Supporting a small independent label

Well, if you have reached here you are getting to know a little bit more about the founder for Kin and Cloth.

I don’t often post on a weekend. However, since a lot more people started to follow on Instagram I wanted to say Thank You and add some more information here for my first post since updating the website.

I am Jasmine and yes, I love to create beautiful pieces, I also run creative workshops for children who I share my skills sets with and they are learning that there are no limits to their creativity. The children don’t only learn about making products, the workshops help them to build life skills of resilience and confidence. I absolutely love the work that I do and always hope that I can say that.

I have always been creating items from the age of seven. I have fond memories of sewing with my mother and sister, what I know now is because of what I learned from them.  I then eventually went on at a young age to learn tailoring with my sister, after she sadly passed away at a very young age, I then went on to study Art, but somehow, I knew that I needed to be working closely with the beauty of what fabric could do. The next step would be Fashion design on an amazing course that not only focused on fashion but allowed students to learn more about how Fashion worked with all different Art forms in the creative industry. I went for that course because it offered a whole year out in industry. I often advise those studying to do this if they are able to, because you gain such valuable skills before completing your final year.

It’s been wonderful working for over 15 year in the industry, there is always something new to learn, especially when you are running your own business. However, I am not going to lie I have had to face many challenging moments being a black women working in an industry that does not always favour difference, but I won’t go into that right now, it will be for another post.

Kin and Cloth is a small label, with a big vision. It is often the support of others, who can see the amazing strength of those designer- makers products and the potential where that label could reach.

Those who show support, step forward with no hidden agenda and only want to shine a light on these independent labels, by taking the time to tell you about people like me.

This week Alex Stedman from The Frugality shone a light on Kin and Cloth, Alex tries to support independent labels, she believes in, this reminded of just before The Guardian did a piece on me about life after homelessness. Sophie Davis who is part of The Guardian team saw a resilience in me and also after hearing about my challenges, Anna Bateson who leads on The Guardian campaign ‘Hope is Power’ kindly supported my business and bought a HOPE bag for herself and also for Katharine Viner, Editor-in-chief of The Guardian. These are the kind of acts that really bring help to a small business.

Now, I know not everyone can afford to buy from small labels, so there are many other ways, to help them where no money needs to be spent.

Shine a light on them by…

1: Following on social media.

2: Sharing their link with your family, friends and work colleague.

3: If they trade at a market with their products, go and visit them, to get to know more about what they do.

4: If you have a retail store consider stocking their products and be patient because often we are making the products ourselves. Try to support local designer-makers rather than always going for the obvious or just those with a lot of followers.

5: Don’t try to rip them off by copying what they do, or replicating their work, it happens all too often in the design industry. When other individuals and brands maybe more visible in the social media network, chose to copy those other unknown established labels

It means so much to those in the creative industry when you follow on social media and we appreciate you taking the time to do this because we know how busy people’s lives can be.

If you admire a small label and what they are about, support them, come follow and like what they do.

Each month I will try to keep you updated but bear with me because, I am often running the workshops and trying to make the products, sometimes a lot more to survive.

One day I will have the luxury that all small labels would like, to fully focus on the design side, whilst every other part of the business is dealt with by a team who believe in what we do.

Keep in touch and Thank you.