Dear Pennies & Pens,
As you know, I am a Fashion Designer and Creator of Pennies & Pens, a vegan, organic and sustainable lifestyle brand. That said, today, I wanted to share with you why I created my own vegan brand.
I was so inspired last week by this class that I am taking as they shared that the best way to connect with your audience is to explain your why. It helps people relate to you which makes them more likely to support your brand. In essence, I plan to do just that, I want you to understand why I created Pennies & Pens because it is literally me fulfilling a lifelong dream.
I am Vegan
The first reason I created a vegan brand is because I am Vegan. I went Vegan about six years ago and I would never go back to eating meat. I absolutely love it!
For those that don’t know, a vegan is someone who doesn’t eat any animal products. Meaning we don’t eat red meat, pork, chicken, turkey, seafood, eggs or dairy products.
How I transitioned to Veganism
In college, I stopped eating red meat and pork. I would only eat chicken, turkey and seafood. Then a few years ago, I went Pescatarian (a person who eats seafood only), then I went Vegetarian (a person who eats eggs and dairy but no meat). After a while, I decided to go Vegan as I saw it as a challenge.
I recommend transitioning to veganism and not going cold turkey. You want to give yourself time to learn about Vegan brands, restaurants and foods so you can figure out what you like and what you don’t like. It’ll also help you determine if veganism is right for you. I believe that veganism is the way to go as practicing a vegan diet means using less water, there’s also less chemical pollution, and veganism is a healthier diet.
What do Vegans Eat
Some of my carnivores may not be so convinced to try veganism as there are so many things that Vegans don’t eat. So let me tell you what we do eat. First, understand that at its core, a Vegan diet consists of fruits and vegetables.
As far as fruit, we can eat strawberries, blueberries, bananas, plantains, apples, peaches, etc. For vegetables, we can eat broccoli, cabbage, spinach, kale, celery, cauliflower and lettuce. We can also eat grains like bread (provided it’s not made with eggs or milk), tortillas, pasta and rice. In essence, if you’re creative, you can create so many amazing dishes.
You also have the option of eating plant based meats and cheeses. Brands like Tofurky, Follow Your Heart, Beyond Meat, Violife, Simple Truth and Lightlife all create fantastic vegan substitutes for meat and cheese. I purchase products from each of these brands regularly and they’re all phenomenal!
Quarantine Life
Back to the Vegan meat and potatoes – or – the purpose of this post, talking about why I created my own vegan brand. I inked my own brand because last year when we first went into quarantine, I was looking for comfy clothes to wear around the house.
Around this time, I discovered organic cotton and how much softer it is than regular cotton. It’s softer because it is free from harmful chemicals. Organic cotton also softens naturally after each use and wash. Once I discovered this with my organic cotton towels from Boll & Branch and Brooklinen, I knew I wanted to create a product made of organic cotton.
Inking Pennies & Pens
As you all know, I am also an Author with three published books. However, I have always wanted to be a fashion designer as well. So I decided to find a way to merge the two. This is why the Pennies & Pens designs feature powerful statements – each design features an original quote written by me.
I decided to create a T-Shirt line because a T-Shirt is a classic wardrobe staple that everyone must own. It fits different body types in a flattering way. Plus it’s perfect for organic cotton because who doesn’t want a soft comfortable T-Shirt as quarantine drags on?
How I Designed The Shirts
I started by using a sketchbook to write out my ideas. I can’t sketch but since I was creating a collection of T-Shirts, the ability to draw isn’t a must. So I used the sketchbook to decide which quotes I would use for my designs.
From there, I created the designs in Photoshop. I use a custom brand font for all my designs. I also have a specific way of creating the design in Photoshop. Once I am done designing in Photoshop, I upload the design to my manufacturer’s website then order for printing.
When I first launched my collection, I got samples of each shirt to test the fit and design. After I did my brand launch photoshoot, I had amazing photos to use for my website and social media.
What’s Next
As far as what’s next for Pennies & Pens, I’ll be creating a Spring/Summer collection with new designs, removing designs that aren’t selling and coordinating another photoshoot. That said, stay tuned for the Pennies & Pens Spring/Summer 2021 collection which will be coming soon to a page near you.
In the meantime, Shop the ink: www.islpdtx.com
And there it is. de la Pen…All Pen Everything. With us, keeping it real never goes wrong.
