I am incredibly honored and humbled to be recognized as a "Woman in History" this year. Olive Loom has played a significant role in my life after retiring from a lifelong career in nursing. It was my vision to own a small business and collaborate with a team of women who couldn't hold traditional jobs due to caregiving responsibilities or medical conditions. We created products that could be crafted at home by women who loved sewing, sought additional income, and wanted to enhance their skills. This decentralized business model was ideal during the pandemic, allowing our team to expand significantly. We produced, packaged, and shipped over 50,000 face masks and donated many to local schools.
We continue collaborating with women who work from home, but a significant portion of the production now takes place in-house, with three team members having recently graduated from the UA with apparel degrees. We are currently engaged in small batch manufacturing for two local shops, and I am transitioning to working from home due to caregiving duties while still selling products at the local Fayetteville Farmers Market.
We are shifting to a wholesale model where other businesses buy our products to sell in their own boutiques and shops. This change will enable us to produce items after they have been sold, collaborating with even more women working from home. There are many, many women who love to sew and need to additional income to support their families.
If you know of businesses who might be interested in our uniquely, handcrafted, locally made products, reach out or order directly through FAIRE.
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