics that last longer and do less harm to the planet.

What was it like to create an eco-friendly and ethical brand from the start? Any unexpected challenges?

Coming from the tech industry, people continually ask me, “why you are doing something as basic as a t-shirt?” My answer to them is, to make the most basic product “right”. 

It takes commitment to your values and relentless focus. Another big challenge is not getting discouraged by negative feedback. Some things not working day one is always a challenge but we have a very strong reason to do it, and this is what keeps us going. 

Why is the cost of sustainable fashion typically higher? Do you think sustainable fashion is inherently more expensive?

Cost-per-wear is a term that the majority of consumers don’t think about when purchasing inexpensive low-quality items. For example, our tees are made with high-quality organic cotton, are pre-washed, and garment-dyed. They last over 60 washes, as a result, being lower in cost per wear than say a $10 t-shirt. 

While our brand is focused on making the best t-shirt possible in every way (quality and integrity included), there are a number of sustainable brands that offer ethical products at a fraction of the cost but lower quality so sustainability does not necessarily mean a high price.

One should consider products on 3 dimensions, quality, price and integrity/sustainability. Our brand offers value to the consumer on all 3 dimensions. 

Building on this pricing topic, can you talk a bit about your transparent pricing model and what value this gives to individuals?

I live my life on a set of principles and one of them is radical transparency with everyone I deal with, personally or professionally. Hence, our pricing model. Since integrity is one of our brand pillars we wanted to provide this level of information to our community. 

What lessons have you’ve learned along your journey that you think would be valuable for aspiring social entrepreneurs out there?

A mission-driven business is still a business. Have your set of values and principles and stay true to them.

Focus on creating value for the end customer and listen to their feedback. Put the customer in the center of all you do. For example, we embroidered our tees and our customers told us it was a bad idea so we discontinued and were able to lower our pricing from $50 to $45 pricing saving to the customer.

Lastly, focus on long-term brand building, and not on trying to create an overnight success. Incremental progress is key but manages your expectations no one else is going to do it for you. 

***

Learn more about Classic T-Shirt Company

Shop The Classic T-Shirt Company’s Women’s Tees and Men’s Tees

This post was made in partnership with The Classic T-Shirt Company. As always, I only work with brands that meet Conscious Life & Style’s high standards for ethics and sustainability.

The post Simplifying Sustainable Fashion and Why Choosing Organic Matters appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.

As you all likely know by now, it’s the year of affordable and accessible ethical fashion here on Conscious Life & Style. And a pretty important part of this budget-friendly + responsibly sourced style equation is shopping secondhand.

While I definitely like to supplement my wardrobe with thrifted finds when possible, I’m not an expert on the topic so I really appreciate learning more about the tricks of the trade and how to find those super special vintage gems. One of those resources is Pre-Loved Podcast—a podcast ALL about vintage and secondhand style!

The podcast, created by Emily Stochl, launched in the Fall of 2018 and the Pre-Loved Pod community has been growing ever since. Emily has an incredible guest lineup on the show who all have fascinating backstories to tell as well as useful thrifting and style advice for beginners and long-time thrifters alike.

I was honored to be a guest on the podcast recently where I shared why I began my ethical fashion journey, my advice for getting started with making more conscious fashion choices, and some of my favorite brands and resources.

Emily then shared fantastic tips for getting started with thrifting (even when you don’t have the time to sift through the racks), how to find secondhand pieces you’ll truly love, and why she believes thrifting has seen such a surge in popularity.

You can listen in to all of that and more in our episode together below!

To listen to more from Pre-Loved Podcast, subscribe to the show on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!

And to learn more about Emily, the podcast, and check out her content on slow living, sustainable style, travel and more, head on over to Emily’s blog Brume & Daisy.

The post Pre-Loved Podcast and Conscious Life & Style appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.

As Madeleine of the Wise Consumer podcast shares a bit later in the interview, she believes (and I agree!) that podcasts are a perfect platform for sharing personal conversations—they can be a rare opportunity for listeners to hear guests get vulnerable about their stories, struggles, businesses, projects, and biggest dreams.

(I was honored to be a guest on The Wise Consumer—I shared my story, and my take on topics like conscious consumerism and ethical fashion in this fun chat with Madeleine. You can check the episode out on iTunes, Google Play, or The Wise Consumer website.)

Madeleine certainly shares plenty of stories, so I wanted to get her story and discover exactly what led her on this journey to The Wise Consumer! Without further ado, meet Madeleine:

Can you tell us about your background and how it led to The Wise Consumer?

Ever since I can remember, I’ve had a passion for storytelling and a sense of curiosity that probed me to question everything. Raised in a bilingual/bicultural Franco-American household, my love for storytelling blossomed around the kitchen table (in my family mealtime is taken very seriously, we all sit down and break bread and drink wine for hours).

It was during these meals that I learned the power of storytelling. On one side of the Atlantic my French grandfather shared his stories as a Jewish teen during World War II being forced to go into hiding and change his last name. On the other side of the Atlantic in a house surrounded by corn fields, my American grandfather shared stories about growing up during the Great Depression, his “real-world Huck Finn education,” as he referred to it.

