Today we’d like to introduce you to Maggie Smith.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Maggie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have been making things with my hands my entire life. My mother taught me how to sew when I was very young. I remember being four or five years old and sitting on our front steps sewing a cat out of an old sock and some felt! Growing up I loved creating things like dolls and doll clothes, or outfits for myself, particularly as part of 4H, where I raised sheep and showed them at county fairs. It’s something I’ve continued to love as I’ve gotten older and I find it difficult to sit with idle hands for any length of time. I find that picking up a new skill related to fiber or fabric is not difficult for me at all–as an adult I knit, spin yarn, sew, dabble in cross-stitch and embroidery, as well as a variety of other handicrafts, but it’s always been simply a hobby.
I have a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and a master’s in education and though the jobs I’ve held in the past have taken me in various directions, I’ve always wanted to find some way to use my creative skills to make a living. About a year ago I found myself at something of a crossroads, where I began to realize that the narrative I was telling myself about the kind of life I was “supposed” to be leading wasn’t necessarily accurate or supportable, and I realized that some major changes needed to be made in how I was living and working. I started to think about what I could do, that would be fulfilling, allow me to express myself creatively, and hopefully avoid premature burnout. That was when I got the idea to start Flax & Sage, making and selling simple linen clothing in styles that I, and others, would want to wear. There’s a major movement within fashion towards socially and environmentally sustainable clothing and I was eager to find a place for myself there.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Well, starting a small business isn’t easy and it’s definitely got a learning curve! Since I’m still in the early days of my business–I only officially launched on November 1, 2017–I’m still working on letting people know who I am and get the word out about what I have to offer. Finding an audience and loyal customer base is integral to a successful business but it’s not something that happens overnight, as I’m learning. Running a business is very new to me. I’m teaching myself the ins and outs of marketing, keeping track of finances, setting up online storefronts, etc.
I’m limited by the space I have, since I’m currently working out of my apartment (small spaces and multiple long yards of fabric don’t always go well together) as well as by time. Flax & Sage is not yet a full-time gig for me and as much as I’d love to spend all day sewing, I have to go off to my day job. One of my dresses takes four or five hours to make and when the work is spread out in chunks over several days, it can turn into a week-long process. I’m okay with this, though, as I’m not really interested in mass producing a high volume of product. In any case, rushing the process results in sloppiness, mistakes, or shortcuts that could compromise the integrity of the finished piece. A garment worth wearing is worth taking the time to craft carefully and with love, so I’m happy to lean into the “slow” part of “slow fashion.” In our fast-paced, instant gratification culture, it’s great to be able to slow down and mindfully create something beautiful.
I’m very invested in running my business in an ethical manner, and it can be difficult (but not impossible!) to find fabric suppliers whose values align with my own in this respect. Luckily, I’m not alone in prioritizing this aspect and more and more companies are becoming open and transparent about their supply chains, how their fiber is grown, and the treatment of the workers who grow and mill the fiber.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Flax & Sage – what should we know?
Flax & Sage offers versatile, comfortable, bespoke linen garments for all bodies. I make clothing in neutral colors with simple lines and a loose fit that is practical to wear in a variety of settings–virtually all of my garments look just as good with some cute shoes and a statement necklace as they do over leggings with a big sweater. Every garment can be custom made so as to best fit the person who is going to be wearing it. I am careful to design all my styles with roomy pockets, as I feel this is an element often missing in women’s fashion!
I’m very interested in the “slow fashion” movement that seeks to disrupt the mainstream fashion industry with its cheap, mass produced, and easily discarded items. The textile industry produces an enormous amount of pollution each year, causing twenty percent of the world’s fresh water pollution, and people are so careless with their clothes. Studies have shown that clothing industries could decrease their carbon, water, and waste impacts by as much as 10% if people simply wore their clothes for three months longer than average! My garments are made to last, and be worn for years. The linen I use is made from fiber grown without any environmental, water, or noise pollution, and I seek to be as waste-free as possible in my work. I turn my fabric scraps into smaller items like eye pillows, and recycle the scraps that are too small to use through Black Earth Compost.
I recommend washing my garments by hand and hanging them to dry; not only does this use less electricity and water but it also increases the longevity of the garment by not subjecting it to the harsh conditions of the washing machine and dryer. Social and environmental responsibility is just as significant a part of my business model as the comfort and wearability of the clothing I create.
In addition to my online shop, my garments can be found on the North Shore at Hauswitch Home + Healing in Salem, and Honeycomb in Hamilton.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing without the constant support and encouragement of my community. Many of my friends are entrepreneurs and they are able to offer incredible advice and guidance, whether it’s suggesting how to calculate wholesale prices or simply providing the wisdom of having gone through similar experiences. Their example is invaluable and shows me that it really is possible to operate “outside the system,” as it were, and make a living based off one’s passions and creativity.
Likewise I am able to live by the example of my parents, who are independent musicians. Even when I was younger and my parents worked “normal” jobs, I was never raised with the expectation that success entails a 9-5 office job. I was surrounded by people whose unique livelihoods and vocations taught me, from a young age, that success can take many forms. This has given me confidence that diverging from my original path is by no means failure, and that anything is truly possible if one is passionate and committed.
Contact Info:
- Website: flaxandsage.com
- Email: flaxandsage@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/flaxandsage
- Facebook: facebook.com/flaxandsage
- Other: .etsy.com/shop/flaxandsage
Image Credit:
Maggie Smith, Cheryl Rafuse
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