Inside Sew Valley, Cincinnati’s sustainable apparel hub offering manufacturing, training, and support for fashion entrepreneurs and small-batch designers.
You may know Cincinnati, Ohio for its Reds baseball team, its famous zoo, or even its world-renowned chili. But you may not know about its vibrant apparel manufacturing center, called Sew Valley, in the city’s West End neighborhood. At its core, the non-profit is a sustainability-focused garment factory, sample room and incubator space for apparel brands, yet it is so much more. They provide invaluable guidance, collaboration and connections that start-ups or individuals need to bring their designs to market, a rare find in an industry dominated by overseas manufacturing.
Gaining a Manufacturing Foothold
Sew Valley co-founders Shailah Maynard and Rosie Kovacs had a hunch that an apparel design and manufacturing maker space was a need yet to be filled in their hometown of Cincinnati. The nearby University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning turned out countless talented graduates in the fashion design sector each year but there were few relevant jobs or workspaces in the area to develop new brands. Shailah says, “That was one of the drivers of why we thought Sew Valley would be well-received by individuals looking for work or access to equipment.”
The co-founders came from different parts of the fashion industry and had the necessary experience to make Sew Valley work – Shailah from the fashion buying side and Rosie from the fashion design side. After securing a $25,000 seed grant from the Haile Foundation, finding an affordable space and purchasing some basic equipment, Sew Valley opened for business in 2017. Shailah adds,
“Our suspicions were correct. Right after we opened, the phone started ringing and it hasn’t stopped since.”
Like any eager start-up, Sew Valley initially said yes to every garment manufacturing request. Knowing that wasn’t sustainable, over time they fine-tuned their manufacturing to fit their sweet spot: women’s and men’s ready-to-wear apparel using middle weight fabrics, staying away from hard to work with fabric like fine silks or heavy-duty leather and denim.
From Concept to Final Product
Sew Valley fosters collaboration, connecting designers, makers, and entrepreneurs to bring ideas to life.
Think of Sew Valley as part garment manufacturer, part shared space for designers and entrepreneurs, and part space to learn how to build and grow a fashion brand. The majority of their clients come to them looking for a production partner, something that’s incredibly hard to find locally, especially one that focuses on sustainability and ethical practices. Unlike overseas production, Sew Valley’s clients can be involved in every step: they can be on-site to review samples, have in-person fittings and make real-time changes, not to mention getting to know the team working on their pieces. Day-to-day, the majority of Sew Valley’s staff of 15 focuses on the services most in demand: sample development and small batch production, about 10 – 100 units per style. The bulk of their clients are within a two to three-hour drive, however they’ve attracted the attention of customers across the country.
When an individual or brand comes to Sew Valley to manufacture a garment, they start with the critical sample development phase: turning a design into a flat pattern, material sourcing, digitizing, and sample production. From there they move on to actual production. Not all clients come to Sew Valley for their manufacturing services. Some utilize Sew Valley’s equipment and space rental, others take advantage of their educational workshops like Intro to Industrial Sewing, DIY Alterations and Idea-to-Product sessions.
Sew Valley isn’t alone in the non-profit small batch manufacturing sector. They stay connected to a network of manufacturers and incubator spaces popping up across the US, like Fourbital Factory in Vermont, Stitchworks in Indiana and Custom Collaborative in New York City. They participate in discussions, field a lot of questions and are more than happy to help with tool kits, brainstorming or advise.
Community Partners
In 2019, Sew Valley clinched a coveted project from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) to redesign and manufacture their musicians’ signature red jackets. Of utmost importance was a contemporary design that was highly functional. The project is a great example of how Sew Valley provided services from concept all the way to the finished piece. Shailah explains, “It’s living proof why the sample development phase is the absolute most essential part of the whole process. If you don’t have your sample down then you’re definitely not going to be able to produce it – especially 200 of them!”
The CSO project was incredibly beneficial to gain credibility locally and get the word out about Sew Valley. Shailah adds,
“This project really validated us on a local level where community partners are key. They were willing to take a chance on us and invest in a neighbor.”
Watch the video highlighting Sew Valley’s five-year journey creating new jackets for the Cincinnati Pops.
Every Sew Valley project begins with sample development—turning designs into patterns, prototypes, and products.
Progressive and Sustainable
The fashion industry is notoriously one of the largest producers of environmental waste worldwide, and while many fashion houses are trying to enact measures to cut their waste, the problem persists. A key principle at Sew Valley, guiding all that they do, is to operate in a sustainable and environmentally-responsible way. They recently received a waste reduction grant from Hamilton County ReSource to help fund Sew Valley’s zero-waste programming to find a solution for fabric waste. Their goal is to transform all of their fabric waste into sustainable, eco-friendly material for products like pillows, insulation, and soundproofing boards.
Sew Valley’s eco-conscious policies have led them to be named to the United Nations Conscious Fashion & Lifestyle Network, an international group of industry leaders that convenes regularly to collaborate and establish policies for a sustainable and ethical future for people and the planet. For Sew Valley, being socially responsible is just as important as being environmentally friendly. Shailah believes it’s possible to do both.
“We aim to pay a living wage and showcase that [apparel manufacturing] can be done in a responsible way, at the hyper-local level. And that it’s possible to have upward mobility working in this industry.”
Committed to sustainability, Sew Valley proves ethical, small-batch garment manufacturing can succeed locally.
Future Growth
Approaching their 8th year in business, Sew Valley shows no signs of slowing down. Although they are a non-profit organization, they generate nearly 75% of their operating budget through their fee-for-service operations, rental space and membership fees. And because of their vibrant client base and the power of word-of-mouth, they haven’t spent any money on marketing. Shailah remarks,
“We haven’t needed a marketing budget. People keep reaching out!”
One of Sew Valley’s biggest hurdles is finding trained help to work the large-scale machinery necessary in a garment factory. Taking matters into their own hands, Sew Valley plans to introduce a workforce training program, licensed from Detroit-based Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center (ISAIC), for industrial sewing and production. These enhanced services will require Sew Valley to find a larger space, acquire more advanced equipment and build designated classroom space, all things they are ready to tackle.
Shailah feels that the effort will be well worth it. “I am confident that what we’re doing here at Sew Valley can validate our industry and make everyone value their clothing even more.”
Sew Valley is open Monday through Friday from 10am-6pm or by appointment. They are located at 1010 Hulbert Ave in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more info, contact them at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Paula Wilson
contributor