I was stuck between two cultures—accepted fully neither as French nor American. To make matters a bit more interesting, by the time I was 18, I had moved more than 13 times due to my father’s military career. Constantly being thrown into new environments, different cultures, and meeting new people, I got used to being the “new kid”.  Every move was an adventure— new places to see, people to meet, and things to learn. I realized at an early age just how powerful storytelling could be, and figured, well, why not use it for something I’m passionate about? Sharing important stories—and over the years, that’s what I’ve done.

Most recently I worked as a Video Producer for the U.S. Navy which gave me the opportunity to research, write and produce numerous promotional videos for the Navy’s Energy Campaign. This campaign highlighted alternative energy-efficient initiatives and innovative projects developed by the Navy to help secure our nation’s energy future. It was during this time that I realized how I could combine my professional Department of Defense experience, love of storytelling, and passions for all things sustainable, cultural, and conservation. Ultimately, I decided to branch out on my own and thus, The Wise Consumer was born.

What first sparked your interest in conscious consumerism?

I think my interest in conscious consumerism first started while I was working on the US Navy’s energy security campaign. The more research I did, the more I realized how my actions, as well as my inactions, impacted our planet. That being said, I didn’t really become serious about what and how I was consuming until about a year and a half ago when I was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition. While it’s sad that it took something like that to really wake me up, I’m also grateful because it has changed my life for the better.

There’s no “cure” per-se to my condition but the more I studies and reports I read, the more it became apparent that what I was eating (processed foods, artificial ingredients, etc.) and what I was putting on my skin (cosmetic products which are often full harmful toxins and chemicals), were known to aggravate my condition.

It was at this point that I truly started paying attention to everything I was ingesting and lathering on my skin. Furthermore, this desire to further understand how what I was consuming ultimately expanded into other areas of my life—where I bought my clothes, the plastic waste I was producing, and even how I did my laundry. I spent hours researching fair trade, ethical, and all-natural brands and began shifting my daily habits. And…well, the rest is history.

What have you found to be the most difficult part of shopping responsibly?

I am a perfectionist at heart (work in progress over here). So, when I take something seriously, I go all the way. Meaning, when it comes to shopping responsibly, which I take seriously, I tend to spend a lot of time researching products & goods before I buy them such as finding out who made them, where they came from, what ingredients were used, and if they’re Fair Trade.

This is not necessarily a bad thing but it takes a lot of time. This is in part due to the fact that not all companies are forthcoming about how and where their products and goods are created. That being said, I will say that it’s becoming easier and easier to find brands that are transparent about the entirety of their supply chain, from sourcing materials to packaging, which has been really encouraging. It could be because I tend to seek them out, but I do find that more and more companies, from New York city, to Bismarck ND, to San Diego are carrying products that align with the values of most conscious consumers. My hope is that someday this becomes the norm and not the exception.

Photo: Cassandra Cleave (@casscleave)

What do you think is the most rewarding part of shopping responsibly?

I realize that how and what you consume may not change the course of the world but I do think it makes a difference. I think the most rewarding part is knowing that I have the choice to shop, or not shop, when and how I want. No one can force me to buy from a company that doesn’t pay its workers fairly or eat food that’s full of artificial ingredients—it’s my decision. Basically, with every purchase I make, I vote with my dollar. Plus most of the brands I’ve come across are not only ethically creating products but are also giving back to their local communities or supporting an environmental cause in one way or another.

Sometimes, though, it’s just as rewarding to not shop and simply to reuse or repurpose products and goods that still have plenty of life left in them. I shop for new goods only when and if I need them. I am actually quite boring when it comes to shopping. I used to view it as a form or entertainment, something I would do on the weekends for fun (and trust me, I am not judging you if you love shopping—I get it!), I just personally don’t have that sense of satisfaction or pleasure from it anymore.

Why did you decide to start this podcast?

Well, a few reasons. First of all, I love podcasts. I listen to them when I travel, walk the dog, commute, etc. I love learning and podcasts allow me to learn while on the go, no matter where I am. But more importantly, I love podcasts, because I love people’s stories. While my background has mainly been in video producing, visual storytelling, I find that a personal conversation with someone tends to be more intimate—it’s imperfect, not scripted, and real.

Secondly, I wanted to share the personal stories of people using their businesses or organizations as forces for good with a greater audience. I wanted to share the stories of entrepreneurs who are making a positive difference with their products and goods, both socially and environmentally, with other consumers. I wanted to help raise awareness about ethical and sustainable brands, the issues they’re tackling, and the impact they’re making in a personal and engaging way.

I find that podcasting lends itself nicely to the kinds of topics I wanted to focus on, such as climate change, ethical fashion, and zero-waste living. I can always write about the facts and stats and the problems they’re solving, but in a blog, I can’t convey the passion behind their way as eloquently and in their own words. The vulnerability and honesty I can capture in a podcast interview is something I personally would have a hard time recreating on paper.

Which leads me to my last point, I’m slightly dyslexic, so writing isn’t my forte. Podcasting makes storytelling so much easier for me!

What are your goals for your podcast?

