Meet Ali O’Neal of Thimble Fox

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ali O’Neal.

Ali, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I grew up in Stevens Point, Wisconsin spending my days meandering through the Christmas tree forests and catching bluegill in the pond. I attended Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, Minnesota, where I graduated with a degree in Environmental Studies and Spanish. After nearly a decade working as an Environmental Educator, I transitioned into creating full-time.

My first creative forays began in elementary school, where I painted portraits of my second cousin’s ephemeral partners. While in the Peace Corps in Ecuador, I melded my affinity for creativity and the environment and painted a series of environmentally-themed community murals. I am a screen printer, designer, and seamstress, and am currently pursuing creative endeavors through my brand, Thimble Fox. I use my work in serigraphy and textiles as a platform for social and political commentary and to educate about the inequities of the textile fast fashion industry.

I believe fast fashion overlooks unethical environmental and social inequities and that where and how we spend our money is a vote for the world we want to live in. Life is not always fair, but fabric certainly can be.

Thimble Fox uses ethically sourced and natural fiber fabrics to create something new. Each design is drawn by hand, hand-printed onto fabric, and hand-sewn into various styles, a method that ensures craftsmanship through every step of the process. I create pieces that are meant to last in a manner that sustains our world rather than takes from it. Choose to support handmade and sustainable fabrics, and choose to live your values every day.

Has it been a smooth road?
I still consider myself to be in the beginning phases of starting this creative endeavor and will certainly be a lifelong learner artistically and in business. Currently, my biggest challenge is balancing the many hats you wear as a budding small business owner. As an artist, I spend my time drawing, screen printing and sewing. As a business owner, I take on marketing, social media, packaging, shipping, website design, and all of the other all encompassing aspects of a one person show. The road is certainly not smooth, but it’s easily the most growth I’ve had personally and professionally, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
What sets Thimble Fox apart from other companies is our environmental ethos and products that are entirely handmade. I draw all designs by hand and turn them into printed products afterwards. I hand pull each print on every item and finish by sewing them into various designs. This ensures various craftsmanship methods in every step of the process and is the antidote for our current model of cheaply made and quickly thrown out items. I create functional everyday items that bring artwork and mindfulness into your daily routines.

The other aspect that helps set me apart from other companies is my environmental values. The fast fashion industry is the third-largest polluting entity in the world, and we’ve become accustomed to cheaply made products that are both socially and environmentally unethical. I’m working to educate about these issues through my brand and only use sustainably sourced fabrics, water-based inks, compostable packaging, and recycled paper when available.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I feel incredibly optimistic with the current slow of society that people are taking a deeper look into how they live and move through our world. I feel encouraged that more people are buying local and are more concerned about how their products were made. I believe this industry of slowly made goods is just beginning, and I think it will continue to grow over the coming years.

Contact Info:

• Address: 525 Buggy Circle
  Carbondale, CO 81623
• Website: www.thimblefox.com
• Phone: 715-498-7833
• Email: info@thimblefox.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thimblefox/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thimblefox

Image Credit:
Will Sardinsky
Aly Sanguily
Sarah Overbeck

Suggest a story: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.