Warm Weather Ready! 7 Fair-Trade Dress Styles To Get You Excited for Summer

Summer is finally here — with sunny days, homemade lemonade, and lazy days in the sun. Along with the change in weather comes the chance to wear some beautiful organic, fair-trade dresses! Check out our top picks here at Faerie’s Dance for ethical dress brands that will have you enjoying summer, even if you’re staycationing this year.

A woman wearing a fair trade little black dress made from organic cotton.

The Black Fair-Trade Shoreline Dress

Effortless and elegant, this Shoreline Dress from Indigenous Designs is perfect for everything from lounging around the house to stunning at weddings. This sensual pick from among our fair-trade dresses is made from 100% organic cotton and has been expertly crafted at an artist cooperative in Peru.

Enjoy a casual look for picnics and walks along the beach by pairing this magnificent dress with a pair of sandals and a broad-brimmed hat — and don’t forget a pair of fair-trade earrings!

A woman wearing a dress with yellow lemon print from an ethical dress brand.

Lemon Love Sundress

For working at the office or enjoying summer picnics in the countryside, we’re crushing hard on this Lemon Love Sundress. Colorful and fruity, what could be better than lemons to make you smile all day long? Like many of our fair-trade dresses, this flowing number is an original from the ethical dress brand, Mata Traders — a Chicago-based brand that sells handmade clothing made by artisans in India and Nepal.

This bright and happy design features hidden pockets (who doesn’t love that?) and the perfect combination of fit-and-flare for a flattering silhouette that is delightfully twirly. It is made from organic cotton jersey with a touch of spandex for comfort and a fit that won’t lose its shape. Style in seconds with a long fair-trade necklace and sandals or transition this dress to evenings with a lightweight organic cotton cardigan.

A woman wearing a blue fair-trade dress.

Melissa Tie Dress

Pretty as a poem, the Melissa Tie Dress proves that every woman can look fabulous this summer, regardless of body type. This hot little number is perfect for plus sized women who want to look good, feel fabulous and support ethical trade. The tie on the side flatters the curves. This was is made by Synergy Organic another staple on our list of ethical dress brands.

The ideal addition to your collection of fair-trade dresses, we are loving this summer dress with some long, bold jewelry pieces and a nice pair of ballet flats. It’s a morning-to-night anywhere dress that will see you through the summer and beyond!

A woman wearing a fitted red print dress from an ethical dress brand.

First Impressions Dress

For that job interview or all-important client meeting, put your best foot forward with this fitted First Impressions Dress. Bright and cheery with 95% organic cotton jersey and 5% spandex, this GOTS-certified, fair-trade dress is shaped and folded exactly where you need it for a sophisticated look that’s just right for summer.

No matter where you take this dress, you can’t go wrong with a pair of heels and a bold statement necklace. Evening a little chilly? Top off this dress with an office-ready fitted (and sustainable!) jacket — the perfect finish to a polished summer look.

A woman wearing a blue fair-trade dress with ¾ sleeves.

Sunny Day Dress

On a beautiful sunny summer day, this Sunny Day Dress is everything you want — lightweight, breathable, and oh-so-soft. Featured in a bright blue the color of the summer sky, our fifth pick for the top fair-trade dresses is 100% organic cotton jersey and is made in Peru using Peruvian-grown organic cotton.

Perfect with flats, sandals, and your flashiest stilettos, we love this design from our ethical dress brand, Indigenous Designs, for everyday comfort throughout the warm season that you can easily transition into fall with organic cotton leggings and a pair of boots.

A woman wearing a wine-colored sleeveless dress with a black ruffle hem.

Reversible Tank Dress

One of our customer’s favorites, this Reversible Tank Dress takes the cake. Given a 5-star rating by our happy buyers, this is an ideal style from our list of fair-trade dresses for parties or stunning on the job. Wear with a luxury jacket on cooler evenings and finish the look with your best pair of heels. Summer sophistication is made easy with this flawless fair-trade reversible dress!

An original concept from Indigenous Designs, the reversible tank two-way dress can be worn with either the black side or the wine side on the outside and features small gathers at the hips for a flattering silhouette. As with all of this dress brand’s ethical pieces, this reversible tank dress has been made by artisans in Peru — providing dignified livelihoods and strengthening impoverished communities.

A woman wearing a black fair-trade dress with wide fabric ties crossed around the neck.

