Etsy Seller Interview with Marta of jamfashion

How jamfashion 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?

My name is Marta, and I live in Poland. I love sewing, designing, and other "handicrafts" very, very much. Even as a child, I had been sewing clothes for my dolls. Thanks to my grandmother, I discovered the magical world of textiles, textures, patterns, and colors. In my youth, my country was under the Communist regime. It was difficult to find something nice to wear or decorate our home with. Our world was very gray, bland, and simple, so I sewed my own clothes. I made skirts, shirts, dresses, and sometimes even toys or various home decorations from a spectrum of unusual textiles, such as nappies, tablecloths, and old clothes brought from abroad. Some of my creations were sold at the market; that was my first source of income. Nowadays,since the fall of the Communist regime, we have shops full of fashions from around the world. But it is very difficult to buy something interesting, special, or original, so I started sewing again. Due to my deep love for nature, I try to care for the environment, and I am aware of the effects of mass production of clothing. To combat those effects, at least on a small scale, I recycle. I hunt for nice fabrics in second-hand stores, and I accept damaged clothes from friends. From time to time, such interesting raw materials come to me seemingly by themselves; I call it my "rag karma." For example, a few years ago, I was found (via Etsy) by a Ukrainian woman who had worked in Warsaw for years. Someone shared with her the contents of an abandoned shop with samples of beautiful Italian fabrics. There was so much of it, and the kind woman gave me almost all of it. It took me several trips to Warsaw by car to get them all, but the excitement I felt when unpacking every single pack of textiles was well worth it. Sometimes it happens that my clients send me their "personal treasures" that they have been collecting for years: clothes made from pure cotton with unique details from their favorite companies. 12 years ago, my friends and I organized a big social recycling event that consisted of workshops on various recycling techniques, a competition, and a ceremonial show of works of art created from waste in our municipal theater. When my collection of clothes was rented out for the beauty competition of our region's final, I gained faith that I could sell my clothes. I have been on Etsy for 10 years, and I could talk about it for a long time since, for me, it is an exciting adventure!

By profession, I am an architect, but I stopped working in this field about 5 years ago and instead dedicated all my time to realizing my greatest passion: creating unique clothing and accessories.

Favorite items

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

I sell articles of clothing on Etsy: tunics, dresses, pants, and various kinds of jackets, coats, and ponchos. I also list some pieces of jewelry, bags, and hats. I use all leftovers; it's part of my professional philosophy to throw away as little as possible. Even the smallest scraps can be formed into colorful textile balls that I use to make pendants. I am unfortunately unable to realize all my ideas. My head is always full of them. I have no favorite items among those in my shop. I love them all the same; I would proudly wear them all myself. Sometimes I get requests for custom services; the customer already has an idea of what they want and needs me to make it for them. Of course,the requested items have to be in my style and within my capabilities. Sometimes I hesitate to accept an order because it's something new for me, something I haven't done before, but it often turns out that the client has a nice, great vision that fits perfectly into my style, and I learn something new. But obviously, I have some items that I like exceptionally and that I think express me most clearly, for example:

But believe me, it is not possible to pick just a few favorites.

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?

I must admit that I didn’t have to wait long for my first sale. You can imagine how happy I was! I had much lower prices at that time, of course, and I think it is necessary at the beginning of your Etsy business to find your first customers, get good feedback, and earn a reputation. I started at a time when Etsy had a different policy and a slightly different feel. Back then, Etsy was more akin to a social medium, and there were various very good mechanisms for cross-promotion among sellers. Many groups with various thematic profiles were very active; their leaders invented great games and competitions that encouraged mutual relations and the exchange of information and experiences. It is a pity that these mechanisms have disappeared today. After 10 years, fortunately, I have some regular and loyal customers who catch interesting new arrivals very quickly. New clients appear as well, but I know that I have to surprise them, as well as myself, with new ideas all the time.

Managing jamfashion

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 have a Jamfashion profile on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
I do absolutely everything related to my business myself. I get raw materials by browsing through second-hand shops and flea markets. I design my creations and sew them myself; I take care of everything from start to finish by myself. I photograph my items myself and model them on myself. It's quite laborious because I show all sizes from S to XXL; sometimes it may look funny, but so far it works. I process the photos myself, and I put them in the shop myself. Then I pack and ship them, charge them to the cash register, and send the documents to my accountant. I take good care of my sewing machines; I love them very much, especially the new industrial overlock I bought a year ago. From time to time, I get asked why I don't employ someone to help me out with all the work. I have thought about it many times, but the problem is that I never design my creations with details in mind. The details appear to me as I create; they are an integral part of my workflow and style. It is true that there will always be only as many things in my shop as I can make myself; I think this is a good scale of business, one that is the most eco-friendly.
If a friend asks me if she should start selling on Etsy, I ask her: Do you like to gamble on the internet? Do you manage social media, take pictures quite well, and process them? No? So don’t start with Etsy. I know sellers who have to ask someone else to take pictures for them, answer messages from customers, etc. It is very difficult and laborious, and it will not work for many in the long run. However, I like all parts of my business, and I know that it is part of my success.

The future of jamfashion 

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

First of all, I want to continue my business because I love it and it is my true passion. That's why I want to improve my workshop, implement more difficult ideas, and always surprise myself and others with something new. After 10 years, a lot of other shops have appeared on Etsy, also selling recycled clothing. Competition is vast, but it mobilizes each seller to greater effort. I treat it as a challenge, and I am very happy that recycling is getting more popular for the benefit of nature and limiting consumption. I dream that the demand for recycled handicrafts will develop in my country, Poland. For now, I only sell single items to a small number of local customers. I hope we go in that direction.

Advice for new sellers

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

I think there is no one way to become a successful seller on Etsy. It is different for someone who has been doing this for many years, has a stationary shop somewhere, and at some point also tries to sell on Etsy; and it is different for someone like me, for whom Etsy is the first and only place to sell their products. Of course, keywords are very important; you should check whether you can find your items with them. Being easy to find for a potential customer is key. Etsy is gigantic; the biggest challenge is getting the customer to notice your shop in the sea of sellers. That's why you need to show it everywhere you can on the Internet. But I think the most important thing is that you love what you do. If yes, everything else will fall into place eventually.

Success cannot be expected right away. You have to be patient and devote yourself to the passion of creating. I wish for everyone to live with passion!

Thank you for inviting me to participate in this interview. I wish Etsy a continued success as it attracts more and more great manufacturers and sellers of beautiful, handcrafted items in harmony with nature.

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

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 0.4%