I am thrilled to announce our first City Mom column featuring Vancouver area mothers and their businesses. I hope and intend to make this a monthly Jane Photo feature available on the first of each month, so check back often for info on cool Vancouver-area mom endeavors!
I am pleased to introduce Melissa Saunders from the new company Barking Hippo-Rescued Retro Wear as our first City Mom. I was so impressed with Melissa’s concept that I asked her to bring in a little model, Ms C, who was the most amiable three-year-old around, I swear, and totally cute in the Barking Hippo t-shirts.
Please, if you are reading this interview, also leave a comment below, since in 2009 each comment means Jane Photo donates $1 to the Vancouver Food Bank, with which they can purchase $3 in food for the needy.
Please say hello to Melissa Saunders of Barking Hippo-Rescued Retro Wear:
Thanks for coming in! I immediately fell in love the name of your new company. How did you think of Barking Hippo?
After having my son, I realized early on that part of the journey of being a mother was to be playful, silly and sometimes crazy! Some fun and funny things have come out of my toddler’s mouth and match that with a little imagination and you have a barking hippo! It made me chuckle right away… a hippo barking, really?!
What do moms find when they visit Barking Hippo online?
We offer our items under a few categories:
Rock star Threads are made out of old concert or rock band t-shirts
Gnarly Threads are made from funky retro surf t-shirts
Naughty Threads are for the kids, but really for the adults as they are made from cheeky t-shirts that are sure to give you a laugh.
HIPpo Threads are made from vintage product or brand tees that are sure to bring back some nostalgia.
Apart from the shop on our website, we have a Kid Zone where you can download Barking Hippo coloring sheets, and a Living Green section where we provide fun facts on how to take part in a greener lifestyle.
Something that I feel really differentiates Barking Hippo is our Custom Orders. We provide a service that allows people to send in their own t-shirt that they want to pay forward into a Barking Hippo tee for their kids. Who doesn’t have that old concert or Alumni t-shirt in their closet… that they could not part with because of the emotional association? You can still enjoy it… but on your kid!
Tell us about your inspiration.
My inspiration for Barking Hippo is my family. I craved the flexibility and freedom that comes with running your own business. I knew that if I were to do something that I was truly passionate about, I would find success internally. I love the quote, “Life isn’t about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself”.
My desire to find unique and fun clothes for my son Noah was also motivation. I wanted funky yet affordable items that were sustainable and attainable. So I created them!
Are you solely an online company, or will your clothing be sold in retail stores?
At the moment, Barking Hippo – Rescued Retro Wear is available through our online shop or Trade Shows and Artisan Markets that we participate throughout the year. Having the online shop and selling directly to customers at Trade Shows and at Markets we can keep our costs down. We are still a fresh company having just launched in June 2009, so you never know, you may see us in some boutique shops down the road. We are taking things one step at a time and want to be sure that we stay true to our mission. Our goal is to create a line of kid’s clothes that are hip and cool yet affordable all while doing our part to save the planet!
Tell us about upcycling.
The term upcycling was coined in 2002 by William McDonough and Michael Braungart, authors of Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things. Upcycling is different than recycling as most recycling sends material downwards on the “food chain”. Once the material is recycled, it’s of a lower quality than it started and is therefore less useful. Upcycling, on the other hand, takes a material beyond its original usefulness, moving it up the chain.
It is estimated that every year more than a million textiles are simply thrown away into landfills, and more than half of these are recyclable, usually less than 20% are rescued. If everyone bought one reclaimed garment each year, it would save an average of 300 million gallons of water and 400 tons of chemical dyes.
What makes Barking Hippo different than other companies out there?
Barking Hippo was born behind the concept of Upcycling, which is what makes us unique. Every item is made using the original material from pre-owned and loved adult size t-shirts purchased from thrift stores. Every item that we re-create is one-of-a-kind. What sets us apart from other clothing manufactures is that when you purchase Barking Hippo Rescued Retro Wear you are putting original threads on your kids while reinvesting in the environment.
Contact Information:
Melissa@barkinghippo.com
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