If you have been following me for any amount of time you will know just how much my animals mean to me – I mean, we don’t go away coz we don’t want to leave our animals with anyone, or even in a boarding facility. They are like our children & even sleep in our bed with us – this was the reason we had to get a bigger bed too (besides the fact that my husband’s super-long legs hang right off the end & we have to get extra-length EVERYTHING!). When we were really battling financially, we ensured our animals had vet-quality food & we were eating the cheapest food we could. In other words, they are spoilt rotten!
Anyway, I digress…
I was blobbing at home one evening, & a shirt popped up in my Instagram feed.
I mean… How could I resist?! I immediately looked into this more & placed my order with Roo&Bear Apparel for one of my very own. It arrived & I did a little happy dance around the house before immediately putting it on. It is probably one of the softest shirts I have ever owned, & the quality is gorgeous. I knew I had to find out more about them & hopefully introduce you to a beautiful local business that you would love to support too.
Your name: Candice Russell
Business name: Roo & Bear
Social media handles: Facebook, Instagram & Website
Tell me a bit more about your business: Roo and Bear is a conscious apparel brand, meaning every process that goes into a design is carefully throughout always having the environment in mind.
The clothing is made from natural fibers such as Hemp,Organic cotton, linen. all of these fabrics are Eco-friendly and Biodegradable.
Our trims are also Eco- friendly , the swing tags are made from recycled paper with seeds pressed into them, the buttons are made from wood, so our garments are basically 99.9%
biodegradable. All stock is made locally in Durban, the trims are all sourced locally. Unfortunately the hemp fabric is imported as hemp is not yet regulated in South Africa.
How long have you been running for: Roo and Bear has been running for just over a year – we were founded in January 2018.
Have you always had such a deep love for animals: Yes Yes a 10000X Yes! Animals are life! ever since I was a little girl i have always loved animals, I often think i get on with them better than i do with humans haha.
I cannot picture a world without them.
Where can people buy your products from: Our products can be found on our online store. We are at the Shongweni Farmers Market about twice a month and on the occasion at the I Heart Market.
What are some of your favourite items: Some of my favorite items are, our round collar shirt. We designed this item as i think its really cute and can be worn so many ways and i feel people just don’t make round collars anymore? I have never actually seen one in store. Our A-symmetrical button up is definitely another favorite. its looks so good on any figure, and honestly fits like a glove. I actually love them all haha.
What makes your clothing different to others: Hmm this is something i definitely made sure to consider when starting up Roo&Bear. I didn’t want to design ordinary clothing, something you would find on repeat in every store because every major retailer is ripping off an international brand. I wanted to create clothing that was sustainable but also of a minimalist nature,an item you will have in your closet for years and can be worn season after season, year after year. I personally prefer to have less but of better quality, I believe less is more!
Why do you think having a well-loved pet is so important: My babies are my world ( my dogs) they are so well loved and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I think its so important to have a well loved pet because if you don’t show them the love and affection they deserve they definitely wont return the favor. Having an animal is such a gift and the only way to create that special bond is to spend time with them and give them the love and attention they crave.
Why do you encourage people to support local: Supporting local is so important I believe. Firstly you are helping create jobs , by supporting small businesses you are helping them grow, with your support they are then financially able to hire employees. Secondly I feel that when you buy something local, its often of better quality and there is so much love that has gone in to that product. I personally always try to support local, as i know how hard it is as a small business . It’s really true what they say ‘ when you buy from a small business an actual person does a little happy dance’. Whenever i get an email notifying me that i have another online order, I promise you I do a little happy dance inside, I truly appreciate every bit of support and i know all my fellow entrepreneurs do too.
Quote you live by: The Quote that I live by is ‘Purpose fuels Passion‘. this quote is incredibly powerful to me. I honestly believe that life is way to short to be doing something you are not passionate about. I have just recently left my corporate job in the retail industry as i was not living by what i believed. The role had no purpose and honestly was not feeding my soul, if you cant see the purpose in something how can you be passionate about it? Roo&Bear is my passion and it has purpose, the more i can grow the business the more I can contribute to the animal shelters in need.
This ladies apparel is all handmade in Hillcrest, KZN & a percentage goes to animals in need. Isn’t that amazing? I have so much respect for people who want to give back & getting to know Candice through this feature has been so uplifting. Her heart is so big (for people & animals) & she really deserves all the love & support possible!
Please pop over to Roo&Bear’s social media account & place an order for some of their gorgeous clothing for yourself. I know I will be having a squiz over at all their gorgeous clothing again now that I have finished writing this blog – seeing the pics definitely reminded me of why I was drawn to them.
