Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia Foster.
Hi Julia, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
Around 6 years ago, I took a leap of faith and left my corporate marketing job to partner with my cousins and open a local brick-and-mortar shop. My half of the shop focused on showcasing local foods, while my cousins curated a beautiful collection of home decor, furniture, and gift items.
It was in our everyday conversations Twine as we know it now, was created. It all started when my cousin (the baby section expert) and I were venting about the struggles of finding cute and affordable gender-neutral baby and toddler tees. She was looking for items to stock in the children/babies section while I was looking for a gift for an expecting friend. It was in that conversation I decided to take matters into my own hands and create a solution.
I spent countless hours researching, grabbed an old chiffon shirt, made a DIY frame, and taught myself the art of screen printing. (I was totally MacGyvering it! Don’t worry, though—we’ve upgraded to professional equipment since then.)
Since that lightbulb moment, I’ve been pouring my heart and soul into designing unique, uplifting, and fun screen-printed goods, including infant bodysuits, toddler/infant/adult tees, pouches, and tea towels.
At first, I was selling exclusively in our shop and on my website, but little did I know our biggest opportunity was around the corner. Another local biz owner reached out, asking if I do wholesale. Not wanting this opportunity to slip away, I decided to figure out wholesale too.
Since introducing wholesale in 2021, that side of the business really skyrocketed. I was struggling to balance both businesses and still have some semblance of a social life. Then December 2021, we got the happiest news; after months of try and years of dreaming, I was pregnant. With a little one on the way, I had to make the tough call to close my brick-and-mortar shop and go all-in on Twine Design. While hard, the decision was ultimately a blessing, now I get to work on my passion project and have plenty of quality time with my little guy.
While we are still serving lots of wholesale clients with Twine Design, I’m super excited to have more time to build stronger connections with my direct customers. My goal is for Twine to be more that a place to shop but a community of moms and caregivers supporting each other. We are currently taking steps to build this community, starting with our newest Facebook group Life & Littles by Twine Design.
Twine Design is not just any business to me. It’s my passion brought to life, and I am beyond thankful to be on this small business/motherhood journey.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Smooth road? Ha! Can anyone really claim that? We’ve definitely had our fair share of challenges along this journey. Just like any small business in our industry, we’ve encountered countless hurdles—manufacturing issues, website glitches, shipping delays—you name it.
One of the biggest struggles I faced was a personal one, but I think it’s important to share because I know there are others who have gone through similar experiences, and it did have a direct impact on the day-to-day operations of our business. After welcoming our little guy, I faced postpartum depression and anxiety. It stifled my creativity and drained all of my energy. I found myself struggling to generate new designs and deliver engaging content to our community. Thankfully, with unwavering support from my husband, friends, and family, along with counseling, I was able to overcome these challenges and get back on track.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
We are an online life style boutique for littles, mamas in gifts. We carry a variety of dry goods including infant bodysuits, infant/toddler/adult tees, pouches, and tea towels. All our designs our unique, trendy, and designed with our mission to “infuse the world with positivity one product at a time” in mind.
We are known for our seasonal lauches. We create lots of unique and on-trend seasonal designs.
I am most proud of how much our line has expanded. We now have so many options available to our community.
What sets us apart is our designs. All of our designs are unique to us, being designed by myself or other artists.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Gosh- it’s so hard to say what the trends/styles in baby/children’s clothing will be in 12 months, let alone 5-10 years. I do think that the neutral colors and gender-neutral designs will be sticking around for a long time.
Pricing:
- Infant/Toddler Tees: 15.50-16.00
- Pouches- 12.50-13.00
- Tea Towels: 8-12
- Adult tees- 22-30
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shoptwinedesign.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/twinedesign1
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/twinedesign1
- Other: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lifeandlittlesbytwinedesign/ Tiktok: www.tiktok.com/@lifeandlittles