Bandeau Dress

For the final pick on our list of fair-trade dresses, we have this elegantly whimsical Bandeau Dress with a versatile handkerchief tie neck and raw asymmetrical hem. Perfect for parties, this flowy dress from the ethical dress brand, Jonäno, is the dancing companion that every girl dreams about — simply slip it on, tie the fabric bands behind your neck, and spin around to your heart’s content!

Jonäno specializes in creating cashmere-like garments from silky-soft bamboo and organic cotton that are friendly to animals and have a luxurious finish. The hint of spandex in this lightweight dress keeps the shape intact so you don’t have to worry about it stretching. For those who try to stick to a minimalist wardrobe, this dress provides a two-in-one solution: You can wear it as a skirt by simply tying the bands of fabric around your waist!

Indulge In a Little Eco-Love by Shopping Fair-trade Dresses This Summer

Whether you’re giving your wardrobe an eco-friendly makeover or trying out a new look, Faerie’s Dance is here for you. In addition to our featured styles, we have dozens of other fair-trade dresses and eco-friendly women’s clothing for sale from ethical dress brands that are doing amazing things in communities around the world!

Learn more about ethical fashion by reading our blog, and buy your new favorite summer dress today — yours with free U.S. ground shipping when you spend $99 or more.


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GIVEAWAY: Win a Recycled Glass & Sterling Silver Necklace – ENDED

RECYCLED GLASS “SUNDROPS”

Recycled glass cobalt blue necklace

If you’re not familiar with Sundrop Jewelry, now’s the time to check out this elegant line of recycled glass “drops” that come in a variety of colors.  Sundrop is simple and classy with a wonderful story behind it that will have you talking about your jewelry to everyone you see.

The Sundrop jewelers create their unique glass droplets using focused sunshine!  The heat of the sun is focused by a three foot tall magnifying glass (technically a fresnel lens).  Artisans put recycled glass pieces under the concentrated heat and then let gravity form the droplets.  The beautiful cobalt blue “Sky” color shown left is made from recycled Skyy Vodka bottles. While the light blue “Water” color shown at the top of the page is made from Bombay Sapphire Gin bottles.

This creative process is all done right here in the USA in a Minneapolis back yard.  Of course, we love supporting small, woman-owned, eco businesses, so Sunglass Jewelry was an easy choice for us to offer.  You may be aware from our recent post on artistic scarves, that we also support independent artists whenever possible, especially those who create art with sustainability in mind.

sundrop recycled glass necklaces
Colors options include kelly green “Tree” and neutral brown “Earth” from recycled beer bottles

To really appreciate the science and artistry that goes into each and every sundrop, take a look at this video of creator Tawny making one.

CONTEST DETAILS

This giveaway is for one Sundrop necklace in your choice of any of the four colors shown (light blue Sky, cobalt blue Water, green Tree or brown Earth).

TO ENTER: Simple fill out the contest form below AND leave a comment on this blog post. You can earn extra entries after the first one by following us on social media and tweeting about this contest.

sundrop jewelry giveaway

BONUS COUPON!!

Every person who enters the contest from our blog will be sent a bonus one-time coupon for 20% off any Sundrop Jewelry purchase at FaeriesDance.com. Look for the winner announcement e-mail and bonus coupon once the contest ends. Please whitelist “service@faeriesdance.com” to ensure you get your coupon.

 
Recycled Glass Sundrop Earrings

WIN THE EARRINGS, TOO!

You have a chance to win the earrings, too! We are giving away a set of sundrop earrings in any one of the same four colors as part of our weekly Facebook Live Tuesday videos. Enter on Facebook or enter on Instagram.

 

NEW TO FAERIE’S DANCE?

Since 2005 Faerie’s Dance has been a force for good in the fashion world.  We support independent artisans, and small, sustainable businesses, many of which are women- or family-owned.  Everything we carry is ethically made and sustainably produced. Check out our carefully curated collection of more than 1200 eco-friendly items including organic, natural fiber and recycled clothing, accessories and jewelry.  Find out more about our philosophy and our funny name as well as our generous charity policy.

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Artistic Fashion – Turning Pen and Ink Drawings into Wearable Art

Modal art scarf spirals purple
Loveleen Saxena’s “Bold Spirals” Scarf Shown Full Width

We love fashion, sustainability and ART! At the 2019 Sustainable Fashion Forum in Portland, we met artist Loveleen Saxena, and fell in love with her pen and ink drawings. For the last few months, we’ve collaborated to bring you her bright, bold artwork printed on sustainable modal scarves using low-impact water-based inks.

