Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the transition to remote learning, senior Victoria Borchardt has created a unique opportunity for herself by creating a tie-dye business, called tiedyevikki. Borchardt has taken the chance to build both a passion and a business out of it. Now that her business is growing, she is acclimating.
Borchardt, like many others, was looking for a way to make money during the global pandemic. She got the idea to create a tie dye clothing business from a popular social media app.
“I got all my inspiration from TikTok. During March I was stuck at home and extremely bored so I eventually just downloaded the app and it all started from there.”
Tie-dye videos on TikTok started to gain attention in May, and now the hashtag has over 2.9 billion views. The videos explain the process of how to tie-dye clothes or other apparel, which she found intriguing.
Getting her business off of its feet was no easy task, however, as COVID-19 had slowed and halted production of many supplies, like dye bottles and cotton T-shirts, that were necessary for her product.
“At the beginning of quarantine, I was ordering a lot of products that I needed in order to get set up. Sometimes (supplies were) sold out, and shipping times were also affected.”
Being at home all the time did offer an advantage though, as Borchardt was able to take time and focus on growing her business. “I really hope to soon start a website, and get an LLC to make it into a legit business. I hope to see it grow from there,” says Borchardt. “I have many loyal customers who have bought products from me over and over again and have referred me to friends as well.”
Borchardt says at the beginning she only cared about making money, but now she has fallen in love with what she is doing. She does all of the work for her business herself, which includes making, marketing, and delivering the products. The work is strenuous, as making one item can take up to a day’s time, but according to Borchardt, it is worth it. She says “I love seeing pictures of people in clothes that I made, and having them tell me how happy they are with the product.”
Borchardt’s close friend Elizabeth Reichert Powell talked about watching the business grow from the beginning, and how it was special to see. “I think what’s so special about her is how much effort she puts into what she is doing. She is constantly coming out with new products and clothes that are so cute and appealing to such a wide range of customers,” says Reichert Powell. “I am so proud of her and what she has done.”
Borchardt uses Instagram to promote her range of products, which include facemasks, hoodies, sweatpants, tank tops, and shorts. All products are made to order, and prices range from $5 to $45. You can find out more about her products and order from her Instagram, @tiedyevikki.