Meet Lisa Loyd | Co-Founder JJwinks

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lisa Loyd and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisa, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
Sustainability is one of the core values at JJwinks. Growing up in the ’70s with a mother that recycled and composted it was instilled into me as a young girl. We make great efforts to do as little damage to the earth as possible. All of material is sustainable, we use Lenzing Modal in all of our fabrications. All deliveries are in plastic reusable bins, I cannot imagine the tons of corrugated cardboard we have kept out of the landfill. Although it is extra effort on all our parts, we are really proud to stick to our sustainable efforts.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
JJwinks was formed out of necessity by two best friends, Lisa Loyd and Kelly Morrissey. We had a problem with being comfy and braless while relaxing at home. At the time we had teenage boys that would come home unexpectedly on a weekend night with their friends and we would run for cover because the girls were unbridled and high beams were apparent. So we set out to create PJs/loungewear that you could be braless and modest at the same time and look and feel beautiful.

From the beginning we knew we wanted to be manufactured in LA. Not only did we want to manufacture in LA, we wanted to source sustainable fabrics in LA as well. LA has worked out great for us, we cannot imagine if we were made overseas what that would look like time wise and travel wise. Since our product is more complex it took months of renditions until we came up with our patented “light hug” which is inside all of our tops and gowns. The fact we can schedule a quick appointment has helped expedite the design process to be smooth and more timely. We are very proud to say we are made in LA and so is our fabric.

There are always challenges, it is just the nature of the business. Whenever a problem comes up, it is just a matter of digging into the problem and finding a solution. For example, we had production fabric that shrunk considerably more than the sample fabric. Unfortunately we discovered this after we had cut and sewn the entire PO. We ended up creating an “imperfect JJ” category on our website with the full disclosure that they will shrink. Ironically we have received great reviews on them, the fabric is super buttery soft, it just shrinks a bit. Consequently we will be doing more testing on production fabric in the future.

JJwinks has incredibly loyal customers. Our return customer rate is very high, in fact we have customers that have 50+ orders in with us. Often we will hear from our customers that they love the comfort of being braless and the buttery soft modal fabric feels wonderful. We pride ourselves on superior Customer Service, we have a team of three Customer Service women and they make sure all customers are taken care of as we value each and everyone customer. When we started we had no idea how well received JJs would be, everyday we are amazed and greatly appreciate all of our customers.

Ultimately our Mission began as a desire for better sleepwear/loungewear, but evolved into the creation of a whole new category of Chic Leisure that women are now wearing everywhere and not just in the house. We’ve created a line of apparel that blurs the lines between style and practicality, allowing you to invest in a comfortable versatile wardrobe that takes you from dusk to dawn. We are proud to be made in LA, women owned, sustainable and help women feel more comfortable and beautiful while wearing their JJs.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Being a native Michigander I always look forward to a visitor from the Midwest.

Monday-I would definitely take them to Las Brisas in Laguna