Our first four art-inspired scarfs are online now. We thought you might want to know more about the artist and this fantastic alliance. So we sat down with Loveleen to talk about what inspires her.

Faerie’s Dance: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Loveleen Saxena in Modal Scarf
Loveleen poses in her “Spirals and Circles” art scarf

Loveleen Saxena: Hello everyone! I am a self-taught artist based in Katy, Texas. I have been dabbling in art since I was a kid. Creativity has always been a part of my life and career. Getting my education in architecture and construction fostered creative expression in a different way for me.

FD: How long have you been creating art?

LS: I rediscovered my love for art six years back when I started carrying my journal during lunch walks in Downtown Houston, while working in my corporate job. And I haven’t stopped since then.

First few years I made art to de-stress. And I loved sharing my work online. I never intended to become a full time artist. In 2014, my husband and I took a seven month backpacking trip to ten countries. That was a game changer. It gave me the courage to continue following my heart and live a purposeful life. Life that is in alignment with my truth.

So when we came back, a year later I decided to leave my career in construction and dive full time into art, along with starting a business with my husband.

It’s been a beautiful and unique journey so far!

I can say creativity is my meditation. My spiritual practices and creative expression have helped me learn so much about myself.

And that’s what inspires me to create everyday. So I can share those nuggets of wisdom with everyone, through my art. My vision is to awaken our inner joy, to spread love and see beauty in simple things. And I feel so grateful I’m doing that everyday.

modal art scarf sleeping beauty
Loveleen shows off the “Sleeping Beauty” Scarf

FD: Where do you create most of your art? Do you have a home studio, or prefer to work outside in nature?

LS: I have a home studio but my entire home is my workspace! Some days I work in our backyard, some days in the dining area and some days in my studio.

I just take my pens and paper and find a spot that calls me that day. I find it so freeing to create when I feel inspired. Be it a coffee shop, during my bus rides, in the plane or train, by the beach, in the park and even while I’m in a waiting area.

I do love working outside in nature the most. Especially during mornings. Making art while listening to birds is a precious experience.

FD: Are there particular places or things that inspire new designs for you?  Where does your inspiration come from?

LS: Nature is my biggest inspiration. Hanging out in our backyard and talking to our trees is one of my favorite things to do.

But my spirituality is the force that brings out new designs on paper. Without my spiritual practices I don’t think I would create the way I do now.

My drawings express and celebrate nature, our connection with everything in the Universe and lessons that we’re here to learn in the school of life.

When I create, I am not Loveleen – the artist anymore, I become a vehicle to let the Divine wisdom and creativity flow through.

Bold spirals art modal scarf
Loveleen enjoys a cuppa wearing the “Bold Spirals” artwork scarf

FD: Are there particular artists or art styles that influence your creations?

LS: There are few artists and illustrators that really inspire me. One of them is Lisa Congdon, another self-taught artist who began her creative journey in her 40’s. It’s her stories and her journey to become a successful artist that inspire me to continue on my own journey. Then there is Lizze Snow. Her pen and ink work is amazing and I learn so much from seeing her work.

FD: All of the designs we currently see are line drawings, is this your preferred method of creation or is this just what calls to you at the moment? 

LS: It’s been my preferred method for the past 6 years. Although I am not fixed upon using it only. I dabble with acrylics and even mixed media. I love pen and ink because I feel more in the flow with this medium. Plus this medium gives me the freedom and simplicity to create wherever I am. That’s how I started, making doodles in my bus ride. My favorite pens to use are Sakura microns.

FD: Does your color inspiration come after the work is finished or do you have colors in mind as your creating?

LS: Both. In my bigger original pieces I start with color and then draw over it. And in smaller pieces, I typically finish the drawing and then play with colors.

FD: Do you have a personal favorite art piece of yours?

LS: Oh I love every piece that flows through me. They might not be perfect in a traditional sense, but I love them because with each piece I grow a bit more.

There are a few which are extra special because I clearly remember when I created them. One of them is called “Journey of Life”. I created it on my birthday, a few years back. I love it because it captures my inner growth throughout the years. And I feel it’s the growth we are all going through, no matter how unique our journeys may be.

FD: Do you have a personal favorite art piece from any other artist?

