Who We Are
Human beings! Mothers! A small business! Those are some terms that we use often.
We started Storq 10 years ago with a goal of bringing the maternity market up to date to address the real needs of moms-to-be. It turns out that even if you get pregnant you still have to do all the same sh*t and put on clothes every day. Our idea was to make that process of outfitting an evolving pregnant body simpler, less alienating, and more comfortable. Keeping your sense of style as you move through a new phase of life, and all that jazz.
Over the years, we have expanded our focus to include postpartum recovery, nursing and early parenthood. Once you give birth, you may begin to notice how many aspects of contemporary existence become more difficult once you have kids. Things like getting around town (by carrying that stroller up and down stairs), using the bathroom (holding your baby whilst using the toilet at a restaurant?) and feeding your kids (prepare to be judged by strangers) are suddenly logistical challenges without obvious solutions. We spend a lot of time thinking about how to improve the experience of people who may find themselves pumping at work, changing diapers in unsavory bathrooms or breastfeeding in public spaces.
It can also be helpful to contextualize what we make in terms of how families tend to approach each of these stages.
Pregnancy
Feels like: Hot garbahj, your body and mind are on a roller coaster ride, and you just want to feel comfortable and normal.
$$ you’re willing to spend: None, this is temporary and I’ll never wear or look at these clothes again.
Storq solution: We make non-temporary maternity clothes that continue to support you and your wardobe after baby arrives: generic in a good way, easy to style, stretch as you grow, with quality fabrics that feel good to wear. Mix and match, wear them during pregnancy, postpartum and beyond, and (if you like!) pass them on when you’re done.
Nursing & Postpartum
$$ you’re willing to spend: Some! You obviously need bras or something, right?
Storq solution: Intimates that support your lifestyle, such as nursing tanks that look like normal tanks and pumping gear you don’t need to take on and off multiple times a day.
Parenthood
$$ you’re willing to spend: You’re probably gonna spend some money. Let’s just be real. Nursery is not going to reveal itself.
Storq solution: There is a lot of stuff out there, so we focus on high quality products that serve a purpose. These are things you typically need but can also enjoy owning/seeing/using/living with.
Because we want to add value where we can, and not simply more stuff.
That’s our spiel! It’s not all that easy to encapsulate and not super straightforward. Much like parenting today. Lots of love to you.
XOXO Court & Grace
And now. A bit more info on how we like to do things…
Thoughtful design
When we’re creating something new, we take our time and make sure each piece will become a true essential that can transition with you. Whether you’re expecting, nursing or in your parenting era, we focus on making the things that will make life easier and make you feel good. Feel good about how they’re made, feel good shopping for them, and feel good when you’re wearing or using them. With that, here are a few of the principles that guide our design process.
Everyday staples. We only make the pieces you’ll be reaching for on a daily basis because we see a genuine need for a particular style to exist. You can think of our basics as super comfy and cute modular building blocks that can be mixed and matched and paired with what’s already in your closet. Wardrobe crisis averted.
Longevity. Literally no one wants to spend money on temporary stuff and we understand. We make things that are designed to last in a temporary time of life, to take you from one pregnancy to the next, through nursing and postpartum and onward into life with kids. They are destined to become the things that you’ll keep on reaching for long after babe arrives.
Sizing. We currently design apparel in sizes 0 through 4XL or 30. It’s important to us that our products can accommodate all the people who become pregnant and start families.
Luxe, practical fabrics. Comfort is always our number one concern. For clothing, we seek out fabrics that are soft and breathable, that drape beautifully, stretch and recover well, using eco-friendly or natural fibers when possible. We’re always on the lookout for things that are machine washable and can be easily cared for.
Streamlined details. A lot of small but important decisions go into the making of each product. Seemingly simple things like using heat transfer labels and as few seams as possible means you don’t have to worry about anything scratchy or uncomfortable touching your body.
Customer feedback. Open communication with our customers is essential. Instead of designing a hundred new things every few months, we spend a lot of our time iterating, refining and perfecting the styles we produce over and over. We are always looking for ways to improve our designs and regularly incorporate what we hear from our customers to create better and better products.
Parenthood looks cute on you.
Manufacturing
We approach manufacturing and sustainability in tandem, but we’ll separate them here for clarity. Manufacturing apparel has a negative impact on the environment, and humans are producing way too much overall. From choosing ethical production partners to selecting fabrics that are safe for parents and kids, our goal is to be as deliberate as possible as we work to make our processes cleaner and more transparent.
Ethical manufacturing. Storq products are ethically made in China, Peru, the Philippines and the United States. This means that when we’re selecting our manufacturing partners, we place a premium on quality, compliance with worker safety, fair wages, and commitment to minimizing environmental impact. Our primary manufacturing partners are audited yearly by an independent third party for safety and fair working conditions.
