Today we’d like to introduce you to Steph Tlachac.
Hi Steph, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Years ago, I was scouring the internet for a special, timeless gift: a classic denim jacket with a hand-embroidered chain stitched name reminiscent of the personalized Mickey ears I used to wear at Disneyland. It was a tall order, I know.
When my search came up short because no one was yet offering this exact product, I figured why not mix my background in graphic design and hand-lettering with my love of classic chain-stitched embroidery? So sometime in 2018, I created my firsthand-lettered + hand-embroidered jacket and fell in love with the craft! Since then — I’ve designed, embroidered, and sold hundreds of custom jackets for special occasions like baby showers + birth announcements to engagements + weddings… and I’ve loved each and every unique project! In addition to my original Etsy shop, I now also offer these custom jackets on my independent online shop. My business is still growing and changing, and I’m excited for what I have in store later this year!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
As with any new business, there have been learning curves and bumps along the way. I started selling these custom jackets on Etsy in 2020 thanks to the encouragement of my husband… but I thought, “No one’s gonna want to pay money for these”. To my surprise, they started selling right away! But since I had only anticipated selling a few, if any… I had to learn how to stay on top of every handmade order and all the other business aspects myself, which was a juggle. Getting periodic help from my husband, sister, and cousin has been invaluable — but to be honest, I’m still learning to balance it all!
Something else that has been a bit of a struggle over the past few years is not comparing myself with others. As I mentioned, when I first started making and selling these jackets, there was nothing quite like them on the market at the time. Since then, you’ll notice dozens of similar products on Etsy. In the beginning, I was excited and proud to create something novel from scratch! But as the market became more and more saturated with seemingly identical jackets, it was discouraging because I worried about how I could stand out in a sea of the same products. What I try to remember now is that it really doesn’t matter what other business owners/artists do… all I should focus on is offering the best product and customer service that I possibly can! No two handmade products could ever be exactly alike. I’m proud to offer the original custom hand-lettered + hand-chain stitched denim jackets in my signature style, with the confidence that I have perfected my craft over the years to offer the highest quality product possible.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Some people have mistaken my work for being embroidered in a font or by a machine. Since I have a background in design + hand-lettering… each name is custom drawn in my hand-lettered script (aka my own cursive handwriting) — they feature a lettering style that I personally + thoughtfully designed, something unique to me. After I design each name, I meticulously chain-stitch the design onto a premium denim jacket by hand with a needle + thread — sans machine. I place a very high priority on quality, craftsmanship, and customer service, so I manage the amount of orders I take on in any given time period to make sure I can maintain these standards. Each custom jacket is truly a labor of love, and I’m proud to see that reflected in the positive reviews of my customers.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
On a professional level — any time I get a sale, it makes me smile to think that someone likes what I make enough to spend their hard-earned money on it. But it makes me even happier to find out when someone receives their order and loves the custom jacket that I worked on just for them. I especially love to see photos of my customers or their little ones in their custom jackets! I’m also very grateful to have a creative, handmade business that helps support my little family and our volunteer work — two of the things that make me happiest in my personal life.
Contact Info:
- Website: ouisteph.com
- Instagram: @oui.steph
- Etsy: ouisteph.etsy.com
