Angela Tsai

Where were you with your business before joining Factory45?

I was stuck! Floundering on our ho-hum prototype that we had in the works for two years. Pained by so many sunk consultant and legal fees. And still clueless about how to source fabrics and “talk the talk.” I was frustrated and absolutely discouraged. I had a great idea for a solution to a very real problem, but I had no momentum on how to execute.

How did joining Factory45 help you?

I learned about the whole process of manufacturing apparel, and got handed some great referrals and resources for moving my prototype forward. Shannon was very hands-on and gave tremendous support and feedback on everything from creating a marketing strategy to keeping me sane when there were glitches in the manufacturing process!

Also, being an entrepreneur/mompreneur/travelpreneur is lonely for someone like me who thrives on group collaboration and feedback! So meeting other entrepreneurs and being part of a cohort was energizing and made us accountable to each other. I am still close with many in my cohort to this day, and we continue to support each other in our varied businesses.

What did you launch?

I launched the Mamachic Scarf — it’s a “do-it-all” garment that can be worn in over 20 ways, and serves as a super easy nursing cover, burp cloth and swaddle blanket. It’s made of incredibly soft rayon from renewable bamboo fibers, and manufactured ethically in small runs at a worker-owned cooperative in North Carolina.

I’ve also partnered with other vendors (label maker, printers, fulfillment house) that lie within 80 miles of my factory in order to leave the smallest carbon footprint possible. I’ve met with my fabric supplier up in British Columbia, and he personally audits his Chinese mills many times a year to ensure they are complying with fair labor treatment as well as taking care of the environment around them (i.e. the grey water from the spinning process is filtered, then reused in local agriculture).

What were some milestones you hit after going through Factory45?

I started my company blog and began a transparency journey for my supporters to get to really know me and the story behind Mamachic. I wrote about the design process as well as hitting huge failures in my life. Writing was actually cathartic for me, and helped give me the courage to keep the business going!

Then I launched a successful Kickstarter campaign, in which I reached 150% of my goal and got lucky with media coverage on Good Morning America and Forbes, as well as a ton of fashion and mommy bloggers. In 2016, I’ve been named as one of 30 finalists for the Tory Burch Fellowship and the Mamachic was named one of the Best New Products of the Year by the Cribsie Awards!

Describe your business after Factory45.

Right now I’m selling Mamachics via my website and looking to expand to other e-retailers soon. I continue to get some great press, and most of my customers are repeat ones! I’m developing a lighter-weight version now as well as starting plans on other products.