My Made in the USA Wardrobe Part 4 | How it changed my business + 313,000 Jobs

This is part 4 of my 5 part series entitled “My Made in USA Wardrobe”. Click here for all the parts in this series.

2 years ago, I made this New Years resolution: only buy clothing that was made in the USA or thrifted for a whole year. I was tired of what fast-fashion trends had to offer, I wanted products with value. This decision changed my outlook as a business owner in ways I did not expect. When I launched into this resolution, I had already been running my own made in the USA clothing brand for 9 years (Gracious May). With this personal challenge, I wanted to up my effort to support businesses like my own. What I did not expect was the way the Lord used this resolution-turned-lifestyle to change me as a business owner.

Back story:

Fashion and business have always been a huge part of my life. As I mentioned in a previous post, I started my first “business” when I was in middle school and launched Gracious May straight out of Highschool. A major joy in my life is creating products that customers love. I know firsthand that each and every sale makes a HUGE difference to a small business owner. You might have seen the slogan going around: “when you buy from a small business, an actual person does a happy dance”. It’s a true story. Every sale still feels just as good as the first.

What I didn’t Expect:

When I set out to shop only Made in the USA or thrifted clothes for a whole year, I did not expect it to so significantly impact the way I ran Gracious May. I go into deep detail in this post, but for readers looking for the bottom line: I launched the Gracious May ladies footwear line, I launched marketplace for Made in USA products, and I began putting quality guarantees on all shoes purchased from GraciousMay.com!

Here is how my Wardrobe Resolution changed Gracious May:

I launched my own line of Made in the USA Women’s Shoes:

When I made my resolution to buy clothes and shoes that were made in the USA, I found it nearly impossible to find made in the USA women’s shoes. Launching an American Made women’s shoe had been a huge goal here at Gracious May, but we’d been so focused on children’s shoes that it hadn’t happened yet. The realization that there was such a deficit in the American made women’s shoe market prompted my team and I to fast-track product development in this area. The Gracious May Mama Jane launched in March 2019. These leather flats are classy and neutral, with a glove-like fit. They are designed to be a comfortable every day shoe; perfect whether at home or on the go! The Mama Jane has been out less than a year and are already Gracious May customer favorites!

I put Gracious May quality guarantees on steroids:

One of the things I looked for when I was shopping made in the USA for myself was quality. It is true, USA made products are a little more expensive than their imported counterparts. I realized that, as a consumer, I did not mind investing the extra money, so long as the item was built to last. I was willing to invest, as long as their was more quality behind the products. This carried over into my mindset with Gracious May. I began providing 3 year warranties on all Gracious May Shoes. A certificate for a free of charge repair or replacement comes with each pair of shoes we sell at GraciousMay.com.

I launched a Marketplace for the Made in the USA Products I found:

As I was hunting down USA-made products for myself, I wanted to share what I found. I wanted a way to give the people behind the brands a boost of exposure. That’s where the Market at Gracious May came in.

My team and I have created a special section at GraciousMay.com called the “MARKET”. This section is designed to give a boost of exposure to other up and coming made in the USA Brands. We created the Gracius May Market section to centralize these finds and make it easy for you! You’ll notice that some of these made in the USA products are available to buy right here at GraciousMay.com, while others are available through the maker’s website.

[bctt tweet=”I want to see every major retailer carve out a place on their floor for Made in the USA products. I want small businesses to benefit from it all.” username=”gracious_may”]

I want to start a movement.

A major goal for me in sharing my journey is to spark a movement. I want to regenerate an appreciation for well-crafted, USA made goods. I want to encourage others to seek out products with value. I want people to know that how you shop can change the world. I want to see every major retailer carve out a place on their floor for Made in the USA products. I want small businesses to benefit from it all.

[bctt tweet=”There are often 100 different steps to the final destination. Rest in the journey.” username=”gracious_may”]

As I’ve shared my Made in USA Wardrobe Journey with you, I have realized something. I set my mind on one goal, but the Lord had several lessons for me to learn on the way. He used that one goal to prompt me toward a path that was lined with 100 different opportunities to grow. If the Lord is leading you to do something, even it seems “small”, seek Him and do it. He may have something in it for you that you never would have imagined.

As a child of God through Jesus Christ, nothing is wasted. All things work together for good. No matter how hard, there is purpose in everything. Keep looking to Jesus. The joy of hindsight will one day be yours. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.

Until next time…

Grace // Co-owner and founder of the Gracious May Marketplace

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28