Sustainably Maija

Hi everyone and welcome back to the blog! I’m so excited to post my very first Small Business Spotlight where I will tell you about small businesses that are doing great things to help our planet! Supporting small businesses over big corporations is great way to support our communities and it’s even better when small businesses offer sustainable options. Without further ado, let’s get started! 

Today we are going to talk about Stitch and Bloom! The owner’s name is Kali McCroskey and she’s a college student from Springfield, Missouri. She’s going to school for a degree in visual and digital media with a minor in advertising. I haven’t talked to her in person, but I can honestly tell that she’s such a sweet person. She loves photography, hiking, traveling, art, and embroidery. She designs and embroiders things like sweatshirts, beanies, canvas bags, and she also sells beautiful hair scarves! Like a lot of us Kali was looking for a job at the beginning of the pandemic and she couldn’t find one anywhere since places were closing down. One day, she designed a canvas tote bag and that inspired her. On June 1st of 2020, she decided to put her love for crafting and embroidery into making her small business, Stitch and Bloom. She started out by selling embroidered tote bags and hair scarves. Once her business started taking off she began selling embroidered beanies, new tote bag designs, Lightroom presets, and she most recently came out with sweatshirts! Kali told me that she’s loved running her own business because it allows her to be creative and expand her community outside of her small town. She’s loved getting feedback from her customers and making special connections with them. In the past 9 months, Stitch and Bloom has had 500 sales and counting! 

What is eco-friendly at Stitch and Bloom? 

Stitch and Bloom carries reusable tote bags, which are actually sustainable! They are made of canvas that has been made up of old recycled fabrics. I actually bought one of the canvas bags from her business and if I look closely I can see the different colored recycled fabrics woven into the bag. The sweatshirts that she sells are also made out of recycled materials and may I say, they are adorable! I will definitely be buying one soon. Her business sells ethically made products, which is always a plus. I really appreciate when any business, like Stitch and Bloom, takes the time to think of the planet.

What I Got!

I bought the canvas bag made out of recycled materials and I love it. The flower embroidery is beautiful and it’s the perfect size. If you’re like me and you are looking for a bag that will go with any outfit, this is the perfect bag for you! The thing I love most about shopping small is getting to know the owners. Kali has made the most out of this pandemic by starting Stitch and Bloom and I really hope you check it out. I will definitely purchase more products from Stitch and Bloom in the future and you should too. Stitch and Bloom’s Etsy shop is perfect for anyone. Shopping small businesses on Etsy is great because Etsy offsets carbon emissions! 

There we have it, Sustainably Maija’s first Small Business Spotlight! I will be doing more segments like this one in the future to show you eco-friendly ways to shop and have you get to know some amazing business owners. Thank you for reading today’s post! I’ll see you next Friday! ❤

Love, Maija. 

P.S. Here’s a link to sign petitions and support organizations that will change the world!! Remember that the smallest things can make the biggest impact. Thank you! 🙂 https://linktr.ee/Sustainablymaija (please check it out!)