The girls and I recently got beautiful summer outfits from Folklore Las Ninas. I always loved the styles I’d see on their site and recently found out the amazing story behind the brand. Instead of trying to tell the story myself, I asked Gisa, the co-founder if I could interview her. She was happy to and also provided a Folklore Las Ninas coupon code for our readers!

I hope you enjoy learning about this wonderful line as much as I did. Be sure to check out all of Folklore Las Ninas beautiful summer clothes. You can use code CHIRP for 20% off until tomorrow night.

The quality is outstanding and I loved being able to match with my little ladies on vacation.

Folklore Las Ninas

How did you come up with the idea for Folklore Las Niñas?

As an immigrant I wanted to stay connected to my Guatemalan roots and expose my daughters to my culture in a fun and creative way. So, Folklore Las Niñas was born from the aspiration to promote and celebrate Guatemala’s rich culture with my girls and girls around the world.

Where are the items made?

All of our pieces are made in Guatemala from beginning to end. It all starts in the Guatemalan countryside where artisans foot-loom our textiles in a process that takes weeks to complete, but it’s in this time-honored practice that quality goods are made. With Folklore’s designs in hand our seamstresses take these bolts of woven fabric and create each piece. Because every garment is handmade, each one is a shade unique.

It’s amazing that you use your brand to help provide clean water. Tell us more about that!

Sure, although Guatemala is a country rich in water, 95% of the rivers, wells and springs are highly contaminated. 1 in 20 kids in rural Guatemala dies before the age of 5 due to an intestinal infection caused by drinking polluted water. So, with every purchase we help provide clean drinking water to rural communities by partnering with Ecofiltro. An Ecofiltro is a portable filter unit that eliminates bacteria and parasites so families in rural areas can filter water from any water source and provide their kids with potable drinking water.

Do you design all of the pieces yourself?

I design all of the textiles and up to last year I was designing all of the pieces, but as a graphic designer I needed an actual fashion designer to help me innovate. So recently I was able to collaborate with a trained fashion designer in the development of new fresh styles for Spring/Summer 2021 and upcoming Fall/Winter 2021.

I love that Folklore Las Niñas are sustainable products. Tell us more about that!

I am very passionate about this subject and it is at the core of my business!

The fashion industry is one of the world’s leading polluters and consumers of water. By creating fabrics on a foot loom with no electricity we thoughtfully reduce water consumption and carbon emissions. Also, as a mom of two girls my youngest wears mostly hand-me-downs so with that in mind I strive to create high quality timeless designs that last and can throw on over and over without worry of wearing them down.

Finally, I would like to quote the Slow Factory Foundation “Everything you make returns to Earth as either food or poison”. So as makers and consumers we must educate ourselves and be more conscious about what we make and consume. Fast fashion has created a business model based on the artificial creation of short-term trends combined with clothing that doesn’t last – what other industries call “planned obsolescence. This cheap mentality has come with devastatingly high costs for the environment and the people making clothing.

So, with waste-conscious high-quality collections, low carbon production and a devotion to water equity, we´re committed to raising the bar in the fashion industry.

As a mom & business owner, what’s one tip you’d give to other moms?

Don’t try to do it all yourself, accept the help! As a small business owner and a mom of two I wear a lot of different hats, at home and in my business. It can be overwhelming at times so learning to accept help has been life changing.