Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaclyn Clark.
Hi Jaclyn, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In 2007, a couple of friends started YourFleece, with the simple goals of delivering high quality fleece to their consumers at a very fair price, while providing great customer service. Over the years YourFleece grew into something truly special, a real family of dedicated team members that became one of the most trusted sources for fleece in the country.
As YourFleece grew, the team started to get more and more into cotton quilting fabrics and built up the selection and expertise over time. They then started a second, dedicated business to cotton fabrics, called YourCotton, with the same principles that brought YourFleece to where it is today. YourCotton, like YourFleece is all about affordability, quality, customer dedication and overall goodness. The team continues to be committed to building relationships with our customers, and because of that, our customers are loyal and longstanding.
Last year, I joined the YourCotton and YourFleece team as the Vice President of Marketing to help expand the awareness and growth of the YourFleece and YourCotton businesses. It’s an exciting time to be part of such an honest and customer-obsessed company. And it’s a fun business. Our consumers range from people just learning how to sew, to crafting hobbyists, to expert quilt makers, to independent fabric stores, to specialty manufacturing companies. We have customers that have been with us since day one, and keep coming back because of our high quality materials, low costs, shipping times, and stellar customer service. And we are working hard to bring in new shoppers every day which we hope to turn into loyalists!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
During COVID, as people were igniting new hobbies and creative outlets, YourFleece saw a surge in sales of fleece and cotton fabrics. Whether it was mask-making, blanket-making, quilting, or crafting, people were looking for a good, reliable online option to purchase fabric. The team really stepped up and worked hard to maintain their shipping times and levels of customer service. Over time, they saw sales plateau, so knew they needed to invest more on marketing and advertising to continue to reach new customers. Those efforts have really paid off, and we are seeing healthy growth.
I have been on the team for less than a year, but I know that some things have been smooth and some things have been a steep learning curve. One of the challenges we face as an online business selling fabrics, is the inability for people to feel and interact with our fleece and cotton. It’s challenging to fully convey quality, softness, vibrancy, detail and structure. To make such a purchase without the ability to feel the fabric is a bit of a gamble, and we understand that. So it’s even more rewarding when we get messages from our first time customers raving about their purchases, and then coming back. Fabric is such a personal thing! Whether you are using it as a blanket that you sleep with, making clothing that you wear, designing a special quilt, or crafting a gift, it has to feel and look right. So we do our best to only bring the highest quality materials into our shop and we stand behind the products that we sell. Luckily, we have high customer satisfaction, which demonstrates that our commitment to curating only the best of the best fleece and cotton is working.
As you know, we’re big fans of YourFleece and YourCotton. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We sell fleece, cotton, flannel, and other fabrics by the yard, No-Sew Fleece Throw Kits, and Fleece Blankets. Prices can vary depending on the specific product and size, but we remain very competitive without sacrificing the quality of the material. We also offer wholesale pricing!
Besides fabric by the yard some of our best selling items are our No-Sew Fleece Throw Kits. They are so incredibly popular because it’s that high quality fleece I mentioned, but gives people who don’t know how to sew, a chance to make a blanket without sewing. We have people that will buy just one or two for themselves or to make as gifts, as well as HR reps looking for fun team-building events, charity organizations making blankets for donations, sports teams making blankets for their road trips, high schoolers making blankets for community projects, retirement homes looking to offer a fun activity for their residents, and more. The team has heard so many inspiring stories throughout the years about the joy that has come from these kits! It’s another really rewarding part of being in this business!
I know I have mentioned it a few times, but a happy customer is what makes us most happy. We try to get to every customer service inquiry quickly, and work to provide solutions as best we can. Some of our customers are wholesale customers looking for very specific products to purchase in bulk, some are looking for a single, specific cotton fabric color or print, and some just need answers about fabric sizing or weight. Each inbound request is handled by our team that is based in Los Angeles, with the goal to help them find a solution to their specific needs.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
In my professional journey, I have learned the importance and power in good storytelling. As a Marketing Executive, it is my job to promote and sell the products I represent to a specific consumer base. Getting the ‘story’ right so that it connects the audience or consumer to the product is critical. Continuing to challenge myself and my team to ask and answer questions like: How would having that experience, product, or service bring joy, efficiency, or problem-solving into someone’s life? What sets this brand or product apart from the competitors in our given space? What is the emotional trigger that people need to feel, in order to connect with us and give us a shot? Answering those questions in the form of a good spot, social post, blog, comment, etc is critical to a brand’s success. I’ve worked with some amazing brands so far in my career (Disney, Tastemade, Squishmallows, Ooni) and whether we are talking about marketing a movie, show, toy, pizza oven, or fabric, the need for good storytelling across all the consumer touch points is critical to a brand’s success.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.yourfleece.com / www.cottonfabric.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourfleece_fabrics/ https://www.instagram.com/yourcottonfabric/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourfleece/ https://www.facebook.com/yourcottonfabric/
