#Rachel Temko

[seenheardknown]

WHIMSY + ROW: FEEL GOOD IN IT & FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT

We've sent 13 trillion tons of our clothes to landfills in the U.S. alone—where they rot for 200 years—letting out toxic chemicals and dyes that contaminate our soils and water in the process. Much of these clothes are a product of the fast fashion community, which tempts us with an array of newness and irresistible deals but also are impacting the environment in hellish ways. Slow fashion communities have been investing in higher quality clothes—that actually will save us money. Each piece will last us for years to come. And that's something Rachel Temko, founder of Whimsy + Row is able to get behind. Just read this little quote she offered up: "I like my clothes like I like my cheese, quality over quantity." Cheese aside, Rachel has a vision, timeless clothing, rooted in sustainability that you can feel good in and feel good about. With modern shapes and insanely quality fabrics—we're ready to swap our cheddar cheese for Rogue River Blue (supposedly an expensive kind of cheese). Here's our super inspiring our Q+A with Rachel.

What is your favorite organic textile?

Linen is my fave! It’s super soft, strong, breathable and looks damn good. Made from natural cellulose fibers of flax, it’s 2x stronger than cotton and 3x stronger than wool. We make tops, bottoms, dresses and bandanas out of this superstar fabric. Just looking at it makes me feel a little calmer and wearing it actually makes my life easier.

Why is being sustainable so important to your brand?

Honestly, I never thought of Whimsy + Row being any other way. I have a huge crush on nature and would never want to do anything to hurt her. I focused on sustainable fashion in college, I’ve worked almost every position in the industry and seen from the inside how harmful making clothing is. Supporting small and well-crafted goods is highly important to me, I’ve always been obsessed with vintage and love a good story.

What are your sustainability practices?

We try to be sustainable wherever possible…

1 Sustainable Fabrics—We use low impact plant based fabrics (Rayon, Tencel and Linen), recycled fabrics (actually made from recycled materials) and reclaimed/deadstock fabric (excess fabric from other brands that we save from landfills).

2 Less Fabric Waste—We make bandanas and tops out of the excess fabric we have.

3 No water—There has been no water on our end that goes into making our clothing.

4 Packaging—All our packaging materials (labels, tags, tissue, stickers, boxes, shipping mailers, business cards) are made from recycled materials and are recyclable or biodegradable. We even send out tote bags with every purchase for customers to reuse!

5 Quality—Our goods are built to last and we recommend eco-friendly ways to care for it, so it will last longer.

6 No extra inventory—We cut smaller quantities - this way the pieces we make are unique and we don’t have excess stock that could potentially end up in landfills.

7 Ethical & Local Manufacturing—All our clothing is handmade in our DTLA factory where they care about their workers livelihood, pay above minimum wage, require clean work environments and treat their workers respectfully. Also producing locally decreases our carbon footprint.

8  Transparency : Through our social media outlets and email marketing we continue the sustainability conversation to encourage customers to live a eco-conscious lifestyle.

"Fashion shouldn’t be fast—what we wear is a taste of who we are and what we stand for. It should be thoughtful and built to last, not mindless and disposable."—Rachel Temko

Do you want to educate your customers about sustainability in a bigger way? 

Yes, my goal is to first be an eco-conscious community, second a clothing brand. We currently use our voice to our customers as a guide—educating them about our process and how they can be sustainable in their own lifestyle. We are currently incorporating this shared knowledge through our #WHIMSYWISDOM hashtag. We often collaborate with likeminded influencers and brands to spread the eco-conscious mindset. On the horizon, we will be hosting events and promotions centered around sustainability to further educate, stay tuned!

What is your best-selling piece?

Our Flora wide-leg pants made from deadstock fabric, we just can’t keep them in stock!

Sustainability often has this label of being ‘un-affordable to the masses’, which seems to be a reason people give for choosing ‘fast fashion’. In your own words why is it worth it?

Yes I hear this a lot and I get it, I used to buy fast fashion. When I made the switch to just purchasing good quality, sustainable, vintage or reused clothing, I actually saved money because I was buying less and taking better care of these pieces because they meant more to me.

Which other sustainable brands do you admire and why?

Patagonia, Reformation,  and Nisolo—they are a making a huge impact in the industry and paving the way for small brands (like me) to thrive.

Finish the sentence. Shopping responsibly has...

Given me peace knowing that my decisions aren’t harming the lives of others.

The Whimsy + Row girl is…

Mindful, creative and kind.

If there’s one thing we should know about Whimsy + Row it’s that...

We are an approachable brand that cares.

 *images are not owned by SHK. Via Whimsy + Row instagram.

