Sophomore Martinez creates tie-dye and embroidery clothing business.

Raven Ramsey

Section: Features

Staff Writer

 

Sophomore Martinez creates tie-dye and embroidery clothing business.

 

Sophomore Mia Martinez makes her mark by creating and selling colorful clothes.

 

Martinez started a business tie-dying and embroidering clothes on Instagram after Mira Costa moved to distance learning on March 16. Martinez has always loved fashion since she was little, and as she got older, her love for it grew. She decided to take her love for fashion and make her own designs on her clothes. After getting many compliments on her apparel, Martinez decided to start a business out of her talent.

 

“I wore some [clothes] I had made and had gotten many compliments,” Martinez said. “People were surprised when I told them I had made it and suggested I sell tie-dye apparel.”

 

Martinez first started tie-dying old clothes she didn’t wear anymore, but as her business grew, she began selling new clothes. Martinez first started with just tie-dye but picked up embroidering as well during her time in quarantine. Now she sells tank tops, sweatshirts, shorts, sleepwear, sweatpants, and sweatpants.

 

“Most people would rather buy tie-dye than do it themselves, which is why I really enjoy making clothes for people,” Martinez said. “It can be difficult, so I charge anywhere between $17-$65, depending on what I’m making.”

 

Although Martinez always has beautiful outcomes, the process can be laborious, according to Martinez. Martinez does everything by herself, so the process of everything is extremely long and tiring, but she is extremely dedicated to her work.

 

“The hardest part for me is patience,” Matinez said. “I have spent up to 6 hours embroidering one pair of jeans, and the tie-dye process can take about 26-50 hours.”

 

Even though the process is tiring, Martinez can also look forward to her favorite part of the process for tie-dying and embroidering. Looking at the finished product is always rewarding, Martinez said.

 

“My favorite part is after letting the clothes sit for 24 hours and seeing what it looks like,” Martinez said. “After spending so much time working on a piece, it’s exciting seeing something that I’m proud of.”

 

Martinez will continue to sell her colorful tie-dye clothes and beautiful embroidered creations on her Instagram and is in the process of making an online store on Etsy. Martinez hopes to have a future involving her love for fashion.

 

“I use fashion as a way to express myself, and I am super passionate about it,” Martinez said. “I definitely want to work in the fashion industry when I’m older.”