There are so many serious problems in our world today: climate change, poverty, child labor, the waste that we produce… the list just goes on! And, if you’re anything like me, sometimes these issues may feel overwhelming—you want to help, you just don’t know how or where to begin. So, my hope with the podcast is to bring you heartfelt conversations where entrepreneurs get a chance to share their views on all things related to social entrepreneurship—the courage and drive it takes to start, their frustrations, failures, and hardships, their personal journeys and, the passions that have led them to where they are today.

My hope is that by hearing and sharing the personal stories of these amazing individuals, my audience leaves inspired. Inspired to make changes in their own lives. Inspired to launch those ideas that have been nagging at them for years. Inspired to look for new products and lifestyle habits. My goal is to help them become wiser consumers and ultimately, more informed global citizens.

(Note: I realize, a lot of the issues I explore throughout the podcast and on my blog are “all-hands on deck” kind of issues—it will require collaboration between government, business and academia. In season 2 I’ll be bringing on a  few scientists, professors, and policy experts to talk to us about some of these global issues).

How can readers find you online? 

You can connect with me on online at www.thewiseconsumer.com

and on social media at the following:

Instagram: @TheWiseConsumer 

Facebook: @TheWiseConsumr 

Twitter: @TheWiseConsumr 

Or email me here! 

Photo: Cassandra Cleave (@casscleave)

The post A Storyteller With Purpose—Meet Madeleine from The Wise Consumer Podcast appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.

A large part of the beauty and appeal of the slow fashion movement is the focus on the stories and of the makers. When you get down to the root of it, slow fashion is all about reconnecting to our clothes and the people that made them.

While the “About” pages on websites and posts on social media can help tell the story of a brand, I know there is so much more to dive into about the ups and downs of starting and running a fashion business—especially one where the entrepreneur is also the one designing and crafting the clothes they are selling!

To dig a little deeper into the stories behind their respective brands and learn more about what it’s like to create and build an ethical, slow fashion company, I interviewed three women entrepreneurs: Kim of Sunday West, Van of Van Hoang the Label, and Emily of Margu.

Let’s dive in!

Tell us a bit about yourselves and how you came to start your slow fashion businesses.

Kim, Owner & Designer of Sunday West:

Heya! I’m Kim, the lady-of-all-trades at Sunday West. While I love all creative expression, fashion is my lifelong obsession. Making clothes for my dolls evolved into refashioning vintage garments, which evolved into taking clothing apart to learn how it was made. I never took any formal fashion design classes. My beloved art school didn’t have any fashion courses, and that was okay with me. Sculpture is a language that translates. The tools and materials offer different outcomes, but in the end, I learned pattern-drafting by cutting shapes from clay slabs in my ceramic classes.

More About Kim and Sunday West

Pieces from Kim’s brand, Sunday West

Van, Owner & Designer of Van Hoang:

Hi! My name is Van Hoang and I am the owner and designer of my namesake label. I’ve always loved creating things and I first became aware of fashion design in high school. I went on to get a BFA in Fashion Design and Merchandising as well as an MA in Design for Sustainability. I wanted to design and produce things in an ethical way and slow fashion is my method of doing that. It’s very important to me to not just care about the end product, but the whole process of making as well.

More about Van and Van Hoang the Label

Pieces from Van Hoang’s namesake label. Photo Credit: Jon Morgan

Emily, Owner & Designer of Margu

My name is Emily, and I’m the founder and designer of the womenswear label Margu. I learned how to sew as a teenager, but didn’t truly begin sewing in earnest until after college. What started as a fun hobby quickly became an obsession: I sewed so many dresses and I bought so much fabric. I read so many books about sewing, clothing design, and pattern-making. I moved from following commercial patterns to the letter, to adjusting those patterns, to abandoning commercial patterns altogether and making my own. Several years in, I took a step back and realized I was creating clothing with a combination of design, quality, and aesthetic that couldn’t be found anywhere else. I never dreamed I would have my own clothing line, but I realized I had just about everything in place to do so. So I took a big (scary) leap, and here I am!

More about Emily and Margu

Pieces from Emily’s brand, Margu

Why was it important for you to make your brand’s pieces yourself?

Kim: Honestly, I’m a control freak. I have crazy specific standards that I’m not comfortable dumping on other people. Even so, I can’t continue to do everything myself if I want to make my brand sustainable. For me, being creative is the most important part, which includes designing, fabric sourcing, pattern-drafting, and making the initial garment. I know my strengths, and realize that no one can offer my exact aesthetic. There are sewists out there who are more skilled and have the ability to work more efficiently, though. So, I’m currently establishing relationships with a couple of seamstresses in the area to assist in making multiples of my designs.

Van: I think in general consumers have become so disconnected to how things are made and the people behind the product due to the prevalence of fast fashion in our culture today. And, it’s easy to get sucked into it when things are priced so cheaply that you don’t stop to question, “why is it so cheap?” So, when I was in the process of launching my brand I knew that this was an issue I wanted to address. I want consumers to be aware of how everything is made and who is making it. Everything has a story behind it and the people producing the garments is a big part of that. I also want to be a part of preserving the craft of sewing and continuing the art of making something with your own two hands. Everything is so automated or machine made now and I think this removes the heart and feeling from the product as opposed to something that is handmade.

