a day in the garment district

It's 8.50am and I hop off of the subway on W 34th st before making my way up to 260 W 36th, our Clutch Made office. Everyone bustles past in varying arrays of suits, bright-colored boots and work-attire despite the insitent rain. In the elevator up to our sixth-floor office, with coffee in hand, I go through my to-do list for today. I'm the media manager for all things #ClutchMade and here's an insight into my Fridays in the Garment District.

Our office building is full of New York City creatives, so our lift is always full especially in the mornings. From other local manufacturers, to vintage stores that haute couture designers also scout at, the building bustles with like-minded creators and business owners. My typical day here begins with opening up the office, organizing my coffee and snacks and starting the Friday with an instagram post to our social media accounts. It is so great to have an office with so many bright and fun materials, hardware and samples. Not to mention our factory is right next door so I can snap up some #making shots.

Rachelle our Assistant Project Manager swings by the office after picking up some printing on fabric we had done for a client. On Friday mornings we get to spend some time collaborating together in the office on ideas for social media.

As I go through my to-do list from social media, to newsletters and graphic design, my day flies from 9am till 2pm. The great thing about the Garment District though, is that we are in a hub surrounded by all-things-fashion. From hardware stores across the road, to blocks and blocks of fabric stores, we really are in an ideal space for manufacturing in the USA, sourcing everything locally.

What I do see though is how important it is to support the US economy by making and purchasing locally. With rents in NYC increasing at unsustainable rates, businesses are struggling to stay afloat in an over-saturated market rampant with mass produced products all sourced internationally. Spending over 6 months in this role and working in the garment district truly opens your eyes to the absolute need for manufacturing transparency. We are so proud at Clutch Made to be completely sourced and made in NYC.

Corporations like the Garment District Alliance are so incredibly important to upholding the wonderful industry and opportunity that the Garment District creates. The not-for-profit corporation serves the New York's storied Garment District in the heart of midtown Manhattan. They work in partnership with local building owners and businesses to improve the economic vitality of this New York city neighborhood, helping to keep it beautiful and lovely with greenery.

Stopping by #CultureEspresso for a coffee and the best chocolate chip cookies in New York, you can't help but notice all the people that work and live in this community. The Garment District truly is a New York treasure, and we will continue to work to keep it that way.

At the end of the day as I walk back to the W34th subway I can't help but want to share how important and pivotal making in the USA is. If you feel the same, head to #ClutchMadeDotCom to find out more about how you can make with us and support the US economy, or shop with us at our curated marketplace for American designers, #ClutchBagsDotCom