Immersed in sewing and designing new patterns on a sweatshirt, sophomore Ellie Xu has begun to start a business making custom clothing. Her company is called Urban Collective and Xu said the operation consists of patchwork and reusing clothing in a more sustainable way.

Xu said she buys her materials from regular stores like Michaels or Joann and uses the fabrics she buys to make designs. Then she applies them to clothing items, such as hoodies and crewnecks.

At a birthday party during this school year, Xu said she developed an interest in custom clothing making, using inspirations from Pinterest boards she had seen. After buying the materials, she said she hand-stitched ribbons and fabrics onto a sweatshirt and made a new addition to her wardrobe. 

As she began wearing this custom piece to school, Xu said she received multiple compliments throughout the day. Two or three weeks later, she said the idea came to her to start a business with this newfound passion. Her biggest inspirations for designs were from Pinterest and Instagram, along with clothing brands like Sunkiss, Coconut and Dandy. 

From a young age, Xu said she had always been crafty and really enjoyed art. One of her biggest supporters, she said, was her mom Li Xu, as she put her in many art classes to express her creative sense.

“She’s always pushed me to do something out of the box, [and] be different,” Xu said. 

She said Li motivated her to make a website, knowing that Xu finds joy in creating things. 

Li said she is proud of what her daughter has accomplished so far in starting her business. She said she noticed her daughter’s love of art as a child and she tried to support Xu in developing her creative outlets with classes. Her mother also said she has improved a lot, especially in the past couple of years.

Li said her daughter came to her with the idea to start a clothing company, due to her background in art and interest in marketing. Her mother said it was a good plan because Xu is open and likes to talk to people, which is part of running a business. 

“I’m so happy she [found] something she likes and can help,” Li said.

When her daughter was just beginning to make custom clothing designs, Li said she would pay for materials with the expectation that she would pay her back, once she made a profit. She said Xu spent a lot of time researching marketing, creating an online website and making designs in order to even begin her company.

Xu agreed and said she loves the marketing aspect of her company, combining art, creativity and business. She said her marketing teacher Meghan Trader was a person who expanded her knowledge about the subject. 

Trader said Xu is such a joy to have in class and that she always walks in with a bright smile. During Xu’s freshman year, she had her as a student in the Sports and Entertainment Marketing class. She noticed her creative eye and eagerness to do well.

“Clearly, she’s motivated, she’s passionate about the material. It’s [great] to see her work on projects and succeed,” Trader said. 

Marketing has a variety of components other than promotion and Trader said the class teaches the side of finance, being well-spoken and an understanding of accounting that comes along with the subject. She said Xu is a bright student who understands these elements, which makes her a good fit for a marketing major. 

“It’s fun to see students who know what they want and are willing to put in the effort to do it,” Trader said. 

On the business side, Xu said she made her website for Urban Collection on Google Sites, and it will help her promote her company and show what she sells. While it is still in the making, she said the business will most likely be up and running by the end of the school year or summertime.

“It seems good for her future if she wants to [choose] a business major,” Li said.

Her mother said regardless of whether or not Xu is successful with this company, she is so proud of her daughter for being focused and trying something new.

Regarding the items that will be available, Xu said she will only be offering crewnecks, jeans and sweatshirts to have custom designs. When people place orders, she said they can pick a design they want or choose from a preset list of items. She limited the clothing selection to avoid becoming overwhelmed with too many products, though she said it could expand in the future. 

The process of building her business has been complicated due to multiple steps, but Xu said she is excited to see how successful it will be. Designing each piece has brought her so much satisfaction and joy and she said it has taught her to be patient in addition to focusing on the little steps along the way.

To see Xu’s most recent designs for her company as she updates them, go to Instagram and follow urbancollective.