Celebrating Fashion for All: The Story Behind Sparkies
Inclusive, Innovative, and Sustainable: How Sparkies is Making Fashion Accessible for All
At Sustainability Pulse, I love sharing inspiring stories of how brands push design and sustainability boundaries. Today, I'm excited to introduce you to Sparkies, a brand founded by a dear friend I met during one of our Parlor Social Club events.
Sparkies is more than just a fashion label—it's a brand with a heart, focused on adaptive fashion for people with disabilities. The journey of Sparkies is an empowering testament to how fashion can be inclusive, innovative, and sustainable all at once. Here's the story behind this incredible venture, as told by Alina Kuderska, the visionary behind Sparkies.
What inspired you to start Sparkies? Can you share your background and how it influenced your sustainable fashion approach?
Our journey began when I studied at Parsons School of Design in New York from 2016 to 2018, pursuing my second degree in fashion design. During that time, I met Cecilia Metheny, one of my professors in Textile Design. Cecilia saw my growing interest in adaptive fashion and offered me the opportunity to visit her mother, who lived at Sparks, a nursing home in Kentucky.
At the nursing home, I met many elderly women who shared a common challenge—finding comfortable, affordable clothing that could meet their unique needs. The answer was clear: I needed to create something for them. So, I began by modifying some of their existing garments. These women were incredibly supportive, providing materials and feedback as I created my first prototypes. It was during these heartwarming fit sessions that I decided to dedicate my future to adaptive design. Thus, Sparkies was born—named after the Sparks nursing home. Sparks is still a part of Sparkies' story, and we proudly share this connection.
Sustainability, in its traditional sense, came later. As a small, self-funded brand, we initially had to work with materials available at a lower cost to keep our garments affordable. Price is a huge factor for our audience since many adaptive brands are prohibitively expensive. The job market is tough for people with disabilities, so affordability is key.
Brand Ethos: Sparkies is known for its commitment to sustainability. How do you ensure that your products align with these values?
Certification is essential. With "sustainability" being such a buzzword, it's important that we back up our claims. When our manufacturers make sustainability claims, I always require test reports from internationally recognized labs. These tests verify everything from fabric quality to production conditions.
We've also partnered with a large third-party quality control organization to ensure even more oversight during production. Sustainability is all about transparency, and at Sparkies, we believe in "trust, but verify."
The Macy's Collaboration: How did this partnership come about, and what are your goals for this project?
We were thrilled when Sparkies was selected to participate in the "Workshop with Macy's" program in May 2024. This initiative supports small businesses with tools to grow and scale, and we were the only adaptive fashion brand involved! It was an incredible opportunity to bring our brand to a large retailer and highlight the importance of strategic partnerships for adaptive design. We're now in the process of launching our products on the Macy's marketplace—a huge milestone for us!
The picture below was taken during our event on September 10th at SoHo House during NYFW. We discussed the transformative role of adaptive design in promoting greater inclusivity in fashion and beyond. We also shared our upcoming innovations, including our sustainable lingerie line that is set to launch soon, which we announced to Macy’s as well back in May 2024.
Challenges and Triumphs: What has been your most significant challenge, and what has been the most rewarding moment so far?
Our biggest challenge has been the cost of incorporating sustainability into our production. We're working on solutions with our international partners to introduce an additional, more sustainable line.
As for rewarding moments, our debut at Walmart.com this year and our panel at the Venice Film Festival stand out. Being recognized on these platforms validated our hard work and mission.
Looking Ahead: What's next for Sparkies?
We're focusing on growing our team, expanding our product line, and continuing to educate others about the power of adaptive and sustainable fashion. The future is limitless for Sparkies, and we're excited for what's to come.
Advice for Aspiring Designers:
Know your "why." Fashion is not an easy path, and challenges will come. When they do, your "why" will keep you grounded and motivated. Sparkies is proud to support all designers who share our passion for growth and change.
Stay in touch with us—we're hosting a series of events and would love to have you join us!
Website and Email: sparkies@sparkiesus.com
Vera
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