Covey is a soon-to-launch online boutique that will offer products by independent designers who apply ethical and sustainable manufacturing practices. Conscious consumerism. Craftsmanship. Sustainability. Slow fashion. These are driving forces for Covey founders Monica Rojas and Sarah Hicks.
Rojas, owner and designer of the sustainable apparel line Amatoria Clothing, and Hicks, the content creator behind style blog B8sics, are Kansas City-based entrepreneurs who partnered this year to launch Covey. The boutique’s objective is to “make beautiful, ethical fashion easily accessible.” To support this new project, they’ve set up a Kickstarter campaign to raise $6,000 by July 14 . The money will fund the production of the store website and the first line of products. Covey is slated to officially open in the fall of 2015.
Our boutique collection features clothing and accessories for men and women with minimal, classic designs while maintaining contemporary, fresh aesthetics. Covey ensures each design is ethically manufactured here in the USA or by people abroad under proven-safe labor conditions. Through this policy, we support stable jobs for fashion designers and their staff locally and worldwide. We also focus on natural materials, including organic and recycled fibers and dyes free of artificial ingredients.
Learn more about the founders, business model and backer rewards on the campaign page, and read my interview with Hicks below…
What is one fact about the fashion marketplace or consumerism that people would be shocked to know?
Change starts with them.
How did you come up with the name Covey and what, if any, significance does it have to the objective of your company?
Choosing “Covey” was no simple task and was probably the most difficult part of our entire launch process. Simplicity and design are something that both Monica and I feel strongly about, and being able to present a clear and concise message was fundamental to the process. “Design, craftsmanship and sustainability” are the three principles on which we measure all of our fashion and business decisions against, which gives us a three-pronged approach, so we knew early on that the equilateral triangle would be our icon. Through process of elimination, we decided that the concept of a “covey” (which is a small flock of birds) best represented our gathering “flock” of like-minded individuals (designers, craftsmen, and customers).
One simple, yet effective, tip you would offer to someone who wants to become a more conscious, ethical buyer.
Ask yourself if the item is something that you can wear for more than the immediate season. Steering clear of trend-driven purchases helps to eliminate items that get worn once or twice and then get cast off in favor of the ever-changing trends being sold by high-volume stores.
How do you think your work backgrounds will benefit you when it comes to being self-employed shop owners?
We come from opposite sides of the apparel coin, and there’s very little overlap in our actual work experience. I believe that it’s with our combination of backgrounds that we’ll be able to achieve a well-balanced management philosophy.
Are there any designers or brands you look up to for their ethical standards and sustainable efforts? If so, who?
The sustainable fashion movement is still a very small portion of the fashion industry. With that in mind, any designer that strives to implement sustainability into their business ethos has our respect. You’ll be able to see a few of our favorite designers represented in our Kickstarter rewards.
In your opinion, why should people know where their clothes/accessories come from and how they were manufactured?
It’s probably true that most people would never buy a car without knowing the features, reliability, and associated costs of ownership. The clothing that you put on your body every day, should be treated with as much interest. Would you knowingly wear a t-shirt made by a child, paid pennies, and in unsafe conditions? We want to offer our customers more than just clothes, we want to offer them opportunities to support designer John Doe, whom makes shirts with this certain fabric, in his studio in NYC. Our customers will be investing in people, instead of trends.
If you had to describe Covey using only one adjective (other than buzz words sustainable, ethical and conscious), which word would you use?
Craftsmanship. We believe that true craftsmanship comes from putting deep care into each part of a product’s life cycle, not only from a material level but also from a social and environmental level. Craftsmanship is about harmony, pride, and creations that tell a story.
In what ways do you hope Covey will expand in the future? Would you consider selling more than just fashion-related goods?
We would love to see our product offerings to grow with us, and who knows, maybe down the road you’ll see us open a brick and mortar location!
Organic tie by Anna Runa | Kickstarter reward
Tassle medallion by Trajet | Kickstarter reward
Mond Top by Elise Ballegeer | Kickstarter reward
Classic Maxi Skirt by Amatory Clothing | Kickstarter campaign
What do you think about this initiative? Is it a project you’d be willing to back? If so, don’t forget to contribute before the July deadline.