LS: It keeps changing as I change 😀

“Inner Beauty” art by Loveleen

FD: Have you ever considered printing any of your artwork on other clothing pieces?  I personally would love to see your “Inner Beauty” on a skirt!

LS: Yes I have! It’s my vision to collaborate with brands and designers and have my art on their beautiful and sustainable clothes, such as dresses and skirts.

Right now I’m working with a small startup for the art printing, and I use the options that are offered by them, which are limited.

FD: On your blog you wrote “I barely shopped from 2015-2018 because I wanted to invest in pieces that match my values (sustainable, ethical, fair trade).” How do you shop differently now to ensure your values are reflected in your choices? 

LS: Oh it’s completely different how I shop now! Before shopping was a therapy for me. Now it’s only when I need something that I shop. Many years back going to the mall was an adventure. But I don’t do impulse shopping anymore. In fact, I don’t feel the desire to do so anymore.

And since it’s more challenging to find sustainable options in the shopping malls, I mostly shop online. 

I research brands, read their mission statement and their practices. I follow them on social media. I read blogs and reviews to get a feel for their brand. I have a few favorite brands now, and I am on their email so if I come across something that I love, I invest in it. I have added Faeries Dance to my list too!

I only shop a few times a year, even less. And when I do I invest more in sustainable pieces.

FD: Sustainable, ethical clothing does cost a little more (and it should since workers are being paid fairly for their labor and environmental impacts are priced into the garments rather than being something for governments to deal with later).  Do you have a strategy to afford new items like saving up to buy pieces or filling in gaps with thrift finds or budgeting for clothing?

LS: My shopping style and strategy has shifted tremendously in the past few years. I use what I have in my wardrobe to it’s maximum life. And I shop only when I intuitively feel the need of certain things. When I get that feeling I start looking for sustainable options. I buy versatile pieces – colors that complement each other and pieces that I can wear on different occasions. So I do invest more in each piece because I know their true value. I do always have a certain budget in mind so I stick to that, unless I find something that really makes my soul dance! 

modal art scarf into her eyes
Photographer Nasim Hoomanrad gets creative depicting Loveleen’s “Into Here Eyes” Scarf

FD: What is your favorite wardrobe piece and why.  What calls to you in fashion?

LS: While my go-to wardrobe pieces include jeans and tee, my favorite are scarves. And lately my modal scarves.

I have loved scarves for a long time because they’re the most functional pieces in my wardrobe. I can dress up by adding a scarf, I can cuddle in them when I’m cold. Scarves are something I wear no matter what season.

Fashion for me is what can bring out my inner beauty. Comfort, ease, versatility and sustainability are the few things that I go for. I go for things that light me up. Pieces that can bring out my true essence. Pieces that feel right when I wear them. Lately the sustainable pieces I have invested in do that for me. Because I know their true value plus they resonate with what I stand for – living in harmony with our own selves and with the environment.

FD: Is there anything else I haven’t covered that you would like to add?

LS: If you want to learn more about my work or my creative journey check out my website www.loveleensaxena.com

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The High-Waisted Panty is Back (and More Sustainable Than Ever)

Marilyn Monroe high-waisted panty
Marilyn Monroe Poses with her Dog in a High-Waisted Bikini

Imagine if you will, a lacy, sexy, panty, ethically made from sustainable materials, that actually sits high on the waist, covering your belly and making you feel retro gorgeous like Marilyn Monroe. It’s not a fantasy! These elusive high-waisted, organic cotton panties actually exist!

High-Rise Panties Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande Shows Off Her High-Raise Panties. © M.A.C. Cosmetics

When jeans went low-rise more than a decade ago, so did panties. As a middle-aged woman, wearing undies that accentuated my pooch belly did not make for a happy time for me. But over the last few years, high-rise panties have returned with a vengeance, and gone green! Performers like Ariana Grande (left) and Beyoncé (bottom) have shown off their figures in high rise panties, pushing this retro revival forward.

High-Rise Bikini on Beyoncé
Beyoncé Sports a High-Rise Bikini.

The eco-friendly version of this movement is primarily being spearheaded in Europe, with companies like Swegmark of Sweden, and Peau-Ethique in France showcasing high-waisted panties made from organic cotton and certified Fair Trade. Peau-Ethique even went one step further, making a retro high-waisted panty with an attached garter belt for extra sass. At the start of this trend, we got a humorous, thoughtful write-up from Girly Girl Army about our high-waisted Infinite Support Brief.

