Interview | SITA Couture

Hey Pure Green readers! We are excited to share an interview with the lovely Sita Thompson, founder of SITA Couture, an eco-friendly women's clothing line. We chatted with Sita about what inspires her to take this more challenging route in the fashion industry, the influence of the SITA Couture culture on the brand and vice versa, and why self-love and self-care can reap benefits for your business overall.

ALSO! SITA Couture will be running a week-long giveaway to a lucky PGM reader when you sign up for their newsletter (simply scroll to the bottom of the site). They're generiously offering up a $100 gift card to one lucky recipient (limited to entries within the US and Canada).

If all this wasn't enough already, SITA Couture has been kind enough to throw in a BONUS GIVEAWAY with 15% off + free shipping towards anything on their site if you use the offer code "PUREGREEN".

Enjoy!

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(Founder, Sita Thompson. Courtesty of SITA Couture) 

Hello! It is so wonderful to see a clothing company that so willingly takes on the challenges of accepting full social and environmental responsibility. What are your biggest obstacles and rewards of taking that on?

Thank you! I would say logistically the most difficult aspect of having an eco company is the management of bringing in some of our fabrics that come from overseas. Our jute/cotton hand loom boucle takes a long time to weave and we're always figuring out more efficient ways to get it over here. As for our hemp and other fabrics, that's getting easier and easier to source here, but the jute is definitely a journey... A journey we don't mind taking as its our core fabric and loved by all.

In this day and age where the LOHAS demographic is ever expanding, I don't find there to be a challenge with educating people. There is an abundance of community and people who care about the food they eat (where it came from, what's in it), the clothes they wear (where it's made, who made it...and what it's made from) and the thoughts they keep (why it's there, who created it and what's it doing for me) The conscious community thrives on awareness and responsibility across the board.

There are those who are attracted to the brand who don't practice yoga, don't consciously seek the unknown and mystical, the challenge of evolvement. They come on board purely because they love the cuts of the garments, the way they fit and how the fabric feels. In the process they learn about eco fabrics, women in business and the importance of giving back. It's always a win / win!

On your site, you name jute fabric along with modal, linen and hemp as some of the materials that make SITA an eco-friendly line. What made you choose these particular fabrics over other eco-friendly options?

We will be forever be experimenting with new fabrics but for now these fill our need to have a full lifestyle line representing different moods, textures, seasons and contrasts. The modal is our drapey feminine fabric. She hangs like a flexible graceful dancer in whatever silhouette you cut her in. Our thin hemp/cotton voile is breezy and simple (great for little tops and to use as a lining). The linen is just an epic classic for pants, relaxed jackets and safari shorts, and the jute/cotton boucle ties it all together.

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I would say self love and team work.

At SITA Couture we love all things yoga, uplifting and educational [as] the refinement of who we are. When we strive to be our best selves we are naturally able to bring more to the people around us. When people are working as a team it's such a great feeling. I see that happens most successfully when those same people have first honored themselves.

It's fun, it's challenging, it's rewarding.... It's something I've always done well and I'm tickled pink to watch it unfold with so much excitement and color.

On an esoteric level I appreciate how the lessons that I need to learn in life reflect themselves in the business. The company in turn becomes this gorgeous big teacher that I'm eternally grateful for each day. At the same time I find that the team here also grows in the experiences which turns into a community teaching/lesson. I love that the crew here feels the same way. We are able to celebrate when the sun is shinning while also smile during the storm.

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What I've learned on the entrepreneur path is the importance of self love and self care coming before anything. The workload and stress of having your own business can take over a life if allowed. I've seen it happen with so many. I have 5:30-9am set aside "me time" and have been able to be so much more effective. I swear by writing your "self time" into your plan!

Secondly, I find education and/or a solid understanding of your chosen field, topped with huge passion, are the other core necessities. I feel that the knowledge and love for an objective are the founding blocks of the quote "Trust your instincts!". If you're passionate about something, and know much about it, chances are your instincts will be sharp around the subject. If it doesn't feel right, there's a reason why. This is a big one!