Written by Jessy Humann

There’s no doubt that sustainability is trending right now, and it isn’t likely to stop as people care more and more about the planet and how they’re affecting it. In the world of fashion, sustainably made clothing and accessories are rising in popularity as people strive to make better buying choices. 

Sustainably made clothes and accessories are now readily available for purchase online, and many online boutiques offer unique items that can’t be found anywhere else. Entrepreneurs are jumping at the opportunity to create a better world by selling ethically and sustainably made products online.   

Claire Pettibone is one of these entrepreneurs. She founded Madison Grace Boutique with the hope of making the world a better place by selling products that are better for the people who make them and the planet. Originally from the Philippines and now living in Southern California, Claire’s newfound passion is to live out her purpose and be a steward of her time and the blessings she’s been given.       

Talking with Claire about her life and why she created Madison Grace Boutique helps give insight into the world of sustainable fashion, social entrepreneurship, and what it’s like to be a female entrepreneur in today’s world.      

What inspired you to create Madison Grace Boutique? Was there a defining moment in your life when you finally decided to create your own business?  

It was mine and my husband's 3rd failed in-vitro. We named her Madison Grace. We lost something we never had; it was a dark time in my life. Then that theme surfaced up again...how you can find belonging through pain, finding beauty and hope in the messiness and darkness.  

But with God’s grace, my family and I are restored and redeemed. Themes that are born from faith but also paralleled in this ethical conscious lifestyle industry - restoringa broken system, redeemingcommunities, and bringing hopeto a dark place. So I wanted to honor that part of my life where hope was most needed with the birth of this new chapter in my life.   

So through grieving, I really felt called to start Madison Grace Boutique. I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of purchasing a bracelet handmade by a survivor of human trafficking, and in turn that simple purchase provides dignified work; it’s part of the survivor’s story and the power that holds. The power of starting over, the power of purchasing with purpose, and the power of ethical fashion.   

I also saw a hole in the market. As I continued to get involved in this conscious space, I felt like there was void. There were a lot of women who agreed with the values of ethical fashion but didn’t necessarily see themselves in the accessories or clothes these ethical brands were designing. I was one of those women in a sense. I wanted to solve my own problem while finding others who felt the same way.  

I think that’s what Madison Grace Boutique customers gravitate towards. That now they can be part of this ethical fashion space because they resonate with the values we hold. Values of giving ethical work, giving opportunities to marginalized communities, giving back to communities, and caring for our planet through eco-conscious choices, all while feeling proud of the pieces they’re in. We’re doing good and looking good at the same time.   

All those little moments kept surfacing up for me, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it: my desire to create something alongside artisan groups and start my own ethical accessories brand. Like an itch I had to scratch, I just had to do it and I’m so glad I did.  

One of the guiding principles for your business is the belief that the world doesn’t need more things, just better things. How does this come into play when you’re deciding what products to sell on Madison Grace Boutique?   

“Better things” has a few meanings that align with our values: 

•           Quality
  
  

•           Ethics

   

•           Sustainability 

Quality

Starting with the heartbeat of our brand: our customers and our community of people who care. As you may have noticed, we’re an accessories boutique and we don’t sell clothes. Not saying that we never will, but we also appreciate the values of slow fashion (the movement of buying something new only when needed, reusing, repairing, repurposing, renting, thrifting, and doing without before getting to the purchasing stage).     

This is also where the capsule wardrobe was born, having classic quality pieces for each season to wear and wear again. Accessories are the perfect compliment to a capsule wardrobe. If you picture a classic white tee with jeans you can pair it with flip flops, a straw bag or heels, and a statement clutch. The accessories make a difference, they allow women to play with their style while also participating in this movement. We only create and curate pieces of high quality so they last a long time.   

Ethics

One of our core principle values is “giving work.” It’s this idea of not giving a hand out, but a hand up. This is what we mean by doing things “better.” We source from artisans of marginalized communities and consciously co-create products with them, giving them dignified work and access to the global marketplace. With the continued wake of the Rana Plaza tragedy and the True Costdocumentary, fashion brands and fashion consumers have had a rude awakening. We are striving to do things better bytreating the people who make our products fairly, with better standards and better conditions.    