Organic Cotton High Waisted Panties from Europe
Three High Waisted Panty Options all made from Organically Grown Cotton
womens bamboo high-waisted brief underwear
The Anything But Basic Bamboo High Waisted Brief

More recently, San Francisco-Paris collaboration brand, Les Lunes, released the simple, but ultra-flattering, Anything But Basic High-waisted panty made from a luxurious bamboo fabric. It has less “support” and tummy control than the Swegmark panties and a bit less pizzazz than the Peau-Ethique options. Instead, it comes in at a lower price and has a silky texture surpassing the other options in comfort and barely-know-its-there wearability.

With so many luxury, ethical, sustainable options available, even the most dedicated low-rise fan might want to grab a retro high-waisted panty for under their favorite skirt or dress. What would you choose: flirty lace, tummy-controlling support, barely-there bamboo or a simple organic cotton basic made right here in Oregon? Whatever you decide, we think the retro indulgence of high-waisted panties is back to stay.

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Happy Twists butterfly Bra

Another Beautiful, Organic Cotton Bra Exclusive to FaeriesDance.com

I’m so excited to introduce the exclusive, limited edition Happy Twists Butterfly Bra. It’s a soft, unpadded, underwire bra with tie straps and hook-and-eye back closure.

Happy Twists butterfly Bra
Happy Twists Butterfly Bra
forest faery dress

In addition to working with Love Nature in Italy on our exclusive distribution arrangement, we’ve also been working with Occidente in France.  Occidente’s line is a bit more whimsical.  They have fun, fresh lingerie more suited to special occasions rather than everyday basics.

We fell in love with the outline of this underwire bra with tie straps, and had them design one for us with the lovely butterfly fabric (GOTS certified, of course) from our favorite Forest Faery Dress.  (And what better item to wear it with?)

The only downside is that it is a limited edition.  So once they’re gone… well, you know.

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Princess Bra

FaeriesDance.com to be the Exclusive Distributor for Love Nature Organic Bras and Panties

Princess Bra

In February we announced that Love Nature was rethinking their line and might discontinue production.  Months later, with a lot of negotiation, I’m extremely excited to announce that FaeriesDance.com will be exclusively selling a limited selection of Love Nature favorites.

Our agreement spans 5 organic cotton bras and 4 panties.  We’ll be getting the largest quantity of the all-time favorite Alba line including:

Two pieces from the Princess Line:

One bra from the Fairy Tale Collection:

And a matching bra and panty set:

alba no wire bra

We specifically tried to focus on bras that had features unique to Love Nature.  That’s why 4 of the 5 are their signature organic cotton padded bras with polyester-free, cotton padding.  The Alba No Wire bra, our best-selling bra of all time, rounded out the fifth (shown left).

Love Nature is a subsidiary of the Italian lingerie brand Lormar.  While Lormar has decided not to move forward with Love Nature, they still have access to the production facilities.  The most difficult issue we faced was ensuring that Lormar could still source all of the incredible eco-fabrics that were used in the Love Nature line.  So their production team had to check each style for availability of the fabrics, the cotton paddings and the trims.  That, combined with the high quantities required to produce each style, forced us to stick with just a few designs.

For a small business like ours, the quantities are staggering.  We’re literally getting thousands of bras and hundreds of panties.  Even at our most ambitious growth predictions, we should have stock for the next 5 years.  However, this agreement was a one-time only offer from Lormar.  So we don’t expect to be able to restock again once these are gone.

That said, there are a couple of minor negatives.

  • We expect a small price increase due to the high Euro to Dollar rate at the moment and the cost of warehousing all this stock for an extended period.
  • No more cute, embroidered linen drawstring bags.
  • The upfront cost of this endeavor is delaying phase 3 of our in-house manufacturing project.  This means we won’t be producing men’s underwear for a while longer.  Good news, though – we’ve found an excellent alternative for the guys (but that’s a post for another day).
  • Sadly, the other 60+ Love Nature organic lingerie items – including all of those lovely PJs and nighties – are still discontinued.  Don’t wait to get the one you’ve been coveting.

We hope you’ll appreciate our efforts.  The most common complaint we hear is when a favorite staple – be it bras, underwear or socks – becomes unavailable.  Of course, we also hope this will bolster our business for the next few years while we scour the planet for more eco-undies.

We expect these items to be available for sale by October, 2014.

