Meet Leah Rich | Textile Artist & Slow Fashion Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Leah Rich and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Leah, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I have been able to work with a lot of materials over the years but textiles has always been one of my favorites. I thought that if I could source fabric second hand and learn natural dyeing techniques, I could make some exciting things and feel good about my environmental and ethical impacts.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I don’t think there are many people working with plant dyes and combining natural inks with thrifted clothing in Denver. I love transforming clothes that need some love into something beautiful and exciting, and then someone picking out a piece that they connect with. It wasn’t easy to start a business and it doesn’t get any easier from my experience but I am doing work that I am proud of, constantly learning, and I get to have my own art studio so the days are happy ones. Time management is always a challenge along with prioritizing projects, and home/work balance etc. I would love to grow my business in a sustainable way and get more people excited about second hand clothes and natural pigments.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Denver is such a fun city. I would head out on bikes with my friend and stop for coffee at St. Marks on 17th. After that we would ride to the Botanical Gardens for a stroll around one of the most beautiful places in the city. Next, a ride to the new RiNo art park, and bike path along the river. We would eventually grab a donut at Parlour donuts down south, do some thrifting and people watching along south broadway, and then head back up to Rino for beers at Our Mutual Friend. Pizza dinner a couple blocks down at Cart Driver or food at the amazing Super Mega Bien, and end the night with an amaro at Fort Greene.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My partner Jasper has been incredibly supportive of my design career since day one. He often believes in me when I am unsure and I would not have had the confidence to start my own business without him. Babs Behan’s book “Botanical Inks” was also a huge influence. I checked out her book from the library and read it cover to cover.

Website: https://roundtripgoods.com/

Instagram: @roundtripgoods

Other: https://www.flowcode.com/page/roundtripgoods (all my links)