We have been so fortunate to work with the the wonderful people at CBC Television, not only pitching on Dragons' Den, but we were also offered the opportunity to shoot a full length commercial with them and Canada Post.
As a small business we rely entirely on Canada Post for all of our shipping needs, so when they asked us to be a part of their Solutions for Small Business campaign, we were more than happy to help out! We had a great crew come out from Toronto to do the shoot in one of our favourite west coast locations. It was a full day of countless retakes in the hot August sun, but we thought we did pretty well, all things considered.
After pitching on Dragons' Den and a subsequent deal with Jim Treliving for our ask of $200,000 for 20% equity in our company, and following some discussion and due diligence, we mutually decided that the best way forward would be for us to continue self-financing rather than give up equity in our company.
We have had nothing but support and encouragement from the folks at CBC and Dragons' Den. The experience itself was terrifying, and watching ourselves on National Television was excruciating, but we have been overwhelmed with positive feedback and a huge spike in orders. So all in all an amazing experience we won't soon forget, but are happy to put behind us!
The countdown is on! Our pitch is just over a week away from airing on CBC Dragons' Den. It's hard to believe the day is almost here, when it was way back in February of 2015 that we were encouraged to attend the CBC Dragons' Den auditions in our home town of Victoria, BC. In March we heard the exciting news that we were selected to pitch in the Den at the Canadian Broadcasting Centre in Toronto. We were assigned a fabulous producer and spent several weeks preparing our pitch. In May we flew to Toronto, arrived very late, slept very little, and showed up early the next morning (4am our time) with bleary-eyed children ready (well as ready as we could be!) to face the Dragons. Let's just say it was an experience to remember... forever. Tune into CBC Television and find out what happened in the Den!!!!!!
Wednesday, January 13th at 8pm. Outside of Canada - you can watch online shortly after we air.
A bit about the show: One of the most successful Canadian reality programs, DRAGONS' DEN averaged nearly one million viewers each week during the 2014/15 season, reaching one-third of all Canadians. In addition to its success on-air, DRAGONS’ DEN is also a hit online, boasting an active and engaged online community and averaging more than 450,000 page views per month. Full episodes and exclusive behind-the-scenes content can be viewed at cbc.ca/dragonsden. DRAGONS’ DEN is filmed at the CBC Broadcasting Centre in Toronto and airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC Television. Tracie Tighe is executive producer and Molly Middleton and Amy Bourne are senior producers. Dianne Buckner hosts. Find the show online at: cbc.ca/dragonsden
We love media that supports local businesses and Westcoast Families Magazine is known for doing just that! Check out their awesome spread of local fashion in the Back to School Issue. Featured is our Merino Pajamas/Base Layers and Limited Edition Merino Tee - Whale Love, with matching Beanie.
We love it when outdoor enthusiasts like Cragmama get a hold of some Wee Woollies and test them out on their wee ones. Rock climbing mama to two little ones, this family of four is always up for an adventure. You can read the whole review here.
"When everything is concentrated on making profits what you see is that human rights, the environment, workers rights get lost... my god we can do better than this." The True Cost.
A powerful documentary exposing the apparel industry.
There are so many steps to making the clothes we wear, from sourcing and producing the fabrics and trim and the impact that has on the environment, to real people manufacturing the final product and packaging and shipping it to the consumer. The majority of consumers are blissfully unaware of the impact of their purchasing choices. Overall the system is gravely flawed. Not every apparel manufacturer falls into the category of "Fast Fashion", but the majority do.
At Wee Woollies, our merino fabric is ethically sourced from New Zealand where the Merino sheep are treated humanely and the chemicals and processes used to make the fabric have the least possible impact on humans and the environment (Bluesign®). Non organic cotton and synthetics have a hugely destructive impact on the environment and the lives of the people who harvest and produce it. It's an industry that cannot be sustained and should not continue in the way that it is.
We have our products manufactured in Vancouver, Canada, where workers get paid a fair wage and working conditions are monitored to comply with Canadian labour laws, workplace health and safety laws and building codes. We are just a ferry ride away from the place in which the wonderful people who make our garments work, and by supporting our local economy we are contributing to building a stronger economy which in turn is supporting us as a small business. We pay a premium for this, by our own choice, so that the onus is on us and our customers (not the people who produce it for us) to be accountable for our buying choices because yes, we do have a choice.
Last month we were so pleased to be featured in Quintessentially Canadian Magazine's Spring Issue. A great publication that features everything from people to products to places - all quintessentially Canadian, of course. Have a look at their Spring Issue here!
Getting kids geared up for adventure in comfort and style is our main mission. So we were thrilled to see we were number one on Garage Grown Gear's "12 rad small outdoor gear companies outfitting kids". They are a fantastic company seeking out the best in innovative, high-performing and wildly cool outdoor gear. Check out their list of the raddest gear companies outfitting kids here.
We love being a part of an active, adventure loving community. After all, that's why we do what we do, and it makes us feel good knowing that our Merino Base Layers are making it easier for families to enjoy the outdoors in comfort, and style! Active for Life is a great resource for families who want to promote a healthy active lifestyle for their kids and you can read what they think about Wee Woollies here.
When Aunt Leah's Place asked us if we would be interested in a co-brand project with them we were more than happy to work together. Aunt Leah's is a Vancouver non profit helping kids in foster care and teen moms achieve a better future for over 25 years now. Their programs and fundraising efforts help prevent children in foster care from becoming homeless, and mothers in need from losing custody of their children. To support these young adults on their journey to self-sufficiency they provide supported housing, job training and coaching on essential life skills. You can learn more about Aunt Leah's Place from their website and find out where to purchase a specially branded Wee Woollies Merino Sleep Sack, Sleeper or Beanie, and other ways you can help support their life changing programs.