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green tree bikini

The First Green Tree Organic Cotton Panties are in!

green tree bikini
Green Tree Organic Cotton Bikini

We’re so excited to share our new Organic Bikini Panty and Organic Hi Cut Panty.  Both styles are available in five colors from x-small to x-large.

Way back in August of last year I made the decision to have Faerie’s Dance start its own line of organic intimates and loungewear in order to keep consist stock of our highest turnover items.  It took a couple of months to get an ambitious plan in place, but lack of experience and a little bad luck had us riddled with obstacles and delays.  Finally, almost a year after the initial idea was formulated, we have our first 2 styles on sale.  For me, it’s a momentous occasion.

These two designs are first for one simple reason – we were able to iron out the fit details and get them stylish and comfortable with just 2 rounds of prototyping.  Some of the other styles have been more problematic.  The two printed designs from the original plan are now in their fourth prototype sewing.  But the point is to put out a style that will be comfortable and fun to wear.  So producing something that doesn’t have exactly the right fit isn’t an option.

hearts a'flutter design

We’re also still learning some surprising lessons.  For example, some of the colors “behave” differently than others in sewing.  We’ve even found that stretched fabric (it’s stretched a little when it’s rolled into bolts) will “ease” after cutting and sewing.  So you have to adjust the machine tension a little from the first couple of sewing days to the last.  While most of these little details have now been worked out, you will find that there’s a 1/2″ size difference from some colors to others in the same size.  And while that is apparently considered “normal” in sewing, we’re working with our producer to really hit a consistent size, stretch and tension every time so that you as a customer will know exactly what you’re getting.  If you like these panties, we want you to be able to buy them again 3 years from now and get the exact same fit.

At this point, our original Phase 1 and Phase 2 plans have been combined.  We’re currently in varying phases of production on 10 additional pieces including panties with covered elastic, a few sleeker styles, some lace panty versions, a cami with bra, leggings, and a bralette.  Our goal is to put out 2 additional styles approximately every 6-8 weeks.

Once we round out this dozen, hopefully in early 2015, we’ll have professional model photos taken of the entire line.  I apologize that it’s taken so long and am at the same time immensely grateful for all of you who’ve been watching this journey and stuck with us.  We’re offering these first two styles for $1 off for a very short time as a Thank You.  (Oh and quick hint: our 9 year anniversary is coming up soon, so watch for something extra special in the July newsletter.)

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cairn zen

The Zen of Organic Panty Manufacturing

Last August, I announced that Faerie’s Dance would start manufacturing their own line of organic cotton panties.  By October, we’d put a down payment on our fabric and had our first patterns. At the time, I posted that we’d launch those first few designs in late January or February.

cairn zen

It’s April, and many of you (including myself) are wondering, where the heck are these panties?! Good question.  Let’s recap.

When we left the deposit on the fabric, the manufacturer (a small, family-run, GOTS certified manufacturer in India) told me it would be about 60 days to completion.  So I lined up our Stayton, Oregon based seamstress for end of December and our Portland based printer for early January.  And for about 2 or 3 weeks, we were on schedule.

Once we were ready to get our low-impact dyed colors done, I learned I needed the Pantone color numbers to proceed.  I’d already picked the colors to match the latex-free elastic trims.  Unfortunately, the elastic seller wasn’t able to tell me what the Pantone numbers were.   And it turns out, buying what I thought would be a swatch card is actually a reference encyclopedia running about $900.  After a bit of a confusion and scramble, I mailed pieces of elastic to India and they were able to match the colors that way.

This small glitch put us 2 weeks behind.

Being a small business owner, I’m aware that things can occasionally (read: regularly) go wrong.  So when a machinery part broke down at the fabric manufacturer and they told us (very apologetically) that there would be another two week delay, there really wasn’t much I could do.  (Other than lament that the Hearts A’flutter panties wouldn’t be ready in time for Valentine’s Day.)

At this point, we were 4 weeks behind.

Now, we do a lot of importing.  Our best-selling bra line is from Italy.  When you ship small, lightweight items, they generally need to go by air because there’s not enough weight and/or volume to justify hiring all or part of a sea shipping container.  So I really (really!) should have known better.  But in my excitement of getting our first custom made fabric, I did not account for the time delay of shipping sea versus air.  Air usually takes a week, two tops.  Well for 1300 lbs of fabric, you really can’t ship by air.  (Unless you want to pay a ridiculous amount of money and waste a lot of jet fuel, neither of which are high on my priority list.)  So my allotted “shipping week” was taken over with special forms required for sea shipments.  Then the actual shipping time took an additional 4 weeks.

