The Handmade Tale… HumBird Edition

Do You *Really* Know Who Makes Your Clothes?

Depending on where you purchase your clothes, it can be hard to know. These days, even small businesses sometimes outsource part (or all) of the development of their products. The fact is, all clothes are handmade when you stop to think about it… but by whom? And should it matter?

We think so.

In recent years, there has been a big push to “shop small.” Supporting small businesses is important, but not only because they are small. What are their values? Are their employees treated fairly, and paid a living wage? Where do they source their materials? These are questions we should ask before we support any company — big or small.

At HumBird, these questions have always been the driving force behind our decisions and growth as a company. We are committed to continuing to learn and striving to do our best, always.

So, who does make your clothes when you shop HumBird? *We have two sewists on staff: Dawn and Evi.

Together, they are the Dream Team behind the creation of every single purchase you make. They work together on each order to create the high quality handmade items HumBird is known for, right in HumBird Headquarters.

From prepping fabrics; to printing orders; to cutting, serging, and packing (and everything in between), Dawn and Evi work together daily to get your HumBird products into your hands so you can begin loving them as quickly as possible.

Often, we hear from customers that they are so surprised to receive their shipping notification as quickly as they do. “You’re so fast!” is a common statement in our FaceBook group. Rather than “fast,” we prefer to be described as efficient. No part of the production process is rushed through; Dawn and Evi pay careful attention to every detail, completing at least two quality control checks before packing up each order. Their strategy is streamlined, and they work together as a united team, each with her own strengths to bring to the table.

Why do we only have two sewists on staff? Well, we enjoy keeping HumBird a truly small business that actually creates its products in-house so we know that every creation meets our high standards. As the owner, Dawn also likes having time to get to know her customers, and it is important to her that she can pay Evi a fair wage including benefits like paid vacation and sick time. HBHQ is actually located in Dawn’s house — it’s a true family business!

Every creation is made with love and gratitude by Dawn and Evi, guaranteed. This is what “handmade” means when you buy from HumBird.

*In 2018 we did experiment with having flats outsourced. That was our one and only time we attempted to outsource some of our work. These peep flats are almost sold out and are clearly labelled as made out of house.