[poetryhouses]

STORE: Buy Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3 or a bundle of all three!

To purchase any back volumes from the Pittsburgh Poetry Houses, please email sarahbbeddow@gmail.com.

Volume III: 40 poems printed individually on quarter sheets of card stock with an illustrated cover exclusive to the volume, all bound with a neon gumband.  

Featuring poems by: Jessica Goodfellow, Lynn Wagner, Kas Leet, Jennifer Kulbeck, Andrea Janov, John Reinhart, Nsai Temko, Aimee Mackovic, Bria Davis, Abby Chew, Amy Lee Heinlen, Ralph Stevens, Jaila Brentley, Reed Redmond, Kevin Casey, Zachary Kluckman, Margaret Bashaar, Sidney Wollmuth, Frank Modica, Mike Good, Phyllis Wax, Josephine Squillante, Wendy Scott, Louise Robertson, Mercedes Lawry, Stephanie Malley, Barbara Ruth, Andrea Blythe, Ayame Hairston, Allison Adair, Ayesha Chatterjee, Malcolm Friend, Julie Marquez, Skylar T., Sharon Suzuki-Martinez, Nancy Reddy, paulA neves, J.L Von Ende, Kara Knickebocker, and Karen Rigby. Covers by: Albert Zhang, Madison Wise, Nsai Temko, and Robert Lehew.

Volume II: 32 poems printed individually on quarter sheets of card stock with an illustrated cover exclusive to the volume, all bound with a neon gumband.  

Featuring poems by: Andrianne Dao, Lori Gravley, Karen Hart, Prerna Bakshi, Larisa Harriger, Ellene Glenn Moore, Ziggy Edwards, Zoe Stephan, Cameron Barnett, Alison Prine, Jeffrey Kuhn, Maria Davila, Sheila Squillante, Jennifer Hambrick, Sheila Wellehan, Shenu Kathymoon, Lisa Gluskin Stonestreet, Hannah Craig, Neely Woodroffe, Holly Burdorff, Maureen McGranaghan, Candice Geary, Laryssa Wirstiuk, Mike Yim, Laura Lovic-Lindsay, Bella Carlino, Eileen Murphy, Eric Paul Shaffer, Bruce Robinson, Judith R. Robinson, Gabriella Alexis, and Conrad Geller. Covers by: Hassan Rollins, Jazmirr Cook, Corinne Gamble, and Linus Pietrusza.

Volume I: 36 poems printed individually on quarter sheets of card stock with an illustrated cover exclusive to the volume, all bound with a neon gumband. 

Featuring poems by: Angele Ellis, Anna Leahy, Arlene Weiner, Brianna Pike, Suzen Richardson, Daniel Blokh, David Forman, Ellen Kombiyil, Emily Nigra, Erin Taylor, Ethan Brouder, Farah Ghafoor, Jazlynn Houston, Jeff Hoffman, Jennifer MacBain-Stephens, Kelly Scarff, Lauren Bingham, Leah Mueller, Lori Wilson, Margot Douaihy, Marie Vibbert, Meghan Tutolo, Melissa Frederick, Michalle Gould, Miriam Bird Greenberg, Natalia Holtzman, Rachel Davis, Randi Ward, Robin Turner, Scott Thomas Outlar, Shannon Connor Winward, Shannon Sankey, Sherrell Wigal, Tamar Reed, Tammy Bendetti, and Timeka Thompson. Covers by: Suzen Richardson, Paige Norman, Khristian McLemore, and Paul Rusinko.

[oltnews]

