Today we’d like to introduce you to Meghan Forest Farmer.
Hi Meghan , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The idea for The Bright Factory came at the intersection of several paths in my life. I’ve worked in the fashion industry for over a decade. I’ve been a part of the glitz and glamour. But, I also saw the seedy underside of the fashion industry…Endless production leading to endless consumerism. Production completed by workers who are underpaid, overworked, and working in unethical conditions.
The tragedy at Rana Plaza in 2013, a garment factory that collapsed killing over 1,000 workers, was the moment that changed me. I made the choice to no longer ignore what was happening in front of me. I educated myself about manufacturing, supply chains, and sustainable brands.
While all of this was swirling through my brain I had also begun working with a volunteer organization visiting incarcerated women in Fort Worth, TX. At every visit, I heard the same sentiment. Each woman had hopes to get out, start a new life, take care of her children, and get a job. But I soon learned that finding dignified work after incarceration is bleak, making it more likely they will return behind bars because of the obstacles in place for those with a conviction on their record.
That’s when the connection came – the human connection. I had recognized an industry that steals dignity and I saw women in my own city who deserve dignity. And so The Bright Factory began to come to life.
T-shirts are one of the most basic pieces of clothing, but every piece of fabric, every stitch makes a difference in someone’s life. Because every t-shirt has a person behind it. A person who matters.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Starting a business in an unfamiliar industry definitely presents many challenges. I am an editorial and wardrobe fashion stylist with no manufacturing background; that sentence could probably sum up our challenges most days. Joking aside, learning a whole new vein of the fashion industry is complicated. It quickly became obvious why most people we know are not trying to start garment factories.
The information available about garment manufacturing is definitely not as accessible as perhaps other businesses. However, sustainable brands, small factory owners in the U.S., and leaders in the ethical fashion space, have been incredible resources and extremely generous to share their wisdom and expertise with me. They have often restored my hope that we CAN do this and we SHOULD do this. They have assured me of why we should do it, and although, yes, it will be challenging, it is important. I am eternally grateful for their encouragement and wisdom.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Bright Factory ?
The Bright Factory will create T-shirts at our cut & sew factory in Fort Worth, TX, made with sustainable materials, and by the hands of formerly incarcerated women, being given another chance.
We want the opening of The Bright Factory to truly disrupt the garment manufacturing industry, the fashion industry, and the way which our society handles reentry for the formerly incarcerated. By providing dignified employment to formerly incarcerated women, we are able to give women who are often overlooked and passed by another chance.
By cutting and sewing t-shirts with organic cotton, we are making a sustainable product that you, or your favorite business can purchase with confidence. Our t-shirts will come in three styles and two colors to start with ,and we can’t wait for our favorite local coffee shops, churches, schools, to purchase our t-shirts to print their logos and mottos on.
We are so proud to be able to provide jobs, grow our local economy, and make a quality product.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Just ASK! Ask for help, guidance, wisdom, insight, input, – ask for what you need from the community around you, or those who have gone before you in your field. The Bright Factory is only where we are now because I was willing to ask for help.
Mostly, from people I thought would be too busy, or not care about what I was doing. The generosity of the folks I have asked questions or help from has been mind blowing. I am so glad I didn’t let the fear of rejection keep me from emailing, calling, messaging whoever I thought could help.
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@thebrightfactory.co
- Website: www.thebrightfactory.co
- Instagram: @thebrightfactory
- Facebook: @thebrightfactorytx
Image Credits:
Erin Stetson
Stetson Film and Photo
