How it started

When I was temporarily unable to work last March due to COVID, I found myself stuck at home searching for activities to keep me occupied. I have a passion for environmentalism and reducing waste, so in an effort to reduce the number of disposable masks going in the garbage, I started making reusable face masks for myself. This lead to making them for my family and friends, which lead to requests from their friends and family as they heard about my masks through word of mouth. A lot of interest developed so I decided to make my masks in bigger quantities and eventually started an Etsy shop to make it easier for my customers to view and purchase my items. When thrift stores reopened, I decided I wanted to make my items more eco-friendly by using second hand fabric that would’ve otherwise gone to landfills. All of the ear loops on my masks are cut from thrifted tshirts, so they’re super soft and stretchy. Most of my scrunchies and pet bandanas are made from thrifted clothes, table cloths or sheets, making my products both unique and environmentally friendly.

How it’s going

Sparked from a tiny idea that gave me meaningful activity and purpose again during a time of uncertainty, dvb DESIGNS has become a great therapeutic project for me. As much as I relied on my designs as a form of stress relief, it brought me even more joy to see that the items I’ve been putting my effort and creativity into are also being appreciated by my customers.

In a world of mass production, I want my customers to experience the feeling of purchasing a unique item that few other people will have. Because the quantity of items I can repurpose from any single piece of thrifted fabric is limited due to its size, each style is made in small batches and only a limited number of customers will have the same item as someone else. This allows customers to feel like they’re buying an item that is personal, rare and unique, which is the overall mission of this brand.

I also want to encourage and raise awareness about repurposing and reusing clothing and textiles. My products are an example of how something that was no longer being used for its original purpose can be reconfigured into something new and beautiful, rather than being thrown away. I hope seeing how I’ve repurposed the fabrics I find at thrift stores will inspire others to reuse and recycle their own items instead of abandoning them.

Happy shopping!!

owner & creator
dvb DESIGNS