Today we’d like to introduce you to Madelyn Kelley.
Hi Madelyn, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi there! My name is Madelyn Kelley and I am the founder and CEO of VirtYouUs.com. VirtYouUs began when I started a modeling career and realized that I could not be successful if I wasn’t following my passion for the environment by modeling for companies that did not have Earth’s best interest at heart. I began searching out these Earth-first fashion brands and soon realized just how many eco-friendly fashion companies there are.
The trouble was, however; that I found myself using up hours and hours of my time to find these brands and the exact styles that I had been looking for. It meant digging through blogs and scouring all corners of the internet to find all of these different companies. Tired of searching and wasting my time, I created VirtYouUs: a site showcasing hundreds of sustainable fashions from different brands that treat people and the planet with love and respect. Where all different styles, shapes, cuts, and colors can easily be found with the promise of putting the Earth FIRST and making you look good too.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I have been in the creation and research phase for VirtYouUs for three years, and only finally just launched in November of 2022. I had been told no by five website designers, saying that the building of the site was just not possible given the fact that I am showcasing other brands and not personally selling products. It just took one person to say yes for the creation of the site to become a reality… And here I am now with VirtYouUs.com fully launched!
Another consistent struggle has been that I have personally funded the creation of the site on my own, without any loans or assistance. While I am very proud of this fact, it has certainly been a struggle and I am only now opening up to the possibility of receiving funding.
Amazingly bringing these sustainable fashion brands on board has been the smoothest part of my journey. Chatting with these brand owners about sustainability in the fashion industry makes me so happy and excited to help them by showcasing them on the site.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
VirtYouUs.com is a sustainable fashion directory where shoppers can find the exact styles and fits of clothes they want and with the promise that each brand is following our sustainability standards.
Many people don’t realize this, but fashion is considered the second most polluting industry in the world. Not only are there high levels of water waste, fiber waste, and CO2 waste; but also the chemical processes prevalent in all mainstream clothing manufacturing produces and uses harmful chemicals that we are then releasing into our waterways, oceans and that we are absorbing into our bodies every time we wear these clothes. Sustainable fashion is not just about caring for the planet but also the people who make our clothes and us people wearing these clothes.
VirtYouUs is focused at making a difference in the health of our planet as well as the people who shop from our sustainable fashion brands.
How do you think about happiness?
Helping other people, making others feel happy or loved, my husband, seeing the love other people share, talking to people who are passionate about health/sustainable fashion/making the planet a better place.
Contact Info:
- Website: VirtYouUs.com
- Instagram: @virtyouus
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/virtyouus
Image Credits
@cquaylephotography for personal image of me with pink background