I currently design and make everything myself, but as my company grows I would like to reach out to the immigrant/refugee community here in Nashville to employ those who are seeking gainful employment. This is not so I can pay less for labor or for marketing purposes—it is something I care deeply about and is very personal to me as I come from an immigrant family myself and know how hard it can be to find employment opportunities. My parents have worked so hard to get where they are now and there were so many people who helped us along the way and I want to pay it forward. This will be my way of giving back to the local community and economy, by creating jobs and celebrating diversity.

Emily: Wearing all the hats in a business can be tough at times, but the upside is that I’m never bored! Making all my pieces myself is something I’ve chosen to do for a few reasons. I started out with no loans and just a small amount of personal savings, so I didn’t really have a choice in the beginning. As my business has grown, I’ve realized that making everything myself has advantages, as having complete control over my production allows me to be as nit-picky and obsessive about details as I’d like. Eventually, though, as my business grows, I’d love to have an in-house team of sewers who work alongside me to create all our pieces!

Emily from Margu sewing a garment

What were your biggest challenges starting out?

Kim: Money is tricky and growth is difficult, but self-doubt has been my biggest challenge. It really shaped the initial model of my brand. I dabbled in selling my designs for years, but wouldn’t allow myself to fully commit until we moved toSouth Carolina and I left a job behind in Philadelphia. It took a lot of good feedback from my “me-made wardrobe” before I hesitantly decided to go for it. Because I was afraid to take out a loan, I started out on a strictly made-to-order model. And, it’s still the way I operate, for the most part. Making clothes and buying fabrics as-needed is far less daunting than making and funding full size runs, especially when you’re not convinced others will think it’s special. Allowing self-doubt to hold me back has not been a positive thing, but I do believe it has helped me problem solve my start-up creatively.

Van: The biggest challenges starting out were funding, time management, sourcing, and also just figuring where to start. I still have a part-time job so finding time to get everything done is still a struggle, but I know it will pay off one day. Sourcing sustainable materials is also a challenge since it’s not as easy to find on a wholesale level as more conventional materials so it takes a lot of research and googling… ha!

Also, balancing my creative wants with the business needs is always a challenge. For example, I may want to design something that can be elaborate, but would take a lot of time to produce which might make something too expensive so I have to constantly ask myself if there are better and more efficient ways of doing something. Or, I might want to offer something in multiple colors, but then I’d need to have all those fabrics in stock and I might not have the funds to do that. So, how I deal with that is by doing things one at a time when I’m ready for it. I don’t have to do what everyone else is doing and offer everything at once. I don’t have to release full collections when everyone else is. In fact, I want to offer an alternative to the traditional fashion cycle—one that is more thoughtful and intentional. I want to create a business that will last, one that will innovate solutions to our collective fast fashion addiction. And, doing anything that is against the mainstream is always a struggle. But, I think it’s a battle that’s worth fighting because we only have one Earth and we’re all in this together (cheesy, I know, but true).

Emily: To be totally honest, this is still something I still struggle with, but my biggest challenge starting out was trying to figure out everything alone! I am naturally an independent and solitary person, but sometimes it’s difficult to get out of my own head when I’m making decisions.

Kim’s workspace for Sunday West

What is the most fulfilling aspect of running your slow fashion label?

Kim: I feel most assured in my calling, like everything has come full circle, when my clothing helps women feel more confident. I also LOVE helping people make the connection between their products and the human involvement. When we are reminded that there is a maker behind our consumption, we start to consider more… more about the items and about the lives of those who made them. This is so important when it comes to ethical living, and breaking the habit of fast fashion and disposable clothing.

Van: The most fulfilling aspect for me is that I now feel like I have a sense of purpose. I never wanted to make just more stuff. I wanted to create a business that had a mission and gave back to the community in some way. And, being a part of the slow fashion movement is being a part of something bigger than myself.

It’s being a part of a revolution that’s about community, empowering others, and creating a better future for all of us. It’s also fulfilling to me to create something that has an inherent meaning outside of the product itself. The clothing isn’t just another top or dress, but it’s also a means to tell a story about where it came from, who made it, how it was made, and how we’re all connected.

Emily: My favorite thing about running my label is getting to do something I love every day. Expressing my creativity though my designs, working with my hands to create beautiful garments, and engaging with my amazing, thoughtful customers are all so fulfilling, and I feel so incredibly luck to be doing what I’m doing! As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more and more cognizant of the way I spend my time, and I’m so happy to get to spend my time in a way that is both fulfilling to me personally while also doing my part to make the world of fashion more ethical and transparent.

Emily’s designs for a Margu collection

What is something about having a life as an entrepreneur or a fashion designer that most people wouldn’t expect?

Kim: I’m ashamed to say it, but we don’t all look cute when we’re working. I make some of the most comfortable clothes I can imagine, and they look great on… but when I’m working alone, in my home studio, it’s a hurdle for me to even get out of my workout clothes (I wear them hoping I’ll convince myself to get to the gym)!

Van: Most people may not expect that being a designer is not that glamorous and it’s a lot of hard work! I think a lot of people have the notion that being a designer is all fun and sketching and making beautiful things. But, that’s only a small part of it. There’s also marketing, accounting, product development, web development, copywriting, photoshoots… the list is endless. There’s always more to do, it’s never just one thing and it’s a constant juggling act.

