wear on kids clothing is on a journey to become an active participant in collaborative, positive and perpetual change; creating kids fashion solutions that support and nurture the well-being of our planet and its inhabitants. Carlie Hucul, a former environmental association leader and aspiring social entrepreneur, has a vision that each piece in a child's wardrobe is lived and laughed in by countless kids with care and repair. And when, after many years, an item of clothing has come to the end of its useful life its components are repurposed, recycled or returned safely to the environment.
While working with water professionals for the better part of a decade, Carlie became aware of the impact that microplastics, often used in clothing, has on the health of our waterways. Once she became a mother this concern was heightened when she realized the extent that lycra, spandex and other synthetic and plastic-based fibres are used in kids clothing. As a working professional, Carlie also became frustrated with the time-consuming and unreliable avenues available to sell and re-purpose clothing items once they had been outgrown or were in need of repair. It was during this time that the initial concept of wear on kids clothing was born.
The question was, could she build a socially responsible kids clothing brand that:
- creates classic kids clothing, comfy and durable enough to be worn every day;
- uses materials and processes in support of a circular fashion loop and that minimizes environmental impact;
- offers a simple, reliable way for parents to rehome outgrown clothing and help fund their kid's wardrobe in the next size up; and
- nurtures the well-being of people and our planet?
Fortunate to live in Canada, specifically the lower mainland in the province of British Columbia, Carlie has access to a number of local, talented, female-owned "small shops" to purchase her young child's clothing from. One shop in particular quickly became a favourite for its timeless styles, responsible approach to production and the openness of the designer/owner. When Angela announced she was closing Haven Kids Clothing in the summer of 2022, Carlie immediately reached out to discuss potential legacy options for Haven Kids Clothing. By the summer of 2023, wear on kids clothing had begun pre-launch operations with a bundle of Haven Kids Clothing patterns and styles included in the design and production process.
One of the initial challenges Carlie encountered was sourcing fabrics created from natural fibres only, and not blended with synthetic (i.e. plastic) fibres, so that the clothing items they are made from can more quickly and easily biodegrade when they reach the end of their useful life. But with the expert guidance from Martina at the Colour Alchemist, based out of Calgary, and after screening several hundred fabric samples from four Canadian-based fabric suppliers and distributers over several months, Carlie was able to find fabrics that met her criteria for production. This obstacle illustrates the first of a handful of concepts that root who wear on kids clothing is and how we operate.
Ideas that root us
On a journey. Two steps forward and one step... forward.
2024 marks the official launch of the wear on kids clothing journey and our connection with others. Acknowledging that everyone’s journey is different, as are the roadblocks encountered along the way, we are committed to creating a model that is simple, inspiring and accessible for everyone who interacts with our brand. Believing that any step along our learning journey, regardless of the direction, is a step forward.
Listening, learning and responding.
With increasing pressures and demands for the world to keep up with itself, we don’t plan to sit on our heels and glide through as spectators. The opposite. We become more creative and excited to curate never-thought-of solutions that respond to the changing needs of families, communities and the planet. Actively listening and learning so that we can strategically respond with a model that inspires others to take action in meaningful ways.
It takes everyone in an ecosystem.
We value interacting with industry leaders, visionaries, change-makers, early adopters, and curious newcomers who are committed to improving and sustaining the health of our planet. Our wear on kids ecosystem interconnects our values of kindness and dedication, with the wisdom gained from openly listening, learning, trying, failing, and succeeding. We believe that for this kind of ecosystem to hum along harmoniously, we must be fearlessly committed but also weave in fun and light-heartedness—after all, the product we create is for kids and their families.
Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.
We have the opportunity to inspire positive change that is contagious and perpetual. Where unhealthy habits and hasty choices can create harmful ripple effects that could end our seemingly immortal planet, we want those who encounter wear on kids to feel informed, supported and inspired to care for themselves, their loved ones and their possessions... so they can live on and on and on and on. We strive to make connections, relationships and products that inspire others to see themselves as active participants in the bigger picture. To see that no action, positive or negative, is too small.
We can't wait to connect with you, your family and our community.