Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Karrer.
Hi Emily, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started my company in 2017 by up-cycling clothes out of my small studio apartment in Ocean Beach. As a lifelong artist, I was stoked to translate my art into fashion, which came about when I learned how to silk screen print. My impulsive doodles and art were translated into fashion through screen printing, and the name of my brand was born: Emily + impulse = eMpulse. Around that same time, I also learned about the devastating effects the fast fashion industry has on the people and the planet. My passion to create sustainable AND ethical clothing was SPARKED, and that became the mission behind the brand.
I started selling my clothing at the OB Farmer’s Market and eventually online. I was working multiple different jobs but finally took the leap to going full-time with eMpulse in 2019. From there I was able to put all my time and energy into growing the business into what it is today. I am still doing pop-ups at farmers’ markets, street fairs, and other craft shows, but hope to translate most of my sales to online and potentially a storefront in the near future. Though I still run the business myself and do much of the sewing, I am excited to say I now have help with some production (cutting, sewing, screen printing), marketing, and sales!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Trailblazing down a path in an industry dominated by fast fashion corporate companies has been the biggest struggle with creating a sustainable fashion brand. Creating products ethically and sustainably is expensive and hard to do.
With a higher cost, comes a higher price point for customers. However, it’s been really amazing seeing the demand for ethical sustainable fashion grow in our community. Along with this demand, there has been a slow mindset shift towards investing in quality pieces that can be worn throughout the year, and away from buying a larger volume of cheap fast fashion that is created with a disposable mindset. People shopping eMpulse are down to pay the extra money if they know the pieces are made with quality eco-friendly materials and aren’t exploiting garment workers. Spreading knowledge of the fashion industry and offering unique sustainable clothing options for consumers is a big part of what we do at eMpulse.
The other struggle with being a slow fashion brand in a fast-fashion world is a low-profit margin. Since my product is pricier to make, there isn’t a huge profit form my pieces. Not having a huge profit can make growing a business super hard, especially if you are bootlegging it like me (reinventing profits into your business instead of having investors). Not having extra profit to make big investments into larger quantities (bringing forth lower costs) and marketing creates a pretty slow growth rate. So, I have to keep that in mind and keep the hustle going.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about eMpulse?
Based out of Ocean Beach, San Diego, eMpulse is a sustainable clothing brand known for creating fashion from repurposed fabric and up-cycled garments. Our styles are inspired by our coastal California surf/skate lifestyle with a retro vibe. Em designs all of the graphics, the clothing, and still sews most of the styles. Our unique designs are released in limited edition collections, often consisting of one-of-a-kind styles. One of our most popular designs, which has been one of our original up-cycled styles since the beginning, is our Zip Split Jacket. We create our clothing in small batches as unique pieces of wearable art.
We are proud to have stayed true to our original mission of creating ethical AND sustainable fashion as we have grown throughout the years. As brands grow, they often lose sight of why they started the brand in the first place, specifically sustainable and ethical values. We are proud that all of our clothing is made in Southern California, allowing transparency and reducing carbon emissions. Customers can shop eMpulse with sustainable confidence, so they can feel good wearing our threads on all levels!
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is CHANGE. We need to see it on humanity and environmental levels. The fashion industry is just one part of what needs to CHANGE to save the people and the planet. That’s where I see my life’s work of making this world a better place fitting in. Creating a brand that is an alternative to fast fashion, helping spread knowledge, and supporting innovative solutions are three of my main missions behind eMpulse to better the fashion industry. The fashion industry needs to stop destroying the planet, stop exploiting garment workers, and break away from the gender binary that dominates the fashion industry.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.eMpulseline.com
- Instagram: @_empulse_
- Facebook: @empulseline
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_f0rgL_mt1QVWybtlVqa9A
- Other: TikTok @_empulse_
Image Credits
Austin Rowe
Nikki Engel