Another misconception I think many people have is that you have to be an extrovert to be a successful leader or entrepreneur or designer. I don’t think that’s true at all. I’ve even been told that to be a designer I need to have a big personality and I understand where they are coming from. However, I think you also have to stay true to yourself. I know several people who are introverts that are very successful. A big personality will only take you so far, you also have to have conviction and be able to deliver what you promise. I think the main things are to be confident, believe in your product/service/business, honest, kind, authentic, and able to follow through.

Emily: So, not surprisingly, I work a whole lot, more than I ever have prior to starting my label, and often at very weird times of the day or week. Sometimes I push myself too hard and work too much, but overall, and this is something that surprised me, I feel a lot healthier and happier than I’ve ever been. As tough and as stressful as my job gets, the love for what I do is always there, and it really has affected my health and disposition in a positive way!

Kim’s design space for Sunday West

What advice do you have for women out there who want to start their own business?

Kim: Don’t wait. Don’t let yourself get stuck in a job that’s unfulfilling, especially when you have dreams out there to catch. If you need to rely on a day job, find a way to start small. But make a plan for moving away from it. Spend your free time researching, learning new skills, and building your business. Scrimp and save so that you can eventually quit your job, and afford to go without work for a while, as your brand starts out. You’ll have to work with less for a while, but less is really so much more.

Van: Always be curious and continue learning. Because the moment you think you know everything is when you become stagnant and stop growing. There are so many resources out there now to better educate yourself or learn something new that there’s no reason not to make good use of it. It doesn’t even have to be directly related to whatever field you’re in, but as long as you’re curious about it and engaging yourself it can only make you better by widening your world view and perspective. It could be just listening to a podcast or taking a class on Skillshare. You’re never too old or too good to learn something new.

Surround yourself with people that are smarter than you and who aren’t afraid to challenge you. I don’t currently have any employees, but I still have people that are way smarter than me and great at what they do that I go to for advice and support. I think this can only make you better as a leader and it never hurts to see things from a different point of view. You’re going to need these types of people when challenges arise and they’ll be the ones that are most likely to think of new and better solutions to push you forward.

Support other women. We all become better when we support and encourage each other. There’s room for all of us to succeed and another woman’s success doesn’t take away from your own.

Oh, and be kind. Kindness can go a long way, and it’s free.

Emily:

1. Have another source of income as long as you can! The extra time of not working another job is great, but you’re not going to be able to spend that time very well if you’re worried about paying rent.
2. Don’t expect miracles overnight. Most of the businesses out there “making it” were quietly hustling for years (and years and years) until their success came.
3. Believe in yourself, keep learning, and don’t give up!
   

Emily from Margu drawing out her designs

A huge thank you to Kim, Van, and Emily for taking the time to share your insights, thoughts, and perspectives on slow fashion and running your own labels!

Here’s where to find more about these fabulous female fashion entrepreneurs:

Sunday West Website | Sunday West Instagram

Van Hoang Website | Van Hoang Instagram

Margu Website | Margu Instagram

You may also want to check out:

What It Takes to Build A Fair Trade Fashion Brand: An Interview With Adele of Abrazo

32 Affordable Ethical Fashion Brands

The Full Ethical Brand List

The post Inside the Life of a Slow Fashion Entrepreneur appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.

She talks about what it’s like to build a fair fashion brand from the ground up, the step-by-step process of creating and launching a collection, the daily life of an entrepreneur running a clothing business, and the realities—both the challenges and joys—of working with artisans.

Alright so let’s dive in…

First off, can you share with us a bit about your background and how you came to found Abrazo?

My background and training is as an artist, and not as a designer. I actually founded Abrazo quite by accident!

My husband, daughter and myself wanted to spend some time abroad in Mexico. My daughter was nine and wasn’t very excited at the time, but we want her to have a more expanded view of the world.

One day, when I was driving in the area, I came across a young woman walking down the road, who looked like she was in need and offered her a ride. The woman, whose name was Martha, offered to sell me some embroidery work she had done. I declined the pieces she was selling, but offered her the possibility of some work and invited her to come to my house the next day. At the time, I had no idea what type of work I could find for her, but knew I wanted to help!

She showed up the next day at my front door with her mother-in-law. I had a couple of blouses from the market and asked them if they knew how to embroider or could help with alternations to make them fit a bit better. So, they started modifying the blouses and then went home for the day. The next week, more women showed up to my house to work on the blouses, and then the following week, more women, and it continued to grow from there.

By the time I went back to the States, I had so many embroidered market blouses and knew I had to find a way to sell them. So I did a Trunk Show… and they sold out!

The next time I went back to Mexico, though, I knew I had to figure out how to improve the fit and make nicer patterns. You know, your friends will buy once, but if it doesn’t fit well, they won’t buy again.

And so, we continued to improve the designs and more women continued to show up to my house. The people in the village were really open and warm, and they worked really hard. The fact that they showed me their commitment made me want to work really hard at this.

The next time I went back to the States, I did a full trade show and we did well enough to get a few wholesale customers. We also started calling people who we thought might want to buy our stuff. And before I knew it, Abrazo was born!

What was and is your criteria when choosing which artisans to work with in the Oaxaca and Chiapas communities?