Safe, non-toxic fabrics. The majority of our products are made from fabrics that are certified Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex. This means that the fabrics used in Storq products have been tested by an independent organization and certified to be free from AZO dyes, formaldehyde, phthalates and many other chemicals known to be carcinogenic or otherwise harmful.
Overseas production. We understand many customers are concerned about production in China. For the materials we work with and the price point we’re working towards, China has proven to have the strongest combination of advanced manufacturing technologies, ethical and accountable work practices, and affordable production.
Sustainability
For us, the concept of sustainable clothing production is very much a marathon and not a sprint; it’s not about making big, lofty claims that are impossible to support. We feel it’s important to look at sustainability honestly and holistically, to set goals and to make steady progress. Here’s a look at where we’re at right now, and where we hope to be soon.
Inventory management. We produce clothing in limited quantities to ensure we don’t create more than we truly need. Because we design with intention and avoid seasonal production, we’re able to cut down on excess inventory that may be ultimately destined for a landfill. On the flip side, this may mean we’re sold out of things from time to time. Rest assured that we always do our best to ramp up production to meet demand without holding onto excess inventory.
Packaging. We keep our packaging as minimal as possible and work hard to source components that are reusable, recyclable and made from recycled materials. It is an ongoing project to source more environmentally-friendly packaging solutions that are genuinely sustainable without compromising functionality.
→ Mailers Our products ship in reusable and recyclable poly mailers. While paper mailers are another solidly sustainable option, in our experience they don’t always survive the rigors of shipping intact, they are not reusable and have a higher carbon footprint than their poly mailer counterparts. Our customers can use the same mailer they received to send back any returns.
→ Poly bags Our poly bags are 100% recyclable. We wish we didn’t have to use poly bags at all, but for the time being, this is the best way to ensure our products are not damaged on their journey from the factory to the warehouse and onward to our customers. Damaged products that are unwearable have a greater environmental impact than manufacturing a poly bag. Here’s an article from Patagonia explaining their research on the subject.
→ Clothing When possible, we avoid garment labels and use heat transfer labels instead. We also keep any additional tags to an absolute minimum. It cuts down on waste, but it’s also more comfortable. Pouches and gift packaging are always designed to be reusable.
Product lifecyle
The guilt around shopping with a new baby on the way or already in the picture is very real. We are aware that every purchase matters, and we want to make sure you can feel confident that you will get the most out of everything we make.
Core essentials. Our clothing and accessories are designed to support your daily routines. By creating versatile products that carry you through multiple stages, you’re empowered to acquire fewer things that last longer.
Use and wear often. We make the pieces that you will use and wear over and over and over again. The cost per wear (or cost per use) is surprisingly low.
Pass it on. Save your favorites for future pregnancies, pass them on to a friend, re-sell them online or donate to a family in need. We are always happy to help customers donate their gently used Storq goods to families in need through the Homeless Prenatal Program in San Francisco and Alternatives For Girls in Detroit. More on that below.
Community
Pregnancy, postpartum, and parenthood are universal experiences, but they can also feel very isolating. We envision Storq as a destination that is welcoming to every visitor first and foremost, a place that not only reflects the incredible diversity of families today, but also one that celebrates it. Here are some of the ways we are working to grow a vibrant, supportive community built on kindness and respect.
Clothing donations. We put a lot of energy into creating high quality products that you’ll want to hang onto long-term, but we also understand that you may end up with a few pieces you no longer need. To help close the loop, reduce waste, and provide support to families in need, we’ve partnered with the Homeless Prenatal Program in San Francisco and Alternatives For Girls in Detroit to donate pre-loved Storq clothing that comes directly from customers, as well as from our warehouse. HPP and AFG are non-profit family resource centers that primarily serve local low income families.
Got a donation? Email us at hello@storq.com. In return for spreading the love, we’ll give you a $25 gift certificate towards a future Storq order.
*Please note, all clothing donations must be freshly laundered and in wearable condition.
Representation. One of our most closely held values as a brand is to create space for people and families who would like to see more of themselves reflected in visuals and editorial content when shopping online. We do our best to show our clothes on people that represent a variety of body types, heights, walks of life and stages of pregnancy and postpartum. We are always looking for partners that are aligned with this goal and would like to share their voice with our growing community. Send us an email at hello@storq.com.
Feedback
We want to hear from you :) If you’ve got questions, would like additional information, have product feedback or ideas to share, need advice on baby names, etc. feel free to drop us a virtual line at hello@storq.com anytime. Let’s chat.