Creating High-Quality Kidswear with Kyoko Seki
Brand Feature: mrly
“We loved the idea of providing a simple and timeless design with quality materials to little ones.”
Hi, Kyoko! We would love to hear more about you, your background, and how you came to start your kidswear brand Mrly.
Hello! Of course! So I was born in Japan, and came to the states when I was 15. I found passion in art (painting/drawing), and attended Columbus College of Art and Design. I wanted to learn something I can get a job in, and ended up majoring in fashion design since I also always loved fashion as well. I went to work for Abercrombie & Fitch right out of school as a designer, and spent 11 years there. I had a great time working there, but my passion grew to start my own thing. Also my merchant partner Trever Potulski at the time at A&F was interested in starting a business, so we decided to leave the company to start something together. We both knew we should do casual clothing, but weren’t sure what kind.
Trevor’s wife was close to giving birth to their second child then, and I made a little baby bootie as a gift for them. He opened the gift in front of people, and everyone’s reaction was like “awwwww!!!” “ Soooo CUTE!!” just very emotional. That’s when I suggested “what if we do kids' clothing?!” and he was totally on board! Anything small is cute, and people have emotional reactions and special attachment to baby kids' goods. Plus we loved the idea of providing a simple and timeless design with quality materials to little ones. The brand name mrly came from a combination of my kids (Yui, Rin) and Trevor’s kids (Madden, Leighton) first initials. After sourcing a beautiful quality natural fabric, design, and production, mrly was launched the summer of 2017.
Trevor worked with me up until the end of 2018, and went back to working for Abercromibe. I’ve been on my own since then, but the start wouldn’t have been possible without having Trevor, so he will forever be a big part of mrly’s story :) We are still great friends and his kids (they now have three) wear mrly all the time!
You focus on high-quality, Made-in-the-USA goods - why did you make these choices and what sets your brand apart?
Ever since the fast fashion trend came along more than a decade ago, both makers and consumers' expectation only grew for the goods to be quick and cheap. Many bigger companies had to get on the same train to meet that expectation. With that trend, it became hard to find goods that are truly using quality fabric. What I believe I can do as a small business owner is to provide that. All my fabric is imported from Japan. It is 100% cotton, and they feel very soft and comfortable. Having the US factory taking on the production was important since I am able to communicate and see exactly how everything was made in what kind of environment. Production is another whole story though, since now I hand make everything from my home, which ties into the next question!
“Making special meaningful goods, and connecting to the customers has always been important, and I love that mrly has evolved to provide that more and more!”
How has Mrly evolved since its inception? What are the values that shape your business?
It’s been 5 years since starting mrly, and yes, it has evolved so much! It took the biggest turn since going through the pandemic. When 2020 came, I had a plan to branch out to do events (markets) in bigger cities LA, NYC, and more. However, something that no one had expected came along, and I had to quickly shift my mind to change the plan and think about what I can do. That was…. face masks, no surprise! I made a few on my sewing machine, put it out online, and the rest of the year my home became basically a mask factory, haha! It was such a high demand, and I made myself say “ this is what’s going on in the world right now, and I will do this as long as people need them”. I really did not focus on selling my kids clothes since it was just not the right time to be pushing on selling clothing when many people were struggling in many ways. I ended up sewing and getting out over 15,000 masks.
In 2021, things started opening back up, and I also was ready to start getting out for events. I needed to replenish my inventory and bumped into a wall of production. Fabric pricing jumped since the pandemic, and my factory was no longer able to produce my goods. I spent some time looking into other places, but soon thought “I was able to sew all those masks, why won’t I make the clothing too?!” I then quickly went to pick up rolls of fabric from my factory, and started sewing the clothing. I am so glad that I’ve made this decision since I am now able to produce goods even more sustainably without carrying too much of the same inventory, and make just enough of what I really need. This also led me to be able to take custom orders for those who want something they do not see on the website. Making special meaningful goods, and connecting to the customers has always been important, and I love that mrly has evolved to provide that more and more!
What are your favorite parts of running your own business? Are there any challenges that you encounter with running a company grounded in slow fashion practices?
My favorite part is creating, and getting that creation out to someone's hand to make them smile! I do a lot of in person events, and I love connecting with the customers, telling them the story, and seeing them happy when getting my goods.
Pricing can be a challenge. My materials cost is quite high, and my retail price is not the cheapest, so how can I sell my $30 shirt when someone can get it across the street for $10 or less? I think that’s why I enjoy going out to events so I can speak to people, and tell them a story about the fabric and how they’re made. Many people take my goods home after hearing the story and understanding what is special about them.
“Products that can be handed down, are special and meaningful, so that people want to keep them for a long time and not just a quick purchase that gets thrown away quickly.”
What are some of the issues and opportunities you see when it comes to sustainability as it relates to kidswear?
I believe wastage is always a big issue in retail and mass production. Like I mentioned before though, I am really trying to focus on creating just the right amount and delivering products that will last with the right quality. Products that can be handed down, are special and meaningful, so that people want to keep them for a long time and not just a quick purchase that gets thrown away quickly. I also have fun making small goods out of fabric scraps (not big enough for clothing anymore) which usually become garbage at the factory. The baby booties and bows [are made from scraps] and I recently started making super cute one of a kind dolls!
What is inspiring you right now? Are there any creative or business resources or tools that helped you on your entrepreneurship journey?
I am constantly inspired by anything around me. Whether that is what is happening in the world or something that a family or friends talk about. I love connecting to people, and everyone has such unique and interesting thoughts. I tend to get inspired and or come up with ideas when having human interactions.
“I believe that now the trend of sustainable fashion is only rising. More consumers care about understanding where and how the products are made.”
You’re located in Ohio, what do you love most about Columbus? Are there any other favorite spots you recommend when people visit?
Columbus has grown so much over the years, with great places to get food/drinks and hang out, and is also a wonderful place to raise a family. There is a newer development called the Bridgepak in the city of Dublin which I love to hang out at, and also this is where I attend a farmers market in the summer every Saturday morning!
What are you most excited about for the future?
I believe that now the trend of sustainable fashion is only rising. More consumers care about understanding where and how the products are made. I want to continue creating meaningful and special goods for people, and I’m just excited everyday to do this with passion and love!
