Partnering Locally- Reaching Back into the Community for Handmade Goods

Even when remaining authentic seems to be the hardest option, do it anyway.

That is what I opted for when starting Effortless Composition, making a decision on how I wanted to  source some of the goods we sell today. One thing has remained constant in my growth as an individual in this society,  it is the question of how I will give back and contribute to the greater good. It is so important to me to positively influence people from the cities like I grew up in, stumped by oppression and in some cases, hopelessness.

Based off of my research, it seemed like the path to success as a modern day Home Decor store was to offer fair trade goods that were primarily made internationally. I believe this approach is amazing, as the most important point of it all is that we are helping those in need.  In fact, some of the goods we have in our store are from our international partners, in Rwanda.  But, this revelation forced me to ask myself was that the only way, because I felt their was more to the story that Effortless Composition was built to tell. That's when I decided to start looking inward just as much as I looked outward, recognizing the beauty of what I could bring to the communities that mean so much to me, just as many other brands were doing internationally. Of course, the dream is always easier to dream than to achieve and for the longest time I couldn't find any local artisans to partner with. 

Then, I looked inward again and found Mrs. Ned, a Los Angeles native who had a passion for sewing since she was a teenager. 2017 had been a tough year, as some of her close friends and family had passed away and the grief proved hard to shake. As the story goes, when it rains it pours, grief along with financial troubles left Mrs. Ned stuck in a rut unable to get out. Over the years she had repeatedly mentioned she wanted to start sewing again and how excited she would be to get back to doing what she loved while making some extra cash.

A light bulb occurred for me during my artisan search and I thought about Mrs. Ned. I gleamed at the opportunity to lift her spirits and her pockets. Assisting in revitalizing her passion and bringing back a sense of happiness.  Although I had never seen her work, her commitment to excellence and detail made me confident she could pull off what I had in mind. We started with the goal of making six handmade pillows using two different fabrics; since this was for the launch their was not a ton of room for waste or error.  The designs came to life, and so did Mrs Ned. She was delighted to be able to do what she loved and get paid for it. 

So, when we say our pillows are made with love, they truly are. I am so proud to be apart of Mrs. Ned's story and can't wait to share her amazing work going forward.  Check out our collection of handmade pillows here!