At the beginning, the goal was to give employment to any woman who wanted to work. As we grew, though, our standards for quality rose and our need to form strong, committed groups also grew.

For example, we gave embroidery training workshops in the techniques we wanted to use and the most committed and talented women advanced, while the less committed either reduced the amount of work they did or decided to drop out. Now we have certain protocols for adding artisans into our groups.

They must pass a skills test for the craft we are hiring them for (embroidery or weaving) and they must meet a set deadline for delivery.

Also, in order to be part of the team, the artisans must be team players and be able to become a constructive member of the group. Which was actually a concept we had to teach, because at first the women were very competitive with each other. We worked on teaching this from the beginning, because it’s important for us that our artisans are committed to the success of Abrazo as a family of a people, and not as individuals.

Finally, the artisan must be flexible, willing to listen, and open to collaborating.

What does the process of producing a collection with Abrazo look like? Take us through the stages from design to production to selling these pieces.

Our collections require a lot of time for design and production—it takes approximately 3 – 6 months from concept to finished garment hanging in a store. I collaborate on the designs with my colleague, Sylvia Sova, who is very involved in day-to-day operations in the U.S. In addition to managing production and other structural parts of the business, she is integral in helping to craft the vision for our line. We start by mapping out a basic line-up of styles and fabrics for each season. The combinations we create are based upon contemporary trends and the embroidery is based upon traditional designs and techniques in the areas where we work in Mexico. I then create drawings of the embroidery designs and sets of colors that I think will work with that the fabrics for each style.

Then, I take that matrix to Mexico and spend about a month working directly with our artisans to discuss the combinations with the embroiders and finalize the specific designs and colors. I collaborate with the master embroiders to bring their ideas to life—it’s very much a team effort.

Once the designs are finalized and the samples are complete, I’ll run off to the shows with the pieces (which is invariably 10 minutes later!) and see how those garments are perceived there and which ones people order. Based on this, we’ll drop things out, or notice a hole in the collection and add something in.

By the time the Spring shows come around in January and February, we have our full line ready and then we roll out our collection for wholesale and retail on our website.

What makes this process different than traditional fashion brands?

Unlike a lot of apparel companies, we keep some pieces year-round, like the white blouses.

Another major difference is that we don’t have our full collections ready all at once. Since our product is handmade, doing 500 of one product just isn’t feasible. Generally we get 30-50 pieces in of any one design in order to launch the collection, and then depending on how popular the products are, we’ll go back to re-produce certain designs. We’re always going back to producing throughout the season, so it’s a bit more organic.

This process is more difficult than traditional companies who just have one bulk order shipped over from China, for example. But it’s the way we have to work, because with the nature of the product, it’s just not an overnight turnaround process.

You travel between two homes—Oaxaca, Mexico and Oregon— what are the challenges and benefits of living and working in two completely different communities?

It’s definitely great if you love to travel! But it really is like running two completely separate businesses. Each team has a very different set off needs—the issues in Oaxaca are very different then the ones we see in Oregon.

In Oaxaca, they’re constantly dealing with production problems, or natural disasters, or maybe there was a strike happening…that sort of thing. Overtime, we’re learning what their needs are and are adapting to that. I’ve been restructuring the business back in Mexico, and it’s going much smoother now.

Something that made a huge difference recently was letting go of the male, regional Mexico manager and hiring a female to manage the group. I’m proud to say we are now a completely women-owned and run business!

What I had initially perceived to be a high-maintenance center that needed my constant attention is gaining strength to be more independent and self-directed. Now, in this current situation, women feel empowered and I can really see them blossoming! They feel happier, more confident, and more positive about their future.

Another positive change with the team in Mexico is that we have a weekly site call now. They’re learning how to do the business down there—how to ship a package with FedEx, how to find who they need to call for an issue or situation, and other things like that.

We also had some difficulties with competitiveness between the artisans at first, but now we really are teaching teamwork and encouraging collaboration among them.

On this side of the border, we have our own set of situations and issues we come across. We’re dealing with customers, getting product delivered on time, and more operational things like that.

A critical part of owning a business in two countries is to have a person or few that act as the bridge between the different areas. And at Abrazo, that bridge person is me.

What does your typical day look like as the founder of a Fair Trade brand? Or is every day different?

Every day is an ascent of Mount Everest with the most spectacular view on top (most days at least!)

This job certainly requires a LOT of energy, resilience, and no small measure of stubbornness. There are daily cultural collisions and ever-so-many-moving parts…

I work long hours and the learning curve is always steep, as I have no traditional background in business.

And as for the day-to-day, every day is unique and rolls from highs to lows and back again.

For instance, today I had a shipment stuck at the border, and then was calling people trying to figure out why it was stuck. I’ve also been working on the list of things that needs to happen before the trade show we’ll be attending in New York. On top of that, we had problems with orders and since two of our US team were out on vacation, that also became my job.

But then, you get a really great email that just completely makes your day. Today I received an email from a passionate customer saying that she wanted to stop by to visit us in Oregon while she is traveling on vacation because she loves us and really believes in our mission… so that was nice!

Abrazo is kind of like the perform storm business. You’re dealing with a different country and you’re dealing with handmade product. On top of this, as an ethical fashion brand, we have much higher production standards than traditional brands. We also have really high standards for quality that our customers have come to expect.

