The Journey Continues
This is now our fourth year in business. I have to say, it has been a wild ride. There was no way to anticipate a pandemic, no way to anticipate the ups and downs, the risks, the triumphs and failures. Challenges are expected, but what they will be and when they will come is always left in the unknown.
Many of you have gone down this road with me, you've been here since the beginning and I'm so grateful for each and every one of you.
There are so many things that have been important to us from the beginning, and are still so important to us now.
What Matters
Just a few of the things that have mattered to us from day one...SUSTAINABILITY
I always fight to make the right choices, even when it's hard or doesn't make the most economic sense for myself. I want to make choices that will help usher in a better future and not put profit over people or this planet.
LOCAL
Our goal is to be as locally sourced as we can be, labor and materials included. Finding U.S. grown and processed organic cotton for some of our clothing is one of the biggest things The PNWD is proud of. Everything is handmade right here in Washington and will continue to be when we begin hiring again.
ART
What a special way to share art with the world. Having you all share your love and appreciation every time we release new prints fills my soul and I'm so glad this company can provide something different that others can connect to.
GENEROSITY
It's more than just generosity, it's contributing, participating... doing what we can with what we are given and joining in on the fight to give future generations a better planet.
PEOPLE
Getting to know you as we do events or chat on social media or even as we have short interactions via email, is a joy. I love hearing your stories, sharing the things you care about and just connecting with other people who care as much as we do about why we do what we do.
Your Support
One of the best things about being 4 years into a business, is the confidence we have in what we do, BECAUSE OF YOU! Your trust goes into every purchase, that we are here to provide you exactly what we are promising, quality. So, thank you.
Launch Aftermath
There were quite a few surprises with this launch.
For one, there was such a strong response, I might have to close the store earlier than planned to ensure I can get all your orders out in time! With the delay in shipping, I really wasn't sure how it would be received. Sometimes, as a business owner, you have to make tough decisions as you navigate and pivot to manage moving forward. A lot of times, those decisions are risky. So, when they work out, it's not only a relief but such an encouragement that we have served you well.
Also, I am just tickled with how many women's dresses are going out next month! Don't hold me to this, but I would LOVE to do a bigger focus on women's clothing, including the design as well as the art. Just a small piece of the dream for the future of The PNW Dream.
When We Will Open Again
It's still unsure whether we will continue doing small launches like this or completely reopen soon. At the moment, I am the sole member of The PNW Dream, which means that everything you see from the marketing, to the manufacturing, to the clothing you receive in the mail, that I personally shipped to you, is done by yours truly.
We aren't in a position to hire again at the moment, so I especially appreciate your flexibility with the scheduling of this launch and the subsequent shipping process.
There are two possibilities for the remainder of 2021,
ONE
It's possible we might do one more limited launch. If we do, it will only be ONE WEEK long. My goal with that is to cut down on the wait time for you receiving your items.
TWO
The other possibility is doing at least one if not multiple LIVE sales on social media channels.
There are some factors at play like external projects I have lined up in the next few months on if and when these options might happen.
Your patience and support is majorly appreciated as always.
Togetherness
There have been many challenges for all of us in the last year and a half. We've experienced so many hurts and problems from all sides that have affected many of us in different ways.
I'm bringing this up as I finish this little blog about our journey as The PNW Dream because I am constantly considering what my roll through all of this is meant to be. My hope, my fight, my drive behind everything I do here is to be a part of a better future.
I hope we, as people, can encourage each other as we head towards the future together. There is hope, and there are things we can do, the biggest one being, loving each other. We are made for community, to see and hear each other, to care about each other.
We are all in this together, and I hope that can be an encouragement for someone out there. You aren't alone in this.
If you are in the Pacific Northwest, you are probably living through some very smoky days which can be so, so disheartening. Still, we are living through it together, we can find solutions, we can go on this journey together towards something better.
That's what I believe in, that's why I keep doing what I do here and why The PNW Dream holds onto those pillars that we were founded on.
All the love to each of you, and remember...
