Inspired by memories of being at Grandmas hale (house), we started drawing the little things that brought me back to my childhood. My grams was a super crafty washing (woman) that could sew everything and anything from pants to a quilt and I know if she were here, she’d turn this into something amazing. In honor of her, and her love for sewing, we decided to turn select artwork from this collection inspired by her into fabric.
Initially, we put it out into the universe that we would make our artwork available on Spoonflower, however a much more beautiful alternative came to surface. Another locally owned and operated business offered to manufacture fabric for us, and as you know here at Kākou Collective, we like to keep it as local as possible.
This is something not just new to us, but to our manufacturer. They want to create something amazing for artists and small businesses like mine. They want to give us an opportunity to take out the steep cost of shipping and the long turnaround time. When this is finalized - this is going to be a game changer. Not just for me, but any local business that utilizes fabric or wants to do something different with their artwork.
When starting something new, its not as easy as going with a company that has done this for over a decade (like Spoonflower). They have had time to not only figure out their process, but they figured out their pricing, how to communicate with artists, what the turnover and speed would be like, quality control, product variety, and so much more. Even on our end there is a lot of testing and retesting in regards to our files, the fabric, the fabric type, the cost… so much goes into play with creating new things.
Why go with this manufacturer? Well, there is something to be said about supporting local manufacturers. Not only do they create job opportunities, they strengthen our local economy and take us one more step towards being self sustaining. Yes, there isn’t as much variety but that will come in time. If all local businesses and consumers do what they can to keep it as local as possible, we can truly change the economic landscape here in this place we call home. So for me, this is an automatic yes. This is a product that I know I will be so proud of, and that my grandma would be proud of.
So what does this mean for our collection? Well, once we do hammer down the details, anyone that purchases this fabric will have a product that was made with so much aloha. From the artwork to the actual material, this will be a 100% locally made product. This fabric is also died using the sublimation dye method, meaning that it is so much better for our environment. This is absolutely crucial to living on an island.
When can we expect a launch? I'd suggest subscribing to our newsletter and turning on Instagram post notifications. These things take time and research, so we'd rather get it right than rush into it.
If you are interested in collaborating please send us an email aloha@kakoucollective.com
