I was thrilled to have been written up this month by Shout Out SoCal, an online publication whose mission it is to regularly highlight small businesses in Southern California, as well as SoCal lifestyle itself. Thank you so much for your beautiful write up #ShoutOutSoCal!!! It was a pleasure to discuss the pros and cons of being a creative entrepreneur. Read the full article to find out who MY shout out is to… (This one’s for you, Babe!)
#tinafrantzdesigns#ShoutOutSocal
We had the good fortune of connecting with Tina Frantz and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Tina, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
As an eco-conscious brand, our mission is to spread awareness about the damaging effects of ‘fast fashion.’ This refers to the huge corporations who’ve sped up the fashion industry’s cycles of Fall/Winter, Spring/Summer into 2 week cycles with a constant, steady stream of inexpensive, trendy clothing being consumed by the Western world. This has sped up our appetite for clothing as well, leading to more consumption which leads to more textile waste, which leads to more landfill dump which leads to more greenhouse gasses which leads to quite the environmental toll. This is to say nothing about the Human toll when you look at the poverty level wages being paid to garment workers in 3rd world countries by these huge corporations in the West. When I began this journey I had no idea that Fashion was considered the 3rd most polluting industry in the world. I have seen things evolve and now there is much more awareness, and some corporations are making efforts towards eco consciousness, but of course there is so much more to be done. I am very proud that in a small way, our efforts towards zero waste, reducing landfill, and repurposing are helping to alleviate this global issue.
Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I don’t think any artist or creative who has made this their path in life would say its easy. In speaking with other creatives, I have found that so many of us often struggle with just getting out of our own way…being able to own and trust in our creativity, invest in our process, and just DO it. Living creatively takes sacrifices and a lot of faith. What has helped me most of all is community…celebrating and commiserating with other creatives in a network of entrepreneurs has been a huge boon to this journey.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, you can’t come to San Diego and not hit a gorgeous beach. One of my favorites is Coronado because of how deep and pure the shore is. I love a bike ride in Mission Bay and/or a hike at Torrey Pines. I recently got to experience one of San Diego’s only Michelin Star restaurants, Jeune and Jolie, a French restaurant in Carlsbad. My BFF would have to get this star treatment too! For more casual dining the Harbor Fish Cafe has THE BEST fish and chips…and of course, our old stand by, The Brigantine never disappoints!
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have to say, I wouldn’t be here without the partnership of my husband. As parents and as life partners, we give and take in a constant swirl of the every day realities of our busy lives. He has always believed in me and what I’m doing, and sometimes more than I do! He definitely deserves kudos for this. This shoutout is for you, babe!