VERY LIMITED SHIPPING Jan 10th - Feb 10th :::
ONLY zines, patches, and stickers will be shipped during this time as I will be in the mountains for a month!
Hello!
Round Trip Goods LLC is a design studio and online shop based in Denver, Colorado. It is a celebration of the plant world and an experiment in creativity. Round Trip Goods products are made from post consumer cotton and hand dyed with plants and botanicals to minimize our ecological impact.
There is something for everyone, at all price points, from patches and stickers to wall hangings, from kitchen needs to one-of-a-kind Slow Fashion statement pieces.
Why Plant Dyes?
Synthetic dyes are flat, artificial, and made in labs while colors from plants like Indigo and madder root have a human history, a vibrancy, and a quality of color only the natural world can provide. Letting nature take the lead and eliminating the desire for perfection makes room for surprises while dyeing that are more rewarding than following a strict design process. Ethically sourcing dyes is very important to me- the plants I don’t responsibly forage for, I source from Botanical Colors in Seattle.
Why Post-Consumer Cotton?
A majority of newly made textiles around the world are fabricated in often unsafe factories by underpaid workers, while approximately 5,000 gallons of water is required to produce 2 lbs of new cotton clothing (wwf study). Bypassing new fabric production eliminates supporting these ethical and environmental inequalities. I opt out and search the Colorado area for second hand 100% cotton fabric in good condition to use for my products. This also helps curb shipping and packaging waste. I then wash, scour, dye, cure, and wash fabric again before it gets to you, using a fraction of water and resources in the process.
Origin Story
Round Trip Goods LLC is founded by me, Leah Rich with huge help from my partner Jasper Segal. After graduating with a BS in Industrial Design I worked in product and event design. After a handful of years I became disenchanted with the normalcy of material waste and machismo culture. It became obvious to me that I needed to carve my own path, letting my values and instinct to lead the way. I combined my love of textiles, the living world, and sustainable design to create Round Trip Goods. I am fortunate enough to work from a small studio and garage space at home in Denver, Colorado. Designing with nature connects me to the living world, to the seasons, and I hope to bring that 'plant power' to others through my work.
Design Philosophy
I design for multi-functionality and a low waste lifestyle while letting botanicals play a big role. Patterns for products are derived from templates that allow for modularity in production while minimizing waste. I look to continually improve my dyeing and design skills as well as my ethical and earth conscious practices through life-long education and learning. My goal is to provide beautiful and unique products that can join you on your various daily tasks and adventures while connecting both of us to nature in the process.
Body Positive & All Seasons
Round Trip Goods is about providing items for every body size and shape and all items are free from gendered labels.
I search our town’s thrift stores for gently used cotton clothes in all shapes, styles, and sizes to give them a second life with plant dyes.
Each piece of clothing is one of a kind and a labor of love without supporting the ethical wrongs of the fast fashion industry. Slow Fashion is something I believe in as a practice to enjoy, not a perfection to attain. As Vivienne Westwood says, "Buy less, choose well, make it last"
From tank tops to sweaters, all clothing items are available year round rather than following seasonal trends. It's always hot (or cold) somewhere!
Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Rebuild, Rethink
Shopping second hand, small business, and local first rather than supporting big companies for all studio needs is one of the ways I help reduce my environmental impact while also voting with my money. Minimizing the consumption of new materials, shipping costs, packaging materials are tangible everyday practices that add up.
Our shipping envelopes are pre-used from packages we have received in the past. The dyes and binding string are made of safe, biodegradable materials. I divert the vast majority of materials used back into production needs and product creation and constantly work to minimize my landfill contribution.
Education regarding sustainability is integral to my work, as I know that there's always room for improving our relationship to the earth.
Product Care
Round Trip Goods are embedded with living plant dyes and will change with you over time. This is natural and part of the journey of the fabric and plant infusion. Pieces are treated and dyed with great care to be lightfast and washfast; even so, long exposure to sunlight, harsh soaps, citric acid (think lemonade), and hot water will change your items’ colors faster. The best way to keep your items from fading is to hand wash them in cold water, with a gentle soap. Ironing items after they dry works great at getting the cotton back to a smooth finish. Store away from direct sunlight when not in use. Enjoy how your pieces change with you over time. I also encourage repairing and repurposing when the time comes, to keep items in use and out of the landfill!
Patreon Support
If you like what you see and have as little as $3 a month to spare, consider becoming a Patreon Member. Members get exclusive access to my Design + Dye Lab Blog where I post dye tests, videos, design processes, and prototypes, as well as other neat benefits. Members contribute monthly at a rate that's right for them to help me cover my overhead expenses. As a small business integrating ethically and environmentally conscious practices and trying to survive during COVID, every little bit really helps me keep going! I'd love to create a community around my art and build the future of Round Trip Goods together. Learn more at my Patreon page (link at very top of this page).
Make the Round Trip
Our items are designed to be unisex, user-friendly, and multi functional to encourage creative interactions and a long life for the product. Hopefully you use your Round Trip Goods until they are worn out from love and daily use. We encourage you to repair, and repurpose your products if you think it’s at the end of their life cycle. We would love to hear of ways you reuse old textiles of any kind. Post on social with #maketheroundtrip to share ideas.