Local StoriesFebruary 24, 2025

Meet Danielle Martin of Kansas City

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Martin

Danielle, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve always been drawn to creative expression, especially through color and fabric. A few months ago, experimented with ice dyeing as a fun DIY project, and I instantly fell in love with the process. Seeing how the dyes organically blend into unique patterns fascinated me, and I started making pieces for friends and family. Their reactions were so positive that I realized I might be onto something. At first, it was just a creative outlet, but as more people started asking where they could buy my pieces, I decided to set up a small online shop and share my work on Instagram. Today, I’m proud of how far I’ve come, but I’m always looking to grow. I’m working on expanding my reach, experimenting with new designs, and maybe even collaborating with other artists. It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m excited for what’s next!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like any small business owner, I’ve faced my fair share of challenges. While it’s been an incredibly rewarding journey, it definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road. One of my biggest challenges in the beginning was figuring out the business side of things—pricing my products correctly, keeping track of inventory, and learning about marketing. Another struggle was getting my work in front of the right people. It took time to build a customer base and figure out how to use social media effectively to grow my brand. Along the way, I did experience some trial and error with different fabrics and techniques to figure out what worked best for the result I wanted.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I create unique, hand-dyed clothing and accessories using ice dye and tie dye techniques. Every piece is one-of-a-kind because of the organic way the dye interacts with the fabric. I love experimenting with color combinations and patterns to create wearable art that stands out. People love that each piece is completely unique—no two items are ever exactly the same. Many of my customers tell me they get compliments every time they wear my designs. One of the things I’m most proud of is seeing how my work resonates with people. Whether it’s someone finding their favorite go-to hoodie or a customer ordering a custom piece for a special occasion, it’s rewarding to know my art becomes part of their lives. I’ve also been able to grow my business from a small passion project into something real, which is an amazing feeling. Unlike traditional tie dye, ice dyeing creates softer, more watercolor-like blends of color, making each piece truly special. Plus, I love engaging with my customers and often take custom orders to bring their vision to life!

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I was always a creative and hands-on person. I loved anything that involved art, colors, and making things from scratch. Whether it was painting, crafting, or even rearranging my room just to see how different colors worked together, I was constantly drawn to creative expression. I was also really into DIY projects. I would cut up old t-shirts, make punk rock patches with acrylic paint and stencils and sew them onto my jean jacket. I loved the idea of taking something plain and making it unique. I think that love for transformation is what eventually led me to ice dyeing—it’s so unpredictable and artistic at the same time. Looking back, it makes sense that I ended up in a business where I get to create wearable art. I’ve always been drawn to things that are vibrant, expressive, and a little unexpected—just like the way ice dye creates one-of-a-kind pieces. My business is really just an extension of what I’ve loved doing my whole life.

Pricing:

Socks – $10
Unisex sweatshirts – $55
womens cropped hoodies $45
kids- $10-$15
Accessories- $5-$25

Contact Info:

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