Honestly, it’s really not the smartest way to do business in any sense! But I never do things the easy way. And in the end, it’s not about making a ton of money, it’s about creating beauty, encouraging these women, and giving these artisans a marketplace for their crafts.

Entrepreneurship certainly requires a significant time, financial, and emotional investment. Social entrepreneurship can be even more intense considering how deeply you care about the issues you’re solving. Do you think you’ve been able to find work-life balance as a social entrepreneur? 

The short answer is: no, I don’t have much work-life balance.

I am very busy and I travel all the time, I used to ride my horse, paint… have friends (ha!)

Thankfully, I love what I do and my family and (most of) my friends are very understanding. I think this is true of many entrepreneurs building a business. It just requires constant attention.

Thankfully, I am so fortunate to work with great people. This past year has been much easier for me than the past ones, but it’s still a lot of work. And I don’t think anyone owning a business would tell you any different.

What kind of difference do you believe that Fair Trade and ethical fashion can make for these artisans and for the world?

I don’t have lofty goals of this—I believe change is generational.

If moms can teach their children the idea that people are capable of great things even if they don’t have the education or the means, then that kid will become that kind of person. Then, they will hopefully teach their children to be a better, more understanding person. And I think it continues to go like this through the generations.

At Abrazo, we really push education and empowerment. I’ve seen the difference in the women we work with.

Most of the women that started with me are still with us. When we started, they wouldn’t even look me in the eye or speak in a full voice. Now, they laugh, they joke, and they have a sense of calmness.

Now, they have their own money they pay for their children’s school and you can see the pride they have from that.

And I can see, that after they start bringing in this good income, they suddenly have more power and more equality in the household with their husbands. They have more say in how things are run and the decisions made.

What is the unique value that artisan-made goods provide to the consumer?

Our customers know that a woman made this piece, and that income she made from that blouse helps to improve her life.

To some people, how the product was made doesn’t matter, but to most, it absolutely does. Our customers are definitely the ones that care about where their clothes and products are made.

I just had a customer say the other day “ I love the clothes, I love the story, and I feel good when I wear them because I know they’re helping other women.”

Really, that’s the benefit—that our pieces have the back story that they have.

Why do you believe that fashion can be an avenue to empower women and/or these communities around the world?

Well, one basic fact is that the unique talent that many of these disadvantaged women bring to the table can be appreciated on a commercial level.

The level of sophistication and master craftsmanship is unprecedented in many of these communities. However, these artisans can’t always sew. So you have this opportunity to harness that skill and honor these women for the talents that they do have. The sense of self-esteem of many of these artisans is very much connected to what they’re creating.

And then when you can translate something that unique to the general population for consumption, it’s really incredible. Everybody here is like “Oh my god, I’ve never seen anything like this!” People can’t believe that these pieces were embroidered by hand.

So suddenly there’s this double validation—the artisans are immensely proud of what they’re creating, and the consumers are really impressed with the beauty and quality of the product.

For us, fashion is a great area, and a great medium for us to work in. There’s a clear distinction with handmade products and people are really willing to pay more for this sort of handicraft and speciality.

Abrazo’s mission is adapting these crafts to the American aesthetic while having the owners of those styles do the embroidery. We need our clothes to appeal more to the American market, so it’s important for the designer to harness those skills of the artisans.

A huge part of what we’re trying to do is honor their traditions. We want to share their work with consumers, while keeping the money flowing to the communities that these traditions came from.

Where do see Abrazo going next, and what do you hope for the future of Abrazo?

Well, I’ve been super committed to the success of this business and we’re standing on much stronger legs now than when we started. It remains challenging, but our capacity and skills have grown immensely with our very talented team and we are now ready to grow more quickly.

I’d love for Abrazo to outlast me and become a strong entity of it’s own. And I’d like to continue to employ more women, and for it to gain the recognition that all the people who built it deserve. I really hope to keep it growing and to keep positively influencing the people that are working with it. Additionally, I’d love to establish a fund for girl’s education in Mexico.

I am so inspired by the women and that’s really what keeps me going. The woman I picked up on the road who essentially started this whole thing, Martha, really gained her confidence. One day, when I was visiting her home, (a tiny house made from sheet metal and dirt floors), her husband showed me the new room that they built. And although he took the credit for this expansion, she was the one who paid for it and I could sense her pride that she had built this new room in her house.

And eventually, after earning enough money working with Abrazo, she was able to support herself and her children so that she could leave her husband that abused her.

After many years with Abrazo (unofficially 8 years and officially, about 6 years) we now have a really amazing team of people who thrived when given the opportunity.

Where do you see the future of Fair Trade and the ethical fashion industry going?

I think ethical fashion will continue to grow. The 20 and 30-somethings are the most socially conscious generation ever! As this group continues to have more purchasing power, they’ll continue to steer it in the right direction.

While we definitely live in difficult times now, these are the kind of businesses that give hope to people. Our society can evolve into something that does have a more a global concern for others and for humanity. And the change can be really powerful.

Hope you all enjoyed reading all the insights and stories from Adele of Abrazo! I really appreciated her delving into her fascinating journey and being transparent about the real struggles and triumphs of running a social enterprise day in and day out.

