It’s a funny thing, being someone who teaches intentional business. You’d think I’d be an expert at making clear, conscious decisions all the time, right? But I’m human. I get excited. I want to help everyone. I say yes to so many things because I care. And sometimes I realise—mid-way through a busy week with twelve tabs open and my coffee gone cold—that I’ve stretched myself a bit too thin. Again.
That’s where this blog post begins.
Because today I want to talk to you about a decision I’ve made that’s been bubbling under the surface for a while. It’s one I’ve sat with, journaled about, walked with, and finally, decided to act on. I’ve burned out in a bad way once before—and I don’t want to do it again.
So, I’m closing down my 165-member-strong free community group.
I know that might come as a surprise. For some of you, it might even feel like a little heartbreak. That group has been a space for connection, learning, and community—things I deeply value. Strangers became followers, followers became friends, and those friends formed the most intentional, authentic support network I could’ve asked for. Together, we carried each other through one of the toughest 12 months retail has seen in a long time.
But here’s the thing: I’m doing this because I value those things. And I want to honour them properly. Because there is a cost to being everything to everyone and being everywhere all at once.
Over the past year, I’ve been pulled in a dozen directions while the demand for my work has continued to grow. Between 1:1 client work, content creation, voice notes, DM convos, live workshops, and building out resources for the Slow Fashion Lab (my paid membership), I was slowly becoming what I caution others against: scattered.
I’ve always believed that slow fashion isn’t just about how we make clothes—it’s about how we build our lives, our businesses, and our communities. With intention. With clarity. With respect for time and energy. And when I zoomed out and looked at how I was showing up, something didn’t feel right.
The free chat group—beautiful and buzzing as it’s been—had started to feel like a background tab I couldn’t give my full attention to. And that’s not fair. Not to me, and not to you. I never want to show up half-heartedly. That’s just not how I do things. That’s not the kind of leader I want to be.
So this is me practising what I preach.
One of the hardest parts of running a values-led business is making decisions that don’t always follow what’s popular or expected. But that’s also the most powerful part. I teach slow fashion founders to be intentional, to focus their energy, to say no to things that dilute their mission—even when it’s hard.
This is me embodying that message. Living it. Making space.
By closing the free group, I’m not stepping back from helping you—I’m stepping deeper into the work that really supports my members. I’m putting my energy into the Slow Fashion Lab, where I can offer richer support, better resources, and meaningful transformation to slow fashion founders who are just as invested in their businesses as I am.
It’s about depth over width.
When I launched the Slow Fashion Lab, I didn’t want it to be just another surface-level online space. I wanted it to feel like a creative studio, a mentoring hub, and a cozy virtual lounge all in one. A place where slow fashion founders could come together, get unstuck, and build brands that actually feel good to run.
And it’s working.
In just six months, I welcomed 69 members from around the world into an industry-first digital community and mentoring space, designed specifically for ethical, sustainable, handmade, and slow fashion brands.
And now, with the Slow Fashion Lab 2.0 about to kick off and our first 2025 call scheduled for next month, we’re gearing up for even more—deeper conversations, real change, meaningful growth, more sales and more success too.
Inside the Lab, members aren’t just learning how to run businesses. They’re learning how to trust themselves. How to refine their processes. How to price with confidence, market without burnout, and create with purpose.
It’s not about more noise. It’s about more meaning.
And that’s what I want to give all of my energy to. That’s what I want you to be a part of, if you’re ready.
To my free chat community: this isn’t goodbye—it’s an invitation to more.
If you’ve found value in our conversations, imagine what we can create together inside a space that’s designed to go deeper, with dedicated support and a clear structure.
The Slow Fashion Lab is where I’m bringing everything now—my guidance, my tools, my full energy. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to go all in on your brand, or to stop figuring it out alone—this is it.
This is a season of refinement. Of going smaller, to go deeper. Of making decisions not from fear, but from trust. Trust that less can be more. That fewer spaces can create greater impact. That one well-tended garden can feed a whole community better than a dozen scattered pots.
If you’re still reading this—thank you. You’re exactly the kind of person I want to keep walking alongside.
And I hope I’ll see you inside the Slow Fashion Lab.
Because that’s where I’ll be. Fully present, fully in. Ready to help you build a brand that reflects your values. Not through hustle or hacks—but through clarity, creativity, and care.
Let’s make something beautiful together right here.
Claire x