Suddenly, we were 2 months behind.

Ok, but February 27th is the big day – fabric is arriving!!  I figured a few days for customs clearance, and I would be able to get the fabric to the seamstress first week in March.  I make calls. I schedule.  The fabric arrives!  And I am the lucky winner of a special Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System (VACIS) exam.  If you just clicked that link, yes, the winner of a VACIS exam also wins the right to pay extra for the exam – even if the cargo is deemed legal and no contraband is found.  To make a way-too-long-story short, customs finally released my fabric on the afternoon of April 4th.  They held it more than 5 weeks. My business was required to pay nearly $400 in additional exam fees, and no contraband was found.

Et voilà, we were now 3 months behind.

So I call the seamstress, and guess what?  She’s in the middle of someone else’s project.  This was not at all unexpected, and I was really grateful that she (a small business owner herself) was still willing to work my project in.  I’m sure some of my delays had her scrambling to find other projects.  She worked in all of the sample sewing and fittings (which are now done! yay!); and is able to start full production April 28th.

And just like that, we are 4 months behind.

Faerie's Dance's pattern maker
Jaime, our Patternmaker, verifies the measurements of the first samples

I’d love to offer you all a list of the lessons I’ve learned during this experience, but it’s a blog post, not a novel, and room is limited.  And for the sake of all the issues I still haven’t run into and the fact that I haven’t even called the printer back yet, let’s just call it 5 months behind and hope for a July launch.  Just in case.

That said, the single biggest, most overwhelming, really smack-in-head, light bulb on, ah-ha lesson that I’ve come away with is… humility.

I am humbled by the efforts of the fabric maker, customs broker, seamstress and patternmaker in support of my project.

I am grateful to the many customers who’ve asked about the panty status, and who’ve not only been understanding about the delays, but even outraged on my behalf over the extra customs costs.

I am overwhelmed by the vast effort that goes into bringing the simplest of items to market.

And most of all, I am embarrassed by all the times I’ve been frustrated with manufacturers over delays they’ve had.

I’m going to go a little easier on folks from now on, including myself.  How many of you are harder on yourselves than you need to be?

Combining this with the experience of getting judgmental e-mails, I’m going to make an extra effort to be a bit more empathetic all around.

And just like that, I found a little peace through adversity.

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Modal Mother Earth Top

Modal is touted as the new eco-fabric; does it live up to the hype?

I’ve been seeing a lot of eco-fashions made from the new fabric, Modal, recently.  Some of the designs are super cute, but I wanted a little more information before jumping in.  I bet you do, too.  Modal is yet another play on Rayon.  It’s got that fabulous rayon drape and soft, silky feel, but is it sustainable?

Modal Mother Earth Top

 I was pleased to learn that Modal was developed by the Austrian company Lenzing, developer of the eco-fabric Tencel. Like Tencel, Modal has earned the European Union EcoLabel for having a reduced environmental impact throughout its life cycle.

Modal comes from Beechwood trees. Beechwoods are self-propagating which means no artificial irrigation or planting is required. More than half of the wood used by Lenzing comes locally from Austria and the remainder is from neighboring countries. All of the beechwood used for Modal comes from forests that follow sustainable harvesting methods.

Notably, Modal is the first fabric considered carbon neutral in its production process.  This is possible due to the generation of excess energy during fabric production and the recovery of component parts of the wood.  Even the pulp production is self-sufficient in terms of energy and is an important supplier of energy for the entire operation. Lenzing also boasts that up to 95% of the production materials are recovered and reused, which sounds very much like a closed-loop production system.

Modal Paw Tee

The key part of the production cycle is Lenzing’s Edelweiss technology: oxygen-based chemistry that eliminates the need for harsh and/or toxic production chemicals

In summary, Modal passes the environmental criteria we set out to meet: sustainable input materials, very low waste production and no harsh or toxic chemicals.  Of course, we also source clothing from manufacturers who use low-impact dyes on the fabric and do not add harsh finishing agents.  With that in mind, our first Modal-based garments are now in and this batch has the bonus of all being designed and sewn in the USA.  Like Tencel, we still plan on using the fabric sparingly in our offerings; but a few awesome pieces are sure to add a bit of variety to your wardrobe.