You can discover more about Abrazo and shop their unique pieces on AbrazoStyle.com.

You can also connect with Abrazo on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube.

The post Building A Fair Trade Fashion Brand From the Ground Up: An Interview with the Founder Behind Abrazo appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.

Threads Worldwide is an impact-driven jewelry brand founded by three friends passionate about empowering women to to earn an income that would lift themselves—and their families—out of poverty. The social enterprise works with artisan cooperatives around the world who handcraft beautiful, unique jewelry.

In order to bring these pieces to the marketplace, Threads works with Fair Trade Partners: women in the U.S. who host showcases and own their own online boutique sharing Threads jewelry.  (This direct sales model is incredible impactful and something that Threads strongly believes in, but you’ll read more about that below!)

To learn more about the world-changing company, I interviewed one of the founders, Angela Melfi. Check out her responses to see a glimpse into her perspectives founding and running a Fair Trade jewelry brand:

Can you give us some background on yourself and your journey that led you to found Threads Worldwide?

I’m super proud that I have traveled to 54 countries. It is a priority in my life—I took two leaves-of-absences and quit one job to travel!

My travels are at the heart of why I founded Threads with my two besties, Lindsay Murphy and Kara Valentine. The first developing country I ever visited was Cambodia. I could not believe the state of the country and how people were living. Then there was India. Oh India! When we got back from our 3-month backpacking trip it was undeniable that we were going to do something. We knew that when women have access to money, they will invest it to improve their family’s health and community, so we started there. This actually isn’t a women’s issue – this is about community investment.

Why did you choose Fair Trade fashion as an avenue to empower women around the world?

Honestly, I rarely wore jewelry before we started Threads and it’s funny, I don’t consider us in ‘fashion’ even though we sell jewelry. We consider the artisans’ jewelry that we represent and sell to be an invitation. It’s an invitation into a bigger conversation about how things are made, who made them, and what their lives are like.

It’s great for us that women in the United States really love to buy and wear jewelry, so that they can share the artisans’ stories whenever they are complimented. I mean, when have you ever just said ‘thank you’ when someone complimented your earrings? No, you have to say where you got them, or, how much they were, or who gave them to you.

We want you to be able to tell a better story when someone compliments your Threads earrings. We want you to be able to say, ‘thank you – they are made by mothers in Guatemala’ and start a conversation.

A group photo from one of the artisan cooperatives Threads works with

What has the process been like working with artisan cooperatives around the world? Tell us a bit about the pros and cons. 

My go-to emotion in my life has been ‘frustration’. It’s like my default, it takes no effort for me to get frustrated. So, this business has been great practice for me working with artisans in developing countries. Some of the challenges we face are delays from roads being washed out in Ethiopia, delays from shipping systems going down in the entire country of Uganda, delays for sizing of earrings coming from India that were twice the size we signed off on.

When these things happen, like I said, my immediate reaction is to be frustrated and then afterwards, I remind myself of what a great learning opportunity this is for us and that it can be an educational topic for our customers. When customers order a pair of earrings that is on backorder it an opportunity to share the artisans’ lives and have us be grateful for the infrastructure we have in the US.

It is such a great reality check for me personally and we hope to communicate that to our customers.

Photos from the artisan cooperatives Thread works with

Threads Worldwide works with “Fair Trade Partners”. Could you tell us a bit about why you chose this business model?

Originally, we chose a direct sales business model because we are doing so much more than selling a product. We share stories and lives of women from around the world. The best place to do this is with an intimate audience hosted by a woman who is passionate about empowering women – we call these women Ambassadors.

But, what we’ve seen has surprised me! We are focusing on building our team through this model because of what we’ve seen happening with our Fair Trade Partners (women who start social impact businesses in the US). We are seeing how much these women are developing personally by building their businesses. They are developing themselves to push beyond where they are comfortable. There are so many self-development courses and books and Threads provides our Fair Trade Partners an anchor for their development. They get to be in the uncomfortable and then push past it. They get to see what they do to avoid hearing ‘no’ and then ask anyway. And all the while they have a badass community of women who both hold them accountable and have their backs when they need support.

I am SO passionate about the direct sales model. It is a perfect combination of story-telling, empowerment, and personal development. All the while, you know where you’re spending your time is giving a woman somewhere around the world a new opportunity as well.

Threads Founders Lindsay, Kara, and Angela

Founders Lindsay, Kara, and Angela

What do you hope to see for the future of Fair Trade, ethical fashion, and/or your business?

I hope Threads becomes irrelevant. I want to see a future where ethical fashion companies like Threads aren’t distinguished by our labor practices. I want a future where it is no longer the obligation of a brand to show they are fair trade and ethical and it is the requirement of those companies using slave labor to label their clothes as such. Imagine if you walked into Old Navy and picked up the cutest t-shirt and saw: “made with slave labor”. Would you buy it even though it was SO cheap and SO cute?

So while unpopular, I want companies like Threads to not have to exist.

To learn more about Threads, visit their website or follow on Instagram at @threadsworldwide and @angelayostmelfi!

The post Behind Fair Trade Brand Threads Worldwide: An Interview with Founder Angela Melfi appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.