One of the absolute pleasures of running Yogipod is meeting others who also run small businesses. It’s always inspiring to hear their stories, particularly when so many of those I find myself in community with are female founders. In this series I’m going to introduce you to their businesses and most importantly the founders themselves.
Ann and Frances are a mother and daughter duo who set up The Dyer’s Daughter over lockdown. Bubbled together they unexpectedly started the business while experimenting with tie-dye to create presents.
Using Ann’s experience as a textile artist, print maker, hand dyer and former teacher of painting and drawing at the Royal School of Needlework, all of the colours are meticulously sampled and inspired by nature, experiences or artwork.
The Dyer’s Daughter is a business born from lockdown but what inspired you to start tie dying together and to create a business?
Frances: It was towards the end of the first lockdown – I had moved home for a few weeks and we decided to do some tie dye with mum’s old teaching supplies. We dyed a few pieces for family and friends, I posted a few bits on my Instagram and had a huge response of people wanting to know if we’d sell them and it all took off from there.
Often when you start a business it is one person going for it alone but The Dyer’s Daughter is run by you both, mother and daughter, what do you think working together brings to the business?
Ann: We both have our strengths and complement each other – we respect each other’s talents and knowledge of different aspects of the business.
F: A lot of free labour and hard work ! No, but really it means we can bounce ideas around freely at any
time of day and we’re always available for each other. We also know each other’s strengths and how to divide up our roles without really having to discuss it – A well oiled family machine.
Ann, you have a history in the fashion & textile business, what do you think has changed throughout your time working in it and how do you think your experience has helped The Dyer’s Daughter grow?
A: It’s much easier now to set up your own creative business and find customers. Digital media have transformed communications.
Far fewer people learn traditional craft skills at home, school or college but there’s a great revival of interest through Instagram, online tutorials, virtual galleries, etc. Instant information is always available whereas when I started out I had to hunt through relatively few craft books or seek out a teacher. General knowledge of fabrics, fibres, textile techniques is comparatively poor today but on the other hand there is growing concern for sustainability, which is good.
We sewed or knitted clothes because it was cheaper than buying but today the opposite is true.
What do you both think the best thing is about having your own business and running The Dyer’s Daughter?
F: Being able to collaborate and share something completely new that we really didn’t see coming prior to it happening. It was never planned and came about organically which is wonderful. To know that our pieces are being worn by real people all around the world is pretty amazing. And to know that each piece was tied, dyed, labelled and packaged by our own hands in a world where most garments are made in anonymous factories, feels good.
A: For me I’d say spending time working together.
Conversely what do you both find the most challenging?
F: For me it’s definitely the finance side – spreadsheets, inventories and accounts are my absolute least favourite job
A: I agree – working out the finance.
The environment is a consideration in running The Dyer’s Daughter, why do you think this is important for businesses to consider?
F: The textile business is one of the highest polluting, waste creating industries. We were determined to mitigate the launch of a new brand by only using organically grown cotton manufactured solely using wind and solar energy, by people who are paid a proper living wage. We also use minimal recyclable packaging, free from plastics. Genuine sustainability is fundamental to our business model and something we know our customers are looking for.
A: Yes, we believe everyone should be aware of the implications of consuming and throwing away the world’s resources.
Creating a community around a small business is, I think, one of the privileges of running one. What five words would you use to describe what you would like your business to bring to the community around it?
F: UNIQUENESS, AFFORDABILITY, SUSTAINABILITY, FAMILY-CRAFTED, JOY
I know we aren’t supposed to have favourites but what is your favourite product you’ve ever created and why?
F: For me it’s the hand-made table wear made by my mum. We spent way longer on it than we should have done but each piece looked looked really special.
A: I’d say some of the colourways we’ve created. My favourites are Waterlily, Anchor and Hope and Afterparty which all sold out.
What does a typical day look like for you?
F: I’m a new mum having recently had a little girl so life’s busier than usual round here. Most days I’m up early and use her naps during the day to catch up with emails, pack orders, engage with our social media and plan ahead for our next dyeing days.
A: Yes, our dyeing days are non-stop and physically demanding, especially in the winter as we work a lot outside. Other tasks are time-consuming but much less tiring.
When you run your own business it can be quite all consuming, particularly when you create the products yourself, what do you both do to unwind and switch off?
F: The other half of my life is spent being a musician – an operatic soprano, so I’m often found preparing music for concerts or rehearsing as well as teaching the piano. Not exactly unwinding but it’s a big part of my life.
A: Away from the business I enjoy long walks, gallery visits and time with grandchildren and other family.
What does the future hold for The Dyers Daughter?
A: We’d like to do more live events and ultimately partner with some more independent shops and perhaps collab with some other designers.
F: More homeware and perhaps some more up-cycled vintage denim. We couldn’t manage it this year with the baby but hopefully next year we’ll make it happen. We’d also like to find some new dyeing premises. Nothing fancy – we’d be happy with a decent sized garage.