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trebuchet

Organic Cotton Panty Update – Status of Our New Endeavor

In the back of my head, I’d wanted to start my own organic clothing “brand” for some time now.  But it took repeated loss of some of our best selling items for me to finally take the plunge.  I have to say, my initial trepidation was not wholly unfounded.  Designing and manufacturing are a completely different animal than retailing.  There has been so much to learn, including a whole new vocabulary that I was completely unfamiliar with.  Not unexpectedly, spending nearly 3 months focused on learning something entirely new and thus not spending that time on marketing, press releases, creative newsletters, web updates and other normal business tasks has had its effect on sales.

trebuchet

However, my SO has likened the effort to that of a trebuchet being loaded.  While I at first thought he was nuts, I loved his explanation of the slow crank of the trebuchet actually moving the (let’s call it) stone-of-progress away from the goal only to eventually slingshot it forward all in a massive rush.  Being tickled by fantasy novels, Renaissance Faires and period movies, the trebuchet imagery makes me smile and keeps me turning that crank.

While it looks like my goal of having the first organic cotton panties for sale before the holidays is definitely not going to happen, we’re now far enough along that I can provide some details of what’s coming.  Here’s what we’ve got so far…

There are still some vagaries in the schedule that could cause even more delays, but if all goes well, the initial launch of our new brand, Green Tree Organic Clothing, will be in early 2014.  The roll-out of products will be in 3 phases spanning the entire year.

Phase 1: Five panty designs derived from previous best-sellers and a little inspiration, launching in January or February 2014

Phase 2: The addition of panties with lace trims, probably a thong style and possibly our first sports bra and/or cami – some time in Summer

Phase 3: Men’s underwear and whatever else on our list people have been asking for – maybe a simple unisex tee in more color options – hopefully in early Fall

Phases 2 and 3 are *very* vague still and could change.  Phase 1 however, is really coming together.  Here’s what to expect.

bikini pattern
Classic Bikini Style

A Classic Bikini and a Hi Cut Brief in 5 colors (black, sweet pink, deep plum [bordeaux], white and undyed natural).  Taking heed of feedback we’ve had on these styles, we’ve kept the same basic shape, but are using a slightly heavier fabric that will not only make these softer, but should also make them last longer. I’ve heard and experienced that the versions we currently carry get threadbare faster than some of the other styles. The new fabric has more cotton per square inch, and while it’s a tad more expensive, it should alleviate that issue.  We’ve kept the same fold-over elastic styling that does touch the skin, but are using a latex-free version making them accessible to more customers.

hi cut brief pattern
Hi Cut Brief Style

For those with more acute sensitivities, we’ll have a Hipster style with completely covered elastic in black and undyed natural and have changed the design to include flat seam stitching for more comfort.

hipster panty pattern
Hipster Panty Style

The last 2 are really fun styles and my personal favorites.  We’re recreating the printed Eat Organic bikini from years ago and also adding a new printed style called Hearts A Flutter, which will be fun all year round and make a  particularly awesome Valentine’s gift.  The body is a bikini/hipster hybrid similar to Echo Verde’s panty styling.

printed panty pattern
Printed Panty Pattern

I wanted to do the whole process right here in Oregon to keep it local and have more control over the quality.  I mostly succeeded.  The designs and pattern making were done in Portland.  Tags are being produced in Portland as well.  The cutting and sewing are being done about an hour away in Stanton, Oregon by a family-run shop that’s been in business for more than 20 years.  Both the Pattern maker and cut and sew house are very small, home-based businesses just like Faerie’s Dance.  I had to outsource the elastics and after a ridiculous amount of research and time, decided to have our organic cotton fabrics custom made in India.

While I had hoped to find a US-based fabric manufacturer, I found that the minimum orders for each color were substantially higher in the USA.  More importantly, even though they were knitting here, all of the certified organic cotton was coming from Turkey or India anyway.  (The USA does not grow enough organic cotton to meet its own usage.) By having it knit at the source I was able to get original documentation of the GOTS certification, work directly with a family-owned fabric maker who also does herbal dyeing (a good resource for future projects), and have the fabric made at a reduced price with substantially lower minimum quantities.  In the USA, only 2 colors would have been feasible on the same upfront investment.

So that’s where we are so far.  I hope some of you find this useful.  I’ve heard a lot of suggestions already for Phases 2 and 3, but please keep them coming.  The point is to design and manufacture what you are looking for, so please let us know.

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