We had the good fortune of connecting with Missy Johnson and Sarah Ross and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Missy & Sarah, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
Transparency is our guiding principle when deciding what brands to sell. Prior to bringing in a new brand, we research the manufacturer’s supply chain from beginning to end. We want to know who makes the clothes, how they are made, and what impact those processes have on both people and planet. While there is no perfect manufacturer or brand, we want assurance that the people making the clothes that we sell are paid fair wages and work in a safe environment. We also look for brands that use high quality and sustainable materials in their clothes. We want our customers to feel confident that the brands we offer at Fitted all take steps to lower the carbon footprint!
Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
We have been friends since junior high school and grew even closer when we became new moms within months of each other. Our professional backgrounds include a combined 40 years of sales and marketing experience, and with the birth of our first sons, we each took a break from the chaos of corporate life to focus on a different kind of chaos…motherhood (hands-down the toughest job)!
Fast-forward to 2018 – we were hanging out together one day and began talking about what it would be like when we reentered the workforce. We were both ready, but agreed that we would only commit to something that we truly loved and were passionate about. It dawned on us that if we both felt the same way, why not work together? That sounded great, but what would we do?
We started brainstorming, texting and sharing ideas. We both love fitness and consider it an essential part of our lives. However, we agreed that finding the perfect go-to clothes was a pain! That’s the moment we realized we should start our own business: finding and selling quality, comfortable athletic apparel.
We started researching options and one of the first things we noticed was the amount of textile waste ending up in landfills as well as unfair labor standards of workers in the manufacturing process. This was all new to us and very eye opening. It was immediately apparent that we needed brands that not only offer quality clothes – but clothes that are also sustainably-made and ethically-sourced. We discovered that there are many companies who do exactly that! And that’s how Fitted began.
What’s the best part of it all? No exercise required! Anyone can wear our clothes. We all want to look good and feel good and our clothes play a big part in that.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We could spend the rest of this article naming places to go and things to do, but if we had a guest in town, we would be sure not to miss a trip to the zoo with the kids or the Museum of Science and History. We would explore the Trinity Trails and visit the Airfield Falls Trailhead where we can play in the water. On Saturday, we’d eat at Press Cafe after visiting the Clearfork Farmer’s Market. Of course Fort Worth is famous for the Stockyards and we would spend a day exploring the new Mule Alley, watching the Herd Cattle Drive and end with a trip to Joe T’s. Hopefully the moms can escape for lunch at Lili’s Bistro for the gorgonzola fries and their homemade doughnuts. No one should miss Sundance Square or the newly revitalized Near Southside community, and Cannon Chinese Kitchen is perfect for a group dinner! (Don’t forget the Scallion Pancakes!)
Our town is full of terrific shopping – local boutiques, high end department stores, artisans and markets. We are very excited to announce that we just joined a new cooperative retail market off Camp Bowie called The Market at Ridglea. Please visit themarketatridglea.com
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Of course we would not be where we are, doing what we love, without the support of our families and friends. Not only did they tell us to go for it, but many reached out and asked how they could help us get started! In addition, we are so thankful for our customers who shop with us, and we are especially grateful when they refer their friends and family to us. There is no greater compliment.
Website: www.fittedfw.com
Instagram: @shop.fitted
Facebook: @shop.fitted
Other: Pinterest @fittedfw
Image Credits
Jennifer Harr (for the image on the bikes only)