How careforus got started

Introduce your Etsy shop and tell us your story. How did you begin and decide on what to sell on Etsy, and how do you create your products?

I was a mom of five kids who had been travelling the world and homeschooling for a lot of years before I ended up back home in Sweden. My kids got into school, and my days were suddenly empty. Living is a lot more expensive in Sweden, so I started to think about ways to earn an income. I wanted to be home when my kids got home, so my option was to produce something myself. I went to sewing school for 4 years before I got kids, so I brought out my old sewing machine, took a look at my pile of "good to have fabrics," and got started.

In the beginning, I made kids clothes and bags from old jeans, leather jackets, and linen curtains. Along the way, I noticed what was popular and made more of it. trial-and-error approach. You usually read about how much it costs to start a business, but in my case, I started out with nothing. Today I have collabs with thrift stores, and people in my neighbourhood know what I do, so they drop off their "textile waste" for me to use.

Favorite items

What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?

My approach as a no-waste designer is the opposite of what Every item I make is a special journey since I work with "waste". No two items are exactly the same. That said, I fall in love with every item, but some are more special. I really enjoy making patched-up denim bags; they represent my vision of sustainability. For me as a designer, it feels like an obligation to upcycle instead of buying new materials. Usually, as a designer, you think of an idea and go out to look for materials. In my case, I do the opposite; I get a piece of textile waste in my hand and my mind starts to think of things to make. I mostly make bags these days, even if I started out making kids clothes. Another favourite of mine is my shopper. They have the same pattern, but depending on the jeans, you get different results.

most-sold shopper
patched-up tote

Getting sales on Etsy

How long did it take for you to earn your first sale and how do you currently attract customers to your Etsy shop?

It took me a month, and in the beginning, it was going very slowly. Made a sale once a week or less. In the beginning, my prices were lower to attract customers and get reviews. Today, I am not as focused on reviews, even though I always get happy when I get one.

I have used my Instagram as a portfolio since the beginning, and that has attracted a lot of followers and sales. And pinterest. 

Update your shop with new items regularly to be seen in search results. I replace sold-out items with new ones to send the message that my things are being sold. I usually have 2–3 pages of items. Personally, I don't like it when shops have too many pages; when I visit shops with more than 4 pages, I leave.

I only offer items made from textile waste, with bags and some home decor items as the core. I started a second shop instead of adding more categories. I believe niches are important on Etsy.

Managing careforus

How do you manage your shop? Are you running solo or do you have any team members? What tools or services do you use to run your shop and how do you handle fulfillment?

I am the only one making the items, but since I have more to do, my daughter helps me out with shipping. I usually do my shipping 2-3 times a week to do more orders at once. My husband is the best leather fringe maker and destroyer of old clothes, bags, and furniture. He is always on the hunt for things I can reuse, making us the perfect team for our zero-waste journey. I use Polish to edit my pictures. The Etsy app is a must; it makes it easy to answer questions and update listings.

The future of careforus

What goals do you have for your shop in the future?

I started my own webshop a couple of months ago, and with that, I started my mailing list. I want to write more blog posts about my work and get more people into upcycling and changing their way of shopping.

As of now, I have a full-time job sewing items for my shop, but I have been playing around with the idea of getting another seamstress to work with me. My mind is always spinning with new ideas. I would love to make clothes and lacy, shabby chic curtains from all the beautiful tablecloths I have been receiving. Ideas are many, but time is my limit.

Advice for new sellers

What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?

Don't be afraid!

Some sellers really get inspired by hearing numbers. Feel free to share these if you like.

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: A lot of variation but somewhere between 2000-5000 euro

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 0.7%