Today we’d like to introduce you to Ilea Alfaro-Matthews.
Ilea, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
The journey with my little business started with my 5lbs chihuahua. I adopted her from the pound 7 years ago and noticed that was cold all the time. She has no fur on her underside and very little fur on top. I went out and bought her a hoodie to try and keep her warm but found that most places had sizes that were too big or too small for her. She is Latina and has curves but none of the options were for curvy dogs. With what small skills I had in sewing, I hand stitched her a shirt that was a custom fit from recycled human clothes. I put it on her and the shivering stopped.
I posted pictures on the internet just to get a little laugh and requests for custom orders started to come in. Hand stitching these items seemed impossible so my mother gave me a sewing machine. Sewing has been in my family for generations, but I never really took to it until that moment. People started ordering from all over the world. From France to China to Slovakia. After six years of selling on social media, I decided to open a store on Etsy as well as start a booth at the Melrose Trading Post. I was there every Sunday selling my creations. At the time, I really enjoyed making custom business suits and bowtie bandanas which were made from 100% recycled human clothes. When Covid-19 hit, I lost most of my customer base at the booth and my Etsy wasn’t doing that well even before the pandemic hit.
Suddenly I had nothing but free time on my hands and a sewing machine. I posted on social media that I would be devoting my time to making masks for frontline workers and if anyone would like to donate, it would help me cover the costs of buying materials. A lot of people showed up and donated. Suddenly I found myself making 250 masks for donations.
Following the masks shortage a mask wearing mandate came along and I was flooded with custom orders. To date, I have made about 900 masks for everyday people. I even started designing my own fabric for masks because there was a shortage of specific material.
Before this pandemic, my Etsy had 45 sales. Today I have 560 sales and most of them are ordering the material I have designed. Most of my orders have been for masks, although sometimes, I get a mix of people who want to order bandana’s that match their masks.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This journey has not been easy. I moved to Los Angeles to become an actress, but have spent very little time doing so. I have had at least nine survival jobs along the way. At some point, I decided I wanted to put more energy into my business and create since the powers at be weren’t allowing me to do so in the acting world.
The booth showed a lot of promise. I had items that were top sellers. In particular, the Tie Collar. I would take a man’s shirt and tie and convert it into a collar that a dog could wear. Those were always the items that got the most attention.
Since COVID has hit, I have found a new love. I am able to create but in a totally different way. I minored in Graphic Design and found this pandemic lent itself to the perfect opportunity to revisit mu skills by creating my own fabric. This new journey has been very fulfilling. It is pretty cool that you can creating something, have it printed on fabric and turn said fabric into a mask that someone will enjoy wearing.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Mutts N’ Bolts Creations – what should we know?
At the moment, my business is split. I make dog clothes /Items and Masks for people. I am most proud of my original art and the dog pupfits that are created using recycled human clothes.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I have a passion for anything artistic. I am a Jack of all trades, master of none. I was never formally taught how to sew. My mother has shown me things here and there but we don’t live close enough for her to give me proper guidance.
I have a strong drive and don’t give up easily.
At one point, my Dad was concerned about me being able to make a living during this pandemic. I reminded him the I have been an entrepreneur since I was five. I was selling lemonade to the construction workers next door, then I advanced to seeing handmade bracelets on the playground before I got in trouble. In my 38 years, I have always found a way to lead with my artistic side because that is what truly makes me happy.
Pricing:
- Face Masks range from $15 to $20
- Dog Bandana’s $12-$25
Contact Info:
- Phone: 14154248453
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @muttsnboltscreations
- Other: www.etsy.com/shop/muttsnboltscreations
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