NOVEL SUPPLY CO: Conscious apparel for the urban adventurer.
Vancouver-based NOVEL SUPPLY CO offers conscious apparel for the urban adventurer. Created by Kaya Dorey, her mission is to create, design and supply rad products that inspire environmentally conscious lifestyles!
Photo by Cassandra Casley, Twist & Shutter
Tell us about yourself and your business.
I am a Korean adoptee that grew up in North Vancouver. I love skiing and the outdoors and believe it is our job to protect it for generations to come. My brand, NOVEL SUPPLY CO, is very much a reflection of my values and style – comfy, casual, minimal and West Coast.
How did you start your business?
I started my brand, NOVEL SUPPLY CO., after completing a project on textiles waste in university. After learning about how much textiles waste was going to the landfill and that most of it was synthetic, in other words, isn’t biodegradable or recyclable, I knew I had to be a part of solving the problem. Initially, I wanted to work for a company that was already doing it right but I couldn’t find any brands that were doing things sustainably enough and that were making styles that I would wear. That is how the idea of NOVEL was first born.
What’s the best part of owning your business?
The best part is that I make my own hours. I am a night owl and am writing this at 9PM. I don’t think I could handle waking up at 6AM or 7AM to go to work 5 days a week. Although, I probably work longer hours, they’re a bit more spread out and I can work at night when I am a lot more productive.
How about the toughest?
The toughest part is having to be every role in the company right now since I am still a small brand. If there is something I don’t want to do or am not the best in the world at, I still have to do it because no one else is here to fill that role. Not yet anyways.
How do you go about creating or designing your product line?
I usually have an idea in my head of what I want to make and what I want it to be made out of. Then, I work with my pattern maker to make the pattern. Simultaneously, I am ordering fabric swatches and sample fabric to make a sample. I am always looking to source natural and organic fabrics, yarn and natural material notions like buttons and zippers.
Once the pattern is made then I work with my manufacturer to make a sample. Once the sample is complete, I do a fitting and usually make any additional changes to the pattern. Usually, a shrinkage test on the fabric is done after the sample is made. Then we make the final sample with adjustments and shrinkage added. After a final fitting, we print the markers and go into production. Once the product is finished, I usually pick it up and have it all prewashed. Then tagging and screen printing come after that.
It’s quite a lengthy process and I have learnt a lot of things the hard way as I did not have a background in fashion when I first started but it made me learn very quickly.
On average how many hours do you work on your business each week?
Probably at least 40. Sometimes more if I have markets.
What's your definition of success for this business?
My goal is to be the go-to brand for sustainable apparel and products. I want to be the brand that people can find most items they need to live a more conscious lifestyle and trust that I am making every aspect as sustainable as I possibly can at that time.
What’s next for you, your brand, or your business?
There are a few other products that I am wanting to develop in the near future but you’ll have to sign up for my newsletter @ www.novelsupply.com and follow me on Instagram @novelsupplyco to be the first ones to know what they are. What I can tell you is that they will be made from all natural and organic materials right here in Vancouver (not just designed).
How do you connect with the local business community?
I am at local markets and I work at one of the shops where my product is called Sunday Small Goods on Main Street. This enables me to sell my product in person and promote my brand from a storefront which I would likely never be able to do as it is extremely expensive to have brick and mortar in Vancouver. I also speak at events like Local Talks and conferences on sustainability and/fashion. Before, I knew anything about this topic, I was a major consumer myself. Once I learnt about the impacts that fashion has on the environment and the people making our clothes, I made a massive shift in my consumer behaviours so I believe it is my job to share what I know with others so that they can change too.
Any final remarks or anything else you want to share with our Made in the 604 readers?
In the words of Vivienne Westwood, “buy less, choose well and make it last”. We need people to be loud and demand change like they were with organic food and the meat industry. We need governments to step up and implement legislation and we need brands to get on board and start designing products that cannot or do not end up in the landfill.