We were lucky to catch up with Lisa Husberg recently and have shared our conversation below.
Lisa, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
LOKA.HAUS was my passion project & graduating idea for my closing project at the University of Texas. It was, at that time, under another name.
The LOKA.HAUS name is a combination of a play on my initials/name and “Loka”, the Sanskrit term defining the different planes or realities that constitute our universe. Our products are created to suit all of your needs, no matter what loka you exist in right now.
Fashion has become a leading contributor & driver in the cycle of poverty through global waste, devalued human capital / unsustainable practices, inequitable pay, and unequal representation.
Recognizing these issues, I wanted to create a brand that utilizes sustainable & ethical production and also promotes lower consumption through versatile designs.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
LOKA.HAUS is a sustainable, versatile luxury brand that designs and produces high-quality, ethical, small-batch products. Materials utilized are ethically sourced, naturally derived, upcycled, or recycled and our production is traceable.
Our collections are inspired by the colors and textures of foreign landscapes, exotic plants and animals, and the perfect imperfections of all. Each collection is designed to be versatile, meet your multiple needs, and focused on reducing fashion consumption.
Our mission focuses on 3 critical needs:
1. Build a lifestyle brand that empowers customers by simplifying their lives through sustainable, versatile goods.
2. Produce apparel, skincare, jewelry, and art through small-batch, fairly paid manufacturing (US-based) & ethical suppliers, focusing on traceability & transparency.
3. Build a community & educate consumers on the negative environmental & economic impacts of fashion consumption & purchasing behaviors through blog, newsletter, social media. Promote sustainability & diversity, change, fair practices, & inclusion through community & donations/collaboration with non-profits.
We seek to drive major change through incremental behaviors that consumers already take on a daily basis. We strive to end fast fashion, provide a community centered around sustainable & versatile luxury goods, and educate consumers on inequities & lack of sustainability, specifically in fashion & retail.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Like many people, my career (in hospitality) was affected by the pandemic. We unexpectedly had to close operations, and I was furloughed from my full-time position. I wanted to make sure I spent the free time wisely and finally felt I had the opportunity to pursue my dream of building a brand. Staying self-motivated during the pandemic ranged from easy days to hard – I joined multiple online platforms like Create & Cultivate and Female Founders Alliance (Graham & Walker) to stay in touch with other female entrepreneurs & diverse businesses. I also kept myself on track with online courses from Parsons & DesignLab to make sure I was heading my brand in the right direction.
We’d love to hear your thoughts about selling platforms like Amazon/Etsy vs selling on your own site.
LOKA.HAUS focuses primarily on e-commerce as it is the lowest cost & barrier to entry, but I utilize multiple streams of revenue for the business. While the #1 focus is our online shop through our website, we also have social shops (IG & FB), along with Etsy, and subscription service Cratejoy. We participate in multiple pop-ups annually, local markets that focus on BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, & female-owned businesses like Frida Friday & Future Front ATX, and also had a couple of pop-ups with Macy’s. In September, we will be joining Savory Market in Easton Park and hopefully a few holiday pop-ups later on in the year.
Wholesale is currently our expansion focus; we have products at Fairmont Austin & YTX yoga locally, and also Wynwood Tribe & Pivot Market in Miami. And hopefully at Dallas Market Center this fall!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://loka.haus
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/loka.haus
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/loka.haus
- Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/company/lokahaus
Image Credits
Getty Images, Chico Mejia, Andrew Grenz