Meet Katie the mama of 2 and maker behind Zink Made a modern lifestyle apparel brand. What I loved about Zink Made clothing and I feel sets them apart is that all of her designs and graphics are screen printed in her studio in London, Ontario! You don't see a lot of people using the screen printing technique anymore and I think that it is amazing she runs her business off of that technique. When I heard that it brought back a lot of memories as I used to screen print t-shirts when I was in high school. I always had so much fun watching the designs come to life and being able to make something that was truly one of a kind.
Do you have kids? If so how many & age?
Yes! Two little girls, Zoe is 2.5 and Ivy just turned 1!
What's one thing people probably don't know about you? I lived in Austria for a year as an Au Pair, and it was one of the very best experiences of my life! Not only for the traveling, but for the personal growth and learning you get to experience when you put yourself in a completely different culture. Are you a stay at home mom? Mostly, yes! My husband and I fully co-parent the girls. I work from home and spend most of my time with the girls, but I also work out of the house here and there with shows, shoots, meetings and I try and get a bit of work done out of the house, and when I do that my amazing husband is with the girls. What is your favourite thing to do for yourself? A little bit of quiet girl time! Weather that's coffee or wine with one of my girlfriends, or getting my nails or lashes done! What's one thing you couldn't live without? Coffee, all the coffee. It was a little rough during my pregnancies switching mostly to decaf, but I always want all the coffee! What's your favourite date night activity? My husband and I spend like all of our time together so we don't really go out on dates, but I'd say a night out with friends is what we always like when we get out for the night. Something like dinner and then something fun after. We actually recently went to laser tag with a bunch of our friends and it was such a good time! How did you choose the name for your business? A few years ago I re-branded, and changed my business name to Zink Made. Before that I was just using my full (maiden) name for my line and design work. But I wanted more of a brand name, and something that was more unique. So I went with Zink, which is my last name and a little different, and used the Made part to keep the integrity that my whole business is made by me. How do you balance having kids & running a business? It has its challenges for sure, and a lot has changed in the last couple of years with the way our family works with balancing kids and my business. My husband and I fully co-parent, so I am able to take time with my business, and time with the girls when and how we want to. And I stepped back from some large commitments when we had our second baby, because it wasn't going to work with our family/work balance. That let me have the time I needed with the baby, while focusing on different areas that I wanted to work and grow in, which in the long run has been amazing for both the family and my business growth. What sets your business apart from others alike? My goal is to offer the modern woman, weather she's a mom or not, a fun bit of style in her life! A little pop of something unique and fun that she can wear in her day to day life and feel good about herself. I also love working with other local business women! It's amazing when we can come together and support each other, and has really shown me what an amazing, creative and supportive community we have here! Working with other business women, be it a collaboration, photo shoot or just to talk work and grab a coffee, has been the best thing I've added to my business life this past year. Coffee or tea? All the coffee! Neutral or colourful? Neutral Morning or night? Night Wine or beer? Wine Starbucks or Tim Hortons? SB all the way Online shopping or in store? Mix of both Instagram or Facebook? Insta Text or phone call? Text Insta: @zinkmade FB: facebook.com/zinkmade www.zinkmade.ca You can check out my work online, and I plan on being back at The Modern Mom Show in June!
@Camara.Crew Stamp of Approval:
I have had the pleasure of meeting Katie at the @themodernmomshow back in November. She loves lovely to meet and you can tell she is extremely passionate about her work. I love that she strives to make clothing that is unique to her and her brand but also communicates important messaging such as with her "authentic" t-shirt.
One of the things that I think really sets Katie apart from the rest is that her designs are all screen printed. This is a technique that I find you don't see used as much anymore and I really love that she is doing it kind of "old school". I think it creates a different look to the typical shirts you purchase and I find that it gives each item a one of a kind look.
We got the Girl Gang t-shirts and I was very impressed with the look and quality of the products. You all know that I love matching with my little's. Lily and I had so much fun being silly and matching in our shirts. I love having a special Girl Gang with Lily and that her and I can make special memories just her and I. I love that one day her and I can hopefully gang up on Daddy and Mason and teach them just how powerful us girls truly are. Sometimes it is more than just a shirt, it is a message, a story and a memory and that is what I feel you get when you purchase one of Katie's items.
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