Today we’d like to introduce you to Becky Rawls-Riley.
Hi Becky, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
It all began with a few beanies I made in just two weeks — and on a cool fall morning at the Maple Leaf Festival, those beanies quickly found happy new wearers. That moment launched my headwear journey and confirmed I was on the right path.
At the time, I had been making do rags that weren’t quite right and weren’t selling well. After that inspiring weekend, I went home determined to redesign them. The new version clicked, and the experience opened my eyes to how much people truly benefit from well-made, comfortable headwear. It became my mission to create pieces that make life easier, more comfortable, and more expressive for every customer.
Today, I design and sew everyday headwear that fits real life — from babies finding their first favorite hat to adults who thought they’d never find something that truly fits. Each design, whether ready-to-wear or custom, is made with purpose and comfort in mind.
Creativity has always been part of who I am. I grew up doing crafts, painting, and sewing for myself and my family. I’ve always been drawn to arts that let me work with my hands. That same creativity now fills my sewing studio — and even my yard, where I’m creating native gardens. That project inspired me to design new brimmed styles like boonies and buckets because I needed hats that truly worked outdoors. It turns out, many others did too!
What I love most is connecting with people at shows and events — listening to their stories and learning how headwear can meet their real-life needs. Whether it’s replacing a worn-out favorite, finding something stylish after treatment, or giving a meaningful gift, each customer adds a new thread to the Rawls-Riley Creations story.
This journey keeps growing one customer at a time. My headwear has become an artistic way to solve everyday needs — creating someone’s best look, offering comfort, and inspiring confidence through wearable art.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Entrepreneurship is always a journey filled with curves along the way. It’s how you recover that counts. I’ve learned that firsthand — whether it was getting completely wiped out by a storm at a show in Galveston or arriving at an early event with only one Hair Bag® do rag left on the rack. I had brought along extra fabrics, so instead of missing out, customers browsed the materials, imagined possibilities, and placed custom orders. That experience taught me how to turn an obstacle into an opportunity — and to make the process more personal for each customer.
Some designs I’ve loved have needed a complete revamp before they were ready for prime time, while others simply missed the mark and never made it back to the rack — stripped for parts or donated to move them on. But that’s part of the creative process. It’s full of pivots, restarts, and the inspiration that comes from knowing customers truly depend on me to create headwear that makes their lives easier. Every challenge becomes a chance to make something better, keeping the work fresh for me and meaningful for them.
Building the business side brings its own tests. Cracking the online market is still a work in progress — finding the right mix of marketing, SEO, and outreach to reach more customers. I’m steadily growing my list of people who want to hear from me and refining what works best to connect with them.
Expanding capacity has also meant becoming both a teacher and a learner. I’ve trained people from the ground up, like one team member I taught to sew who became a skilled maker and helped create my process and procedures manual. She also suggested getting my threads out of boxes and onto a wall rack so we could both see them easily. I’d never quite found the right spot, but she proposed placing the rack above a narrow chest — just the right height for me since I’m vertically challenged and didn’t want to stretch across machines or desks. Perfect. It works great and reminds me daily that collaboration sparks better solutions.
My husband now handles most of the cutting work using our laser cutter. With decades of manufacturing experience, he’s brought a deep sense of process and precision to the shop. My daughter has helped at shows since 2013, drawing on her background in food service and healthcare to connect with people and guide them toward what fits them best. Each person adds something unique — and I keep learning from their experience. The key is to always keep improving, never assuming you already know it all.
The road is never straight, but I’ve learned not to wait for everything to be perfect. My customers keep me grounded and growing. They tell me what they love and what needs improvement, and I listen. The key is to recover, correct, and keep moving — always forward, one curve at a time.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Rawls-Riley Creations LLC?
Rawls-Riley Creations wasn’t my first business name — it began as Becky Bags, when I was making hand-stitched needlework on denim bags. They were creative but far too labor-intensive and too narrow in scope. The name had to change because my path was shifting; I wanted to create something that truly met people’s needs.
That change led to Rawls-Riley Creations — a broader name that reflected possibility. In the fall of that year, just two weeks before the Maple Leaf Festival, I designed my first beanies, and on that cool fall day, they found their way home with happy customers. In that moment, I discovered where creativity and purpose meet for me: making headwear that helps people feel comfortable, confident, and seen.
Today, I design and sew headwear that fits real lives — whether for work, play, or everyday comfort. What sets my business apart is the close connection I have with customers. I talk with them at shows, listen to what they’re looking for, and learn what challenges they face. Their feedback inspires refinements and new designs, so every style grows out of real-world needs.
Fit is at the heart of everything I make. From baby hats that protect little heads to extra-large sizes for those who thought they’d never find something that truly fits, I design for everyone in between. When headwear fits, it gets worn, loved, and often becomes a favorite.
Each piece is crafted in small batches — many one-of-a-kind — keeping the shop in a constant state of creation. For those who have something specific in mind, I collaborate on custom designs to bring their ideas to life.
Rawls-Riley Creations continues to grow through this blend of artistry, craftsmanship, and genuine connection. Every conversation, every customer, and every stitch helps shape what comes next.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Collaboration has always been part of how I grow Rawls-Riley Creations. From time to time, I work with local sewing services to expand production and keep up with demand. During the off-season, one family member helps with reloading products on the website so shoppers can actually find what they’re looking for after the busy show season — it’s an ongoing process to keep the store refreshed and ready for customers.
Technology continues to play an important role in that growth, especially with the integration of AI. I use it as a collaborative tool to streamline and strengthen nearly every part of the business — from writing process and procedures, generating spreadsheets for product imports, and structuring website listings to creating marketing content, researching show opportunities, and shaping social-media blitzes.
AI has also transformed how I present my products. In the past, photographing headwear professionally meant hiring models and photographers — an expensive and time-consuming process. Now, I simply photograph my designs on mannequins using my iPhone in my small photo area. Those images are processed in Photoroom, where AI applies professional modeling, scenes, and staging. The results look completely polished and lifelike. It’s only through AI that I’ve been able to achieve this level of presentation, and these improved images will soon appear throughout the website and marketing materials. It’s a perfect example of how innovation and creativity work hand in hand to elevate a small artisan business.
Like many small makers, I’ve had to adapt to major changes in material sourcing. When one of the big fabric suppliers closed, it became a real challenge to find dependable alternatives. At one point during a show, my daughter and I even split time so one could explore local fabric shops and hunt for new materials — divide and make it happen! That same spirit of problem-solving and connection keeps the business moving forward.
I’m especially interested in connecting with people and organizations that serve similar communities — from healthcare professionals and welders to motorcyclists, gardeners, and families looking for functional, comfortable headwear. Learning about my customers’ worlds helps me design products that truly fit their lives.
I don’t do much traditional networking — you won’t find me at business coffees or after-hours mixers — but I do connect regularly with other vendors and small makers at shows. Those conversations often spark ideas and collaborations that help all of us grow.
“For me, when things shift, you adapt. You learn, collaborate, and keep creating — that’s how growth happens.”
Looking ahead, I see that happening through a blend of steady sales, technology, and community connection. Implementing new tools — especially AI — allows me to evolve how I serve customers, tell the headwear story, and expand what’s possible for a small artisan business. As my team grows and we continue introducing new headwear styles, I look forward to strengthening those customer relationships that have always been at the heart of Rawls-Riley Creations.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://creativeheadwear.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rawlsrileycreations/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RawlsRileyCreations
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rawls-riley-creations-llc
- Twitter: https://x.com/RawlsRileyCreat
