Friday, May 3, 2024

In the Studio with Hackwith Design House

hackwith design

Deeply valuing the time and creativity of her team of Minnesotan seamstresses, Lisa created a model of releasing a limited collection of products each week. Dr. Pragati Gusmano launched Nesara just this past year when she couldn’t find any comfortable postpartum dresses of her own. Using her fond memories “of the house dresses [her] mom and nani (grandmother) wore” as a drawing board, these dresses are sewn to standard sizes and hand-blocked by artisans using organic dyes for a beautiful finish. Perfect for postpartum and nursing, but also for anyone seeking a lightweight summer smock.

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The Minneapolis-based clothing line by Lisa Hackwith, a 28-year-old, self-taught designer with an art school background, has seen exponential growth since it launched its e-commerce site last September. Since January, the company has added three full-time employees (plus a couple of interns), and last month it moved into a new creative co-op studio, the Comn. By all accounts, Hackwith’s ambitious business model has proven successful, with many of the designs selling out within hours of being made available. La causa is Spanish for “the cause,” which is fitting for this clothing brand that prioritizes both a low-waste design process and initiatives to give back to human and environmental rights organizations.

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I had some success on Etsy when I first started, and through that I had picked up a few wholesale accounts. I think that helped give me the confidence I needed to take the plunge and start my own e-commerce site. It was really scary to go out on my own like that, but the limited-edition model helped temper some of the risk since I was only making a few of each design.

Tell us a little about how Hackwith Design House got started.

I aim to design clothing you don’t have to worry about and that you feel great in. It allows people to find our brand despite the fact that we aren’t located in a region known for fashion. Hackwith Design House began with the goal of making long-lasting and versatile clothing that is as unique as its wearer. We've grown to offer additional size-inclusive seasonal collections, swimwear, and a buyback program in The Sustain Shop.

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hackwith design

All sewing takes place within 15 miles of their Berkeley-based studio, and they use only 100% organic, American-grown cotton. The Good Trade editors endorse products we’ve personally researched, tested, and genuinely love. Set of limited-edition porcelain nesting spoons by Fringe & Fettle from the Makers Alongside Hackwith series, $48, available Wednesday, July 2 at hackwithdesignhouse.com/mkrs-alongside.

Meet the duo behind Hackwith Design House

Everything is made in-house in our Minnesota studio by our talented team of sewers. To reduce waste, the majority of our items are not made until ordered by you. HDH's simple and clean aesthetic, quality fabrics, impeccable attention to detail, and sustainable practices have made it a favorite of style-conscious women around the world.

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And its responsibly made apparel is impressive—there are dozens of unisex styles in almost every color you can imagine, made from locally sourced fabrics, recycled acrylic yarns, and low impact dyes. And size-inclusivity is big too, with options ranging from XXS through 7X. We personally keep the Big Bud Jumpsuit on rotation week after week. Every purchase from the certified B Corp feeds a person in need. On UNIFORM  (L) I tend to dress for functionality when I'm working - comfortable jeans and typically an easy top. But I also change 2-3 times a day because when I make a sample piece, I wear it for an hour or two to make sure it functions and drapes well and is comfortable and easy to wear.

We are so thankful that our customers have joined us in this venture to create beautiful, ethically made clothing that is also sustainable for our environment. Everything is made in-house in our Minnesota studio by our talented team of seamstresses. To reduce waste, many of our items are not made until ordered by you. HDH's simple and clean aesthetic, quality fabrics, and impeccable attention to detail have made it a favorite of style-conscious women around the world.

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Discover your new favorite swimsuit, designed to be flattering to all body types and created with sustainability and versatility in mind. Made with ethical and eco-friendly recycled Polyester and Spandex and available in inclusive sizes. In our attempt to work toward a waste-free future, we invite our customers to send back their worn and used HDH pieces by participating in our Sustain Shop.

Designed for everyday wear, this house dress is a TGT favorite, ideal for layering or wearing as is around your home. This slip is sustainable too, born from a bamboo viscose blend. With the Everyday Slip, you’ll help save over 600 hours of LED bulb energy and 350+ liters of drinking water. Perhaps the most size-inclusive brand we’ve ever seen (up to 10XL!), Loud Bodies carries gorgeous dresses that work for home, office, dates, and everywhere in between.

ABLE helps sustainably break the cycle of poverty by employing and empowering women makers. As only two percent of fashion workers are paid living wages (and the industry is the largest employer of women worldwide), ABLE is committed to transparent wages to hold themselves accountable to higher ethics. We are in love with this Dolman dress, from its flowy sleeves to the cinched waist. If slip dresses are more your style, Boody’s is one you’ll love.

The back bar, which is unmarked and located in the alley to the right of the restaurant, is a popular local hangout. If you are thinking about visiting Minneapolis, make sure to come in the late spring or summer so you can take advantage of all our city’s amazing parks. Big Bud Press ideates and creates every piece it makes in sunny LA (say that five times fast!).

Generously sized guestrooms and suites recall pied-à-terres with a warm backdrop of earthy shades. Hotel Alma is definitely where I would stay if I was visiting the Twin Cities. The design, by my friend Talin Spring, is beautiful and the on-site café and restaurant are two of the best places to eat in town. I’ve even considered doing a staycation there because it’s just so pretty. Another place I love to eat is Young Joni, one of Minneapolis’s best new restaurants.

That first fall in 2013, I sold out of every piece I released, which gave me the financial security to hire my business partner and a lead seamstress. This is so hard to answer because we have so many great local shops! Hackwith Design House’s stockist page is also a great resource for finding where all of our pieces are sold locally. Designed in Nashville, Tennessee and handmade in Asheville, North Carolina, Elizabeth Suzann‘s garments are well-crafted, ethically made, and produced with the smallest environmental impact possible. Using natural, biodegradable materials produced by renewable resources, these timeless designs are meant to be worn, mended, and loved for years. The brand is also Climate Neutral Certified and working toward becoming a zero waste studio.

The image below shows the current status of HDH’s production model. Kassia Binkowski is a Contributing Editor at The Good Trade and the Founder of One K Creative. She grew up in Madison, WI and traveled her way around the world to Boulder, CO which she now calls home. Nestled against the Rocky Mountains, Kassia supports innovative organizations from Colorado to Kathmandu tell their stories of social change through writing, photography, and design.

Like all Pact items, it’s ethically made with organic cotton using 91 percent less water than conventional cotton. Hackwith Design House began in 2010 with the goal of making long-lasting and versatile clothing that is as unique as its wearer. In September 2013, we launched with just one limited-edition design. To this day, we continue to release limited editions and limited run garments.

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