It’s the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, but what is it about sustainable fashion and accessories designers in Los Angeles: how are they going to stay alive? With the coronavirus pandemic hitting the fashion industry hard, sustainable brands in the Los Angeles market are doing what they can to welcome customers and stay afloat. Here are some of their stories.Being innovative: Deborah Lindquist Los Angeles-based fashion designer Deborah Lindquist in her garden wears one of the eco-masks she has made and sold.(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) "We don't know how long this shutdown will last, we don't know who will be forced to leave business, and we wonder if our own restructuring ideas are right," said Deborah Lindquist, a clothing and accessories company. and interior designer who has designed for celebrities such as Sharon Stone, Pink, Jessica Alba, Christina Aguilera and Rihanna."Small businesses are the cornerstone of our country, just as important in big cities as in small communities," she said. Deborah Lindquist makes masks in her North Hollywood home.(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) Lindquist focused on creating masks in her North Hollywood home using the remaining pieces of her recycled denim jackets, which are embellished with appliques, studs and rhinestones. "For other models of woven masks, I use pieces of printed silk from my production of dresses, skirts and blouses in leopard, sari, vintage kimono," she said. "And I make a group of white masks with my friends and family in the health field, based on vintage table linen and napkins. “As an innovative designer, I have always found ways to use materials at my fingertips. Since we have to cover our faces, we might as well look cool. I think it's a good idea to have a mask wardrobe these days not only to have a new one on hand, but to keep it interesting. "Change of course: Dalia MacPhee Designer Dalia MacPhee.(Dalia MacPhee) In January, designer Dalia MacPhee was able to see the writing on the wall while watching the fashion scene in China. "I was on the phone with manufacturers who were stranded there," said MacPhee. “I knew it was only a matter of time before the industry was affected here. However, I never thought it would go so bad. " The veteran fashion designer, whose creations were worn by Mel B, Olivia Munn, Niecy Nash and Julianne Hough, began to manufacture certified personal protective equipment (KN95 masks, intensive care suits and isolation gowns) for the medical community a few weeks ago. Dalia MacPhee's Vintage Design Face Covering, $ 19.(Dalia MacPhee) "I went from evening gowns to hospital gowns like that," she said. “We also produce designer fabric masks with filters for the public. And because we may be working from home over the next few months, I also worked on an athletics line.“It's a scary time. Those of us in the fashion industry now have the task of taking the new standard and making it right. In my own line, I have created a new collection including matching mask-legging combos and PPE in the colors of this season. We must add a certain lightness and normality while directing the ship towards safety. It will take time for fashion to return. " Rolling with the punches: Alisun Franson Alisun Franson sells face masks on a stand in front of his company Amiga Wild in Venice.(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) "With any challenge, you have to roll with your punches and think outside the box," said Alisun Franson, who owns the Amiga Wild store in Venice with independent jewelry designer Sadie Gilliam. “We have to keep paying the rents even when our doors are closed. Through brainstorming, we hope to lead customers to our online store, where customers can purchase and attend workshops in the safety of their homes. " Franson, which makes jewelry from recycled bicycle parts, has also co-created a pop-up store where consumers can purchase face masks on a donation basis. "We have hand sewn over 500 masks in the past few weeks and have provided masks to the nonprofit organization Worthy of Love, which helps children living on a skid track," she said. declared. “We want to do whatever it takes to help the community stay protected in the fight against COVID-19. Sadie Gilliam, left, and Alisun Franson sell face masks on a stand outside their store in Venice.(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) "Sustainable fashion is the future - not a trend," she said. “It is a lifestyle that people adopt because they see the importance of preserving our earth. There are so many materials existing in the world. Why send them to the landfill when they can be reused and transformed into portable art? "Slow mode: Desiree Buchanan Founder of Poplinen Desiree Buchanan.(Michelle Mosqueda) Desiree Buchanan, founder of the Poplinen line for women, has tried to adapt to the massive decline in fashion due to the stoppages and delays of COVID-19."We face problems along the supply chain and do our best by making masks," said Buchanan. "We want to keep our production partners and local creative entrepreneurs in Los Angeles busy while being responsible for social distancing, which slows everything down." Due to the home stay order, all of the in-person events that Buchanan had scheduled were canceled until further notice, which was a huge upheaval. "With so much uncertainty, it is difficult to set targets for the next quarter, let alone 2020 as a whole," she said. "We use this time to create useful, high-quality content on topics that match our efforts for inclusion and sustainability. Our goal during this time is to be a vehicle for the good in the lives of our customers and our followers, doing what we can to stay true to our mission to celebrate women and meet their security and protection needs. ” If the on-site shelter continues, Buchanan said she hopes to find ways to get around this and help restore value to the fashion."For consumers, I think it will lead them to make conscious purchasing choices - buy clothes that bring value and longevity to their lives," she said. “If our teams can no longer work closely together for the foreseeable future, we will find ways to adapt. Being small and disjointed allows for resilience around obstacles. With modern technology, we have been able to go that far. It's just one day at a time; slowdown in production because our sewers practice social distancing and implement fewer hours to avoid spreading the pandemic. " Strengthening the brand: Isadora Alvarez Isadora Alvarez, founder and artistic director of Back Beat Co.