Mightly was founded by three moms who together have two boys, four girls, and over 40 years of apparel industry experience. We founded Mightly to make the kind of clothes we want for our own kids: Kid-Friendly Styles in Earth-Friendly Fabrics at Family-Friendly Prices.
As any parent knows, mornings can be hectic (even when school is at the kitchen table). Whether your child has sensory issues or just very strong opinions, getting dressed can mean frustration and tears. That is why we think about kids, not trends, in every step of our design process. We use flat seams and itch-free labels so touch-sensitive kids don’t hate getting dressed. We make our clothes extra durable by using premium fabrics, high quality construction, and special features like reinforced knees so you can pass them along when your child outgrows them.
But that’s not all. Mightly exclusively uses certified organic cotton and non-toxic dyes because it’s better for your kids and for the kids who live in cotton farming communities. Our supply chain is completely transparent and certified: We know our factory, their suppliers, and even where our cotton is grown. By using certified organic cotton, and working with a Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and Fair Trade Certified factory, Mightly supports sustainable farming and better working conditions for the people who make our clothes.
We believe that all children should be able to wear natural organic fabrics that are free from toxic dyes and chemicals. We believe that farmers and workers should have safe and healthy working conditions and be paid fairly. Our mission is to deliver high quality organic fair trade clothing at fair prices. We do that by investing in our products and supply chains, rather than in big marketing and advertising campaigns.Mightly Made for Mightly Kids by Mightly Moms.
“It was my daughter’s last day of 2nd grade and she wanted to wear something special for the step up ceremony. For my daughter special usually means a favorite graphic tee (often from the boys section), animal prints, or something she has customized herself. It never means something frilly or sparkly or “princessy.” When she came out of her room wearing a hand painted tee shirt and a pair of leggings with a hole in the knee I told her she looked great and asked her if she was bothered by the hole (I hate to admit it, but I was). She shrugged and said she didn’t have any without holes. I found that hard to believe because she had a drawer packed full of leggings. But she was right, I pulled out pair after pair of leggings looking for a replacement and every single one had a hole in the knee, even the expensive ones I bought because I thought they would last longer. I looked at the pile and knew I could do better. I had over 20 years of experience in the apparel industry, the last fifteen dedicated to developing sustainable products and building Organic and Fair Trade Certified supply chains. I knew it was possible to make clothes that could handle active kids like my daughter at prices that working families like mine could afford. I knew it was possible to do it in a way that benefited, rather than exploited, the people who made them. And I knew exactly the two women I wanted to do it with."
- Tierra Del Forte, Co-founder and CEO
"I’ve long been a legal advocate for indigent women and children, in a variety of different ways. Mightly, which is a woman-led, Fair Trade Certified, organic clothing company, offered me the opportunity to invest not only in myself but also in other mothers, including the women who grow Mightly’s cotton on small certified organic family farms and those who sew Mightly’s clothing in our Fair Trade Certified factory. My ultimate goal is to make organic, fair trade clothing available at an affordable price so that more parents can afford to buy healthy, non-toxic clothing for their children and support a transparent supply chain that gives back, rather than takes away, from its workers, while reducing the overall environmental and pesticide burden on our planet.”
- Anya Marie Emerson, Co-founder and COO
“It’s hard for me to remember a time when I wasn’t fascinated by fabrics and how things were made. At an early age, equipped with only a needle and my imagination, I would update my favorite cardigans with vintage buttons or mend holes with scraps of fabric and embroidery floss. Over time, I learned to repurpose old pillow cases and bandanas into shirts, inspired by my older sister’s discarded Sassy magazines. Today, with decades of experience in the apparel industry, things aren't that different for me. I am still exploring with textiles, only now they are my own designs and prints. I spend my days drawing and sketching, thinking about what my two boys want to wear while skateboarding and also cozying up to read a favorite story, and what will keep them comfortable enough to sleep through the night. My kids inspire me to design clothing that lets them be their own superhero instead of wearing somebody else's idea of what that means. They remind me that itchy tags are never a good idea and that the softest t-shirt will always be the favorite. As a mom, I know the importance of making clothing last long enough to pass down to younger siblings. As a designer, I draw inspiration from kids' playfulness and curiosity and their need for simple comfort."
- Barrie Brouse, Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer
It’s been over a year since we launched our first products, 100% organic cotton tees featuring hand drawn graphics by print and textile artist Lili Arnold, and we are so proud of what we’ve accomplished! Since then we’ve shipped thousands of tees and launched other kid-friendly styles like long-lasting leggings, double-duty dresses, and no-nasties pjs. We have been awed by the support of our friends, family, and community who helped us get the word out about Mightly so we can invest our time and money into making great products, not making great ads. We never could have guessed we would be building our company while living through a pandemic and unexpectedly homeschooling our kids. Most importantly, the core values we created this company around--using our business to benefit the people who make our clothes and to support other working moms--feel more relevant than ever.