Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia Floresta.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’m an Argentinian self-taught macramé enthusiast, fashion lover, and hodophile. I discovered the technique of macramé a couple of years ago while I was researching tutorials to learn how to do crochet. I’ve always been an artsy person and I love making things with my hands. I instantly fell in love with everything macramé and felt a strong connection to the art. Maybe it’s the inner hippie in me. You could say that I’m a free spirit and have a young soul. When I was younger, I avoided anything that “tied me down,” like annual contracts. I refused to get my own cell phone plan until my late twenties because I wanted to have the freedom to pick up and leave if an opportunity came up somewhere else. This could be the Sagittarius in me or the product of moving to a foreign continent as a young child. At the time, I was living in Los Angeles and working full time in the fashion industry. City life was hectic and I didn’t have the time to really dedicate to macramé. It was just a fun hobby and a way to adorn my apartment with cute plant hangers. It wasn’t until last October, when I moved back to San Diego, that I finally found the time to really dive into it and start creating all of the ideas that had been brewing in my mind for the past couple of years.
Before I continue, I need to backtrack to early that year. At the end of February my world and my families was turned upside down by the sudden passing of my younger sister. Her loss came as a big shock to our family. Within a matter of months, I was handing in my resignation letter to my job of four years in my dream industry, giving my months’ notice to an apartment that I called home for seven years, and saying goodbye to a city that had been my life for the past decade. All because I was grieving the loss of my sister and desperately needed to be close to family. Little did I know that while I was closing the door on one dream, I was setting the foundation for a new one and another door was opening slowly.
I moved back in with my parents and joined the family business. Switching from fashion to engineering was a drastic move to say the least. I quickly realized that I hadn’t really thought it all through. I had acted on impulse and I needed to ease my way into my new life. I couldn’t just quit working in the creative field cold turkey. As a way to reconnect with my creativity I decided to take up macramé again. I dove right back into it and was hooked. I started spending most of my free time watching tutorial videos, learning new techniques to perfect my skills and working on my designs. I was beginning to feel more like myself than I had in a long time and I was happy! I was doing something that I loved and I was doing it for me. You could say that in an odd way macramé was my therapist. I had found a new dream that reignited my creativity and entrepreneurial spirit like never before. And thus the idea of Love Wild Soul was born!
Has it been a smooth road?
If I tell you that I’m no longer mourning the loss of my sister, then I would be lying. To be honest, I don’t even know what stage of the grieving process I am in. Sometimes I still have a hard time making sense of what happened and it is difficult for me to talk about her openly. I feel her absence every day. Other times I can recall special moments with a smile on my face. I can still hear her loud and contagious laugh. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m still processing my emotions and on the path of healing. I’m letting myself heal at my own pace and not rushing through it. I’ve gained a new perspective in how I want to experience life. I’ve always liked the idea that we all come here to serve a purpose and now more than ever, I find comfort in that belief. She taught us patience, compassion, understanding, and love. And most importantly, she showed us that it is possible to live a life without fear or hatred. She was autistic and experienced the world in a different way. She didn’t impose the social and cultural pressures that many of us impose on ourselves. She didn’t need much to be happy. Playing with her puzzles, watching the planes fly by and blowing bubbles into the sky were all she really ever needed. She was just a joyous girl, loving everyone unconditionally and spreading joy to everyone she came across. She truly was a special person and we were lucky to have her for as long as we did.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Love Wild Soul – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Love Wild Soul is a one-stop shop for bohemian-inspired handmade home decor and accessories. All of the products listed on my Etsy shop are made by me using high-quality fibers and materials. You can expect to find anything from modern macramé wall hangings, plant hangers, bookmarks, fashion earrings, to our best-selling wine bottle tote bag.
What sets me apart from others is my commitment to reduce my carbon footprint and adapt sustainable living practices for my business. Whenever possible, I source for natural, eco-friendly materials to use for packaging and the products themselves. Most of the macramé pieces on my shop are made using either cotton cord that is made with recycled garments from the fashion industry or 100% organic cotton, and are certified free of harmful chemicals and safe for human use according to OEKO-TEX certification. I also choose to work with fellow small business owners over large corporations when I can.
Additionally, I’m constantly looking for opportunities to contribute to social causes. Last month I participated in an art auction called Justice Auction that raised money in response to the killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and the black lives matter movement. I donated a large macramé wall hanging for the auction that sold for $200. All of the earnings from my piece were donated to the ACLU. Earlier this month, I launched another fundraising initiative with my “Boobs for Change” wall hangings. I will be donating 65% of the net proceeds from this wall hanging to different organizations throughout the year. Every three months I will pick a new organization that will receive the donation at the end of the quarter. The organization that I chose for this quarter is the Transgender Law Center. My goal is to be able to raise $500 for this organization!
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
What is there not to like?! San Diego is truly a beautiful city. Living in Los Angeles and abroad for over ten years has made me appreciate its beauty and all that it has to offer. There is so much culture here. Every little pocket has something unique and special to offer. I can’t really think of anything that our city is missing!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lovewildsoul.com
- Email: lovewildsoul@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovewildsoul/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lovewildsoul/
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/lovewildsoul
Image Credit:
The 2 images with the orange background were taken by my friend Martina RM.
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