Sustainability

We are always trying to be creative with our materials. We’re finding and creating products that are better for the environment. We use organic cotton which is better for farmers and the environment. We use deadstock fabric sitting in fashion houses and upcycle it to create one of our best selling bags. We also use biodegradable materials like jute and bamboo so that at the end of their life cycles they don’t go to landfills, but degrade into the land. Better materials for a better world.       

What do you love about being a woman in the business and fashion world? Conversely, have you experienced any challenges as a female business owner?  

A lot of the groups I source and work with are women based: survivors of human trafficking, groups of moms from a rural community who want to add a stream of income, and a group of legal refugees re-establishing their lives in a new community. A vast majority of these people are women, so it’s only fitting to have a women-led, women-made brand, for women.  

There are a lot of amazing men (and women) who have paved the way in this conscious ethical space. Men who run Toms Shoes, Patagonia, Warby Parker, ABLE... I think we need all genders, races, and social economic groups at the table, so I’m proud to be a women-led, minority-led brand.  

All that to say, I don’t think just because I’m a woman that my brand matters more than a brand led by a man...what I do see is that because we’re different, Madison Grace Boutique can help widen the sphere of influence of conscious consumers by serving women who may not see themselves in what’s already out there. That’s the beauty of diversity, it’s inclusive.  

You’ve been named one of the 37 Social Entrepreneurs to Watch for in 2020by Causeartist. What does being a social entrepreneur mean to you?     

 A social entrepreneur is someone who is conscious and purposeful about the social impact their business has on the world. Gone are the days where corporate responsibility is an afterthought for new businesses. Social impact needs to be intertwined with the day-to-day practices of a business. Social entrepreneurs have this as the heart and purpose of their business. 

Madison Grace Boutique is part of this much needed “social entrepreneur” movement. This larger movement of purpose driven brands, conscious consumers, and businesses making a positive impact on people and planet. 

Alongside other ethical brands and conscious companies, Madison Grace Boutique is showing that purchases made from ethical artisan groups can still be of high quality. We’re showing that when you participate in this movement, you’re not giving a hand out but a hand up through ethical work, and you’re a part of the artisan story. 

We’re showing that being eco-conscious can be chic, that an ethical lifestyle can be stylish, and that this is a win-win for everyone. We’re showing that this movement isn’t for a select few who can afford it, or for the nature loving free spirit who it’s usually catered to, but that it’s for everyone.  

We at Madison Grace Boutique are helping widen this circle by reaching out to a demographic that hasn’t been able to be part of the conversation: the modern woman who cares about people and the planet, who wants to look good and do good along the way. 

How are you hoping to grow Madison Grace Boutique in the next few years? What can we look forward to?   

We’re always evolving and finding ways to make sure we’re a responsible company. We’re working with our supply chains on their transparency, and one of our biggest sustainability goals is to be as carbon neutral as possible, so you’ll see us making changes and finding ways to accomplish that. We’re working with artisan groups all over the world; their designs are gorgeous and we can’t wait to show them off.   

What I’m really excited about is one of our goals to use materials that are in circular fashion. Materials like plant based leather or textiles made from plastic bottles that were about to be litter in the ocean. 

Our impact vision is to continue to:

1. Cultivate a community of amazing women who care about people and the planet, who are doing good in the world. 

1. Empower our artisan groups. 

1. Inspire emerging entrepreneurs to do the same in their purposefully impactful ventures.

PAGE is focusing on powerful and influential women this month. Can you share a piece of advice you’ve learned from an influential woman in your life? 

I’ve been blessed with so many wonderful women in my life. It’s not what they say but who they are, showing by example, that I take from their collective wisdom. My mom was always giving to others when it seemed like she had nothing more to give, and my sisters have shown me that strength has many faces and that life is more fun when you laugh... It’s the way they lived their lives that’s their advice.      

So if I could put into words what that influential advice is, I’m reminded of Maya Angelou’s quote:

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you’ve said, people will forget what you did, but they will never forget the way you made them feel.” 

What’s one piece of advice you’d like to give others?    

That this thing of “living out your purpose” or the overused “find your passion” ain’t always glamorous, or dare I say, it’s not always fulfilling. There will be times when it's messy, it’s hard, it’s boring, but at the end of the day, you’ll be glad you scratched that itch and you’ll find the beauty through it all.    

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