(Johanna Siring) Isadora Alvarez, founder and creative director of the Back Beat Co. women's line, pushed all her efforts during the coronavirus epidemic towards promoting and strengthening her brand. "Online is our only revenue stream right now, so we really want to have an ongoing dialogue with our community," she said. “Normally, a large part of our business is wholesale, but with the closure of bricks and mortars, we devote all our time and resources to marketing. The next two months will be difficult because people will recover quite slowly. " Creating an eco-friendly fashion line was not easy for Alvarez, which has now made masks for hospitals and essential workers. The Spring-Summer 2020 collection of Back Beat Co. by artistic director Isadora Alvarez uses materials such as hemp, organic cotton, tencel and recycled cotton.(Brian Overend) "We have had problems with the fact that the industry is very outdated and resistant to change for a more sustainable future," she said. "We had to convince our suppliers to use better fibers like hemp, organic cotton, etc. There is also a problem of minimums where we have to do a lot, so there is a lot of waste. Fortunately, we found partners ready to work with us under these conditions after years of hard work.“As a woman of color, it's always difficult, because they never consider you the boss. I am always asked who my boss is. The clothing industry is still mostly made up of older men, so I just have to take a more direct approach when dealing with them. " Flexibility is the key: Mariah K. Lyons Designer Mariah K. Lyons at the Astara factory.(Leah Shiros) Being malleable in times of uncertainty is an integral part of the business plans of Mariah K. Lyons, founder of the Astara line of sustainable shoes. "We are trying to view this period as an opportunity for innovation, rather than just a break before resuming normal business," she said. When the pandemic hit, the brand had to cancel productions and new launches and work with very different schedules and "dramatically changed projections," said Lyons, who was once a publicist for the famous shoe brand Jimmy Choo. "We want to change our business model and significantly expand our offerings, [and] not only evolve with this massive current, but also to maintain cash flow and have the ability to create fully sustainable products and build a community. " Astara transparent quartz sandals, $ 325.(Oxen Studio) Lyon recently reduced the cost of its durable shoes. "We mainly ship directly to consumers right now," she said. “We wanted to change our retail model and reflect the new distribution structure throughout our pricing - with the ability to reach and help more people. Our goal has always been to create shoes that support the well-being of the body, mind, spirit and the planet. Hopefully this will allow for greater accessibility. "Strength in numbers: Rachel Temko Whimsy and Row owner and art director Rachel Temko. (She wears the Flora pants from her brand in natural and the Valentina top in white.)(Goldfaden MD) To cope with the effects of the pandemic, Rachel Temko, owner and creative director of Whimsy and Row, launched a small business alliance called Together Apart, which donates 5% of sales to Feeding America and a collective discount of 20% to customers. "Our Together Apart campaign includes many of our stores to help promote and develop them during this time," said Temko. "We felt it was much bigger than we are individually, but with like-minded small businesses, we will all increase."To date, the alliance has donated $ 990 to Feeding America and more than 1,400 masks to the Union Rescue Mission, Downtown Women’s Center and Midnight Mission.For designers, the challenge of having cash and having enough to cover their bills was daunting. "Many of our wholesale accounts do not accept orders because their stores are closed, so we are suffering [lack of] income and have an overstock problem, "said Temko. "I hope they can survive online and start taking orders soon." Having to let go of employees was "even more difficult," Temko said, but as sales increase, his staff will be called back to work. “Our production and development have come to a complete halt, because none of our subcontractors can work. We are concerned about meeting our deadlines. " Despite uncertain times, Temko remains hopeful. "It could be a blessing in disguise because the fashion industry has no choice but to change," she said. “We have already reduced our deliveries and plan to create only less seasonal and more versatile clothing. Fashion must be able to have a longer sales time and easily pass from one season to another. We have to evolve to survive. "The future of eco-fashion: Keri Lassalle Keri Lassalle, founder of Lulu Dharma.(Hermas Lassalle) Keri Lassalle, founder of the Lulu Dharma range of ecological accessories, sees the global spread of COVID-19 as a kind of “collective deep breathing” for the Earth. "It forced us all to take a break and really think about what is important to us," she said, "especially in the fashion industry because we are one of the main contributors to pollution and waste. " Lassalle believes that the industry will move quickly from sustainability to the idea of ​​regenerative production - the use of agricultural waste, recycled materials and organic cotton grown responsibly and that take into account the health and well-being of people who cultivate and sew. "As soon as the cost of materials goes down for these materials, many more companies will be ready to use them," she said. "And when fashion brands really realize the impact of creation in an unsustainable way, the direct impact, people will realize that it is absolutely essential to change course."Do we really want to 'sustain' our momentum towards climate change, or do we want to start reversing the trend?" Asked Lassalle. “Education is over there. The signs are there, and fashion brands are taking note. Customers are definitely interested in shopping with transparent and responsible companies. We will all have to be responsible. " window.fbAsyncInit = function() FB.init( appId : '119932621434123', xfbml : true, version : 'v2.9' ); ; (function(d, s, id) var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); (document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); https://oltnews.com/in-the-midst-of-the-coronavirus-the-pivot-of-los-angeles-sustainable-designers-los-angeles-times?_unique_id=5ea14db4803ec