We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kneelen Buotte. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kneelen below.

Kneelen, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard

The fashion industry is the second largest polluting industry behind coal. My brand focuses on changing that. Fast fashion is incredibly wasteful and poorly made, where as some high end brands are made with better quality but produce more waste or use methods that aren’t sustainable. Brands like Levi’s market themselves as “sustainable” or “eco friendly,” but neglect to tell the consumer that just one pair of jeans requires 80 gallons of water to create from start to finish. I try to use items that already exist or are otherwise going to waste for my clothing. For example, I dye fabrics using plants & herbs rather than chemical dyes. I create clothes out of fabric scraps, shower curtains, futon covers, sheets, blankets, etc. I love taking normal everyday products and turning them into something beautiful and wearable. Also, I try to educate my customers how they can better themselves when it comes to sustainability in fashion, as well as how to create on their own. The fashion industry, and the world for that matter, will never change unless we educate the general public on how they can help.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started sewing around the time that I was 6 years old. My grandmother taught me. To this day, she was one of the best seamstresses I have ever met. Growing up she would make me and my dolls matching outfits, as well as my siblings & cousins. From a young age my mom got me into shows like Project Runway and What Not to Wear, so fashion has always been an interest of mine. I grew up in nature and have always felt deeply connected to the Earth. So, as I got older I wanted to marry my love for fashion and Gaia, and so my interest in sustainable fashion was born.

I created Your Local Fairy Godmother in 2018. It started out small and I really just made items for my friends, but then I graduated and started putting more time and energy into growing my brand. I sell sustainable clothing, but I also create unique jewelry and pieces of art. I also do the simple things like mending clothes for customers or upcycling products into something new. I think something that sets me apart from other brands is that I want my knowledge to be shared with my customers so they can create and spread the knowledge as well. I am proud of the community I have played a part in creating and hope that it continues to grow.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

I host art show/house shows once a month during the warmer months and it has been a great way to meet new people/clients while also supporting local artists!

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Other than the art show/house shows that I host, I do a lot of marketing on my Instagram @YourLocalFairyGodmother which further sends people to my website www.YourLocalFairyGodmother.com

Contact Info:

• Website: www.YourLocalFairyGodmother.com
• Instagram: @YourLocalFairyGodmother
• Other: TikTok: @YourLocalFairyGodmom

Image Credits
Kneelen Buotte