We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Courtney Babin Samantha Guillory a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Courtney Babin, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
We’re two Louisiana-born sisters who’ve always shared a love for shopping despite having very different fashion styles. Over the years, we’ve been each other’s go-to shopping buddies, encouraging one another to step outside our style comfort zones. And as sisters, we’ve always kept it real (sometimes brutally honest) when it comes to how we look and feel in what we wear.
But as time went on, we started to notice a decline in the quality of clothing from the stores we used to love. That led us to ask: What changed? What we discovered was eye-opening.
The answer pointed straight to the rise of fast fashion—cheaply made clothing designed to be trendy, disposable, and damaging. This industry produces massive amounts of textile waste each year, with projections reaching 130 million tons by 2030. In the U.S. alone, we throw away about 81.5 pounds of clothing per person annually (that’s over 2,000 pieces of apparel discarded every second). On top of that, fast fashion is the second most polluting industry in the world, using harmful dyes, unsustainable and wasteful practices (up to 2,000 gallons of water can be used just for a single pair of jeans!), and often relying on unethical labor.
Once we understood the full impact, we knew we had to make a change. And more importantly—we wanted to be part of the solution.
That’s how Ecobella Boutique came to life. Our mission is to offer stylish, sustainable fashion with a focus on versatile work-to-play pieces for women. We carefully select eco-conscious brands that prioritize recycled or organic materials, ethical labor, and sustainable production and shipping practices. Just as important, we also strive for size-inclusivity which is a bit of a unicorn in the boutique world.
We’re thrilled to bring our clients a curated collection of high-quality, feel-good fashion. These pieces don’t just look amazing…they’re better for the planet too.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Although we’ve always loved shopping together, it wasn’t always easy, or even possible, for us to shop at the same stores. A few years ago, size inclusivity in fashion was severely lacking. More often than not, one of us would find something we loved while the other was left out. That disconnect stayed with us, and it was a driving force behind our desire to create a shopping experience where more women could feel seen and celebrated.
With Samantha’s nursing background and Courtney working as a biologist, we’ve both always had a practical, research-minded approach to the world around us. Once we started learning more about the fast fashion industry and how it contributes to environmental waste, unethical labor, and poor-quality clothing, we couldn’t ignore it. We began searching for sustainable, eco-friendly pieces that aligned with our values and actually fit our bodies, but quickly realized just how few options were out there, especially for curvier women.
That gap is what led us to create Ecobella Boutique. Our goal has always been simple: to offer beautiful, versatile clothing that’s made responsibly and designed to fit real women—comfortably, confidently, and consciously.
We’re most proud of the community we’re building and the intentional care we put into every product we carry. We want our customers to know that we take the time to find brands that are doing things the right way through the use of recycled or organic materials, ethical labor practices, and low-waste shipping. We also place a big emphasis on fit because we know how important it is to feel good in what you’re wearing. If something’s not quite right, we’re always here to help get it just right.
While Louisiana isn’t typically known as a leader in sustainable fashion, we take pride in being part of a growing movement to change that right here at home. We’re deeply rooted in our state and community, and it means a lot to us to be part of a shift toward more thoughtful, conscious shopping in the South.
At the heart of it all, Ecobella is about celebrating individuality, embracing sustainability, and making sure that every woman, no matter her shape or size, feels amazing in her clothes. We’re so grateful to be on this journey and even more grateful to share it with you.
Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?
Funding and launching Ecobella Boutique wasn’t something we jumped into overnight. It was a journey that started with a shared vision, a lot of research, and a full year of personal saving. We knew we wanted to create something meaningful and intentional, so we committed to setting aside our own start-up capital. Every dollar we saved brought us closer to making Ecobella Boutique a reality, and we’re proud to say we funded the business ourselves from the ground up.
Once we felt ready, we dove into extensive market research that included studying sustainable fashion trends, customer needs, and what was missing in the space, especially for curvier women. We found a solid business plan template early on, and we carefully worked through it piece by piece. From branding and sourcing to budgeting and logistics, we took our time to do things right, asking ourselves the hard questions and planning each step with intention.
One of the biggest decisions we had to make was whether to open a physical storefront or start online. While we loved the idea of a brick-and-mortar boutique, launching online gave us the flexibility to manage costs, test our market, and reach a wider audience while keeping our roots firmly planted in Louisiana. It also gave us the space to grow gradually and reinvest back into the business as we learned what our customers really needed.
We’re proud of the foundation we’ve built—one based on patience, planning, and purpose. And while our online store was the starting point, we have big dreams for what’s ahead.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
One of the biggest pivots we’ve made since starting Ecobella Boutique came in how we approached marketing and community engagement. When we launched, we had a modest budget set aside for marketing which was something we had carefully planned for. But as we got further into the business, we realized there was a lot more we could do ourselves, especially on social media.
We started teaching ourselves how to build and run our own campaigns, create engaging content, and really share our story in a way that felt true to us. It was a learning process, but it gave us the freedom to speak directly to our audience and connect with them on a more personal level.
At the same time, we noticed that we weren’t reaching our local community as much as we hoped. While our online presence was growing, we knew we wanted Ecobella Boutique to be rooted in the people and culture of our home state. That’s when we pivoted again and started participating in pop-up shops and local markets. It gave us the opportunity to meet people face-to-face, talk about our mission, and truly build relationships with customers who may not have found us online. Those local events have become a key part of our growth and a part we genuinely enjoy.
Then, as we approached our one-year anniversary, we made another important investment: we decided to reinvest in our branding and visual identity. We partnered with a company that really took the time to understand our mission, style, and values—and helped us elevate Ecobella Boutique to a whole new level. The rebrand brought everything together visually and emotionally, creating a more cohesive look that truly reflects who we are and what we stand for.
That series of pivots, shifting our marketing approach, stepping into our local community, and refining our brand, reminded us that growth isn’t always linear. Sometimes, it’s about being open to change, listening to your audience, and reinvesting in the parts of your business that matter most.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ecobellaboutique.com
- Instagram: @ecobellaboutique
- Facebook: Ecobella Boutique
