About Me + Sustainability Efforts

Hello and welcome to my About Me Page! I have always been terrible at telling people about myself and what it is I do, but I guess I can start off with introducing who I am. My name is  Brittani, and I am the Owner and Designer for Untitled Thoughts. 

Ever since I was young, clothing has been an outlet for expressing my personality, and when I learned how to sew, nothing could slow me down! To me, clothing represents a form of freedom and expression of confidence, all of which I want other people to feel when they wear one of my pieces.

Of course, I strive to  put an eco-green stamp of approval on as many practices in my own studio as I possibly can. I truly believe that clothing can not only let you feel good, but it can also be good for the environment. It may take a few extra steps, but those steps are totally worth it! 

Sustainable practices

Untitled Thoughts was built on the foundation of Sustainability. My studio maintains as many sustainable, eco-friendly practices as I can possibly get my hands on. As Untitled Thoughts continues to grow, the sustainable practices I incorporate will continue to move in a positive direction!

Studio Life

I try to use as many energy efficient & sustainably sourced resources as possible in my studio. I may be a one woman operation, but that doesn't stop me from being incredibly dedicated to providing you with beautiful patterns that keeps your conscience feeling super good.

Energy

My website is hosted by GreenGeeks which is an eco-friendly hosting provider. Not only do they run on 300% Wind Power, but they are also partnered with U.S. EPA Green Power. You can check out all they are striving to do for the environment here.

It may seem small, but all of lights in my studio are Energy Star certified CFL Bulbs. Each bulb saves an estimated 84 lbs of CO2 over the course of its lifetime as compared to a traditional incandescent bulb and they last around 10 times as long! Plus, my studio is located in a pretty sunny spot, so I hardly even have to turn on the lights when working during the day, saving even more!

Garden

We have finally purchased a house of our very own and have been working hard to transform as much of our usable space into a beautiful and productive garden! Currently, half of our front lawn has been turned into an organic edible and floral garden, attracting all sorts of pollinators and providing us with a small percentage of our personal groceries. My hope is that over the course of the next few years the garden will be able to supply us with the majority of our food needs, thus cutting back on our reliance on foods sourced from thousands of miles away. 

Recycling + Composting

I recycle and reuse or donate my textile scraps whenever possible. Zero waste is my ultimate goal. I am now officially composting 100% of our organic matter as well as striving to eliminate the amount I need to recycle through more efficient use of my supplies and fabrics. Every little thing adds up, and I want to make a positive difference, no matter how small.


Selling Online

E-commerce

On average, e-commerce uses about 30% less energy than traditional brick + mortar retailers do. Coupling that with an energy efficient web hosting program and Untitled Thoughts is actually offsetting my carbon footprint by offering over 90% of our products exclusively online. Pretty cool, eh?

Shipping

The majority of the items sold on my site are digital downloads which require no shipping (yay!). However, when I do offer items that require shipping, I aim to reuse where we can and purchase eco-friendly when needed. That's why the majority of my products are packaged in containers that have previously been shipped to me, or I opt in for items such as Eco Enclose products which are biodegradable and reusable as well!

Fabrics

This is my favorite part of any design, but it is also where the environment can take the biggest hit. That is why I take sourcing fabrics VERY seriously. I shop locally every chance I get, scour thrift stores for cool fabrics + items that are in desperate need of a reboot, and purchase organic or natural fibers when I have to buy new.  


Local

I really dig USA based products, so of course I turn to other local businesses as often as I can. However, due to my studio size and the limited number of fabric resources available here in the USA, I sometimes source items from Canada or the UK. I am always working to change that. However, I DO cut, sew, and produce ALL of my garment samples right here in GA. No outsourcing needed!

Raw Goods

Currently, I am purchasing the majority of my raw goods (i.e. fabrics, threads. etc) from USA based businesses that gather some of their goods from overseas. Unfortunately, my favorite material, Hemp, is not legally allowed to be produced into fabric here in the USA, so I have to outsource from other countries. Hopefully, this will change in the years to come. Until then, I am continually striving to purchase more and more items from USA based manufacturers in an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of transportation. 

Standards

I am currently on a mission to not only purchase really awesome, organic, all natural materials, but I am also out to work with other businesses who have the same set of high standards regarding the environment as well as fair labor as I do. This is why I generally only work with small, family owned businesses and vet larger corporations to make sure they meet my high level of expectations. 

Service & Community

Helping others isn't all about the karma; I think it's awesome to help others just because. I am constantly looking for new ways to support local and national organizations. Currently, I donate 5-10 percent of every pattern sale on my website on a monthly basis to specific non-profit organizations such as:

You can find out exactly how much your purchases have allowed me to donate in my yearly transparency report. 

I also donate fabric scraps to local business, Re:Loom and unsold products to individual families or shelters in need.