Meet Hannah Rice | Sewist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hannah Rice and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hannah, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I started my business because I learned how clothing is typically made. I was learning about why our clothing is so cheap and the condition in which garments are produced. Garment workers are highly skilled, yet are drastically underpaid, work 70+ hours a week, are only paid for the garments they produce, and aren’t paid a liveable wage. I had been sewing since I was 12 and wanted to put this skill to good use. I started Langley Threads to offer a solution to the fast fashion industry. Langley Threads mission statement is “Clothes for people who dress themselves for the benefit of others”. I make all of the clothing in a small studio/store in Exeter, CA and I seek to create clothes that are created slower, worn intentionally, and repaired for a lifetime.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The clothing I create is focused on simplicity and timelessness. I want the clothes that I offer to be clothes that go against the constant changes in clothing trends. I believe this is a simpler and easier way to dress. The process of making clothing has been very life-giving for me and I love learning new techniques. I like sewing difficult projects and trying new designs.
However, opening a storefront and running a business has been difficult and I have learned a lot! That has been the most challenging part of Langley Threads. I am currently studying to get my MBA, but I have felt that I have learned the most from starting up a business and attempting to grow it.
Something that I have learned from this business is that it’s better to slow down, take a break, and eat some lunch, than rushing and doing a subpar job. I have had to learn to not be rushed and anxious and to take my time.

What I have found people remark about the most with my business is how difficult it must be for a creative business to be profitable. I think many people have thought I would have given up by now. However, I have found that people are wanting locally-made items. Consumers are also wanting to repair and keep the items they love. So what I would want people to know is that a creative business can be a profitable business and to go for it and try! I would have never thought that I would have made it this far either!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in Visalia and I love the central valley and all that it has to offer. If I had a friend visiting and wanted to show them the area, I would first start out the day by taking them to breakfast at Component Coffee, I would urge them to get a breakfast burrito (and share some with me), and to get a pour-over coffee. After that, I would take them on a hike in either Kaweah Oaks Preserve or the Skyline trail in Three Rivers. For lunch, I would definitely take them to Pita Kabob and order feta fries and one of their pita wraps. For the afternoon, I would want to walk around dowtown Visalia and go in and out of the shops, especially the antique and thrift stores.
For dinner, I would take them to Davorn’s for thai food and would order my favorite, the paneang curry. After dinner, I would drive up to Rocky Hill for a gorgeous view of the city.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The organization that started my passion was the “Practicing the way” curriculum from Bridgetown Church. Their practice of “Simplicity” changed my view on clothing consumption and learning to live with less. This started a complete change in the way my husband and I purchased items and who we purchased them from. When it came to clothing specifically, I decided that if I needed a new piece of clothing, I would thrift it, buy it from an ethical company, or make it myself. It started to become fun to make my own clothing, and would often complain that “I only got to sew for 4 hours”. I couldn’t get enough. I started making clothes for myself, my husband, and family members and loved it so much, I decided to start this business.

Website: langleythreads.com

Instagram: langleythreads

Linkedin: Hannah Rice

Facebook: Langley Threads

Image Credits
Kelli Avila Photography Elijah & Susannah Film and Photography