The Indigo Collection 

A word from our founder

By Sarah Mattes, Owner & Founder of Deco Denim

Hi everyone,
I'm Sarah, the founder of Deco Denim! Before our official launch in January 2023, if you'd have asked me whether I intended to release anything other than jeans and jackets, I would have given an unequivocal 'no.' 

However, as any business owner can attest, it's tough (if not impossible) to predict every potential roadblock ahead, and sometimes you gotta pivot along the way.

To be totally clear, jeans and jackets are still in the works! Producing them in a way that aligns with our values of sustainability and ethical fashion, while also maintaining exceptional quality has been challenging but we promise we're almost there. 

When we hit a few snags (fabric pun lol) that pushed back the release date of our flagship collection, I began exploring other options, and knits in particular. I visited mills, factories, and suppliers in Los Angeles, seeking those who could meet the aforementioned values and produce an incredible finished product. Although it took quite a bit of time to find the right partners for this collection, I'm so proud of the final result and I can't wait to share it with you all.  

To create the hoodies in this collection, we purchased blanks from a supplier who purchases the cotton in the US, then knits the fabric and sews the majority of their products in Los Angeles. I really love these hoodies- they're 16oz of premium cotton, which in the world of clothing is super heavy. (It's actually the only one at that weight I've ever found that was manufactured in the US).

For the short and long-sleeved tees we used a wholesaler called Original Favorites. Their tees stood out to me because they're made using Pima Cotton grown in California, then sewn at a Fair Trade Certified factory in Peru. I was initially bummed that the products weren't made in the US, but quickly got over that because of the FTC stamp of approval (which means the factory promotes sustainable livelihoods and safe working conditions for workers). 

Pima Cotton is very special; it's the gold standard when it comes to cotton. The cotton staple (fiber) is the longest possible, which makes it durable but still extremely soft. This isn't your standard cotton, and it's not your standard t-shirt. It's going to last you a very long time while remaining the most comfortable t-shirt you've ever worn. 

And then Whimsy Makes entered the chat...

I knew I wanted to go beyond just selling t-shirts and sweatshirt blanks, I wanted to do something special that felt uniquely Deco Denim. I had the idea of having them indigo dyed, and knew exactly who I wanted to partner with to make this happen. 

Whimsy Makes is a dye studio based in Sonoma County, California, owned by Chelsea Dennis. I first connected with Chelsea on Instagram after she reached out to ask questions about the tattoos on my hands, and was delighted to discover her business Whimsy Makes. Chelsea has a background in floral design and organic farming, and uses eco-friendly fiber reactive dyes and plant based pigments to hand dye everything from cotton and linen to silk. 

I asked Chelsea if she'd be interested in collaborating on some garments in this collection, and she happily said yes! I couldn't be more thrilled to partner with her on the tees and hoodies in this collection. She's a patient, kind, passionate, and extremely talented human (and I love that I get to collaborate with a woman-owned small business!) 

Most of this collection is limited edition, so get yours while you can!

Supplies are limited and we'll probably only do a handful of runs (especially for the hoodies and long-sleeved tees). Place your order soon to ensure you can get your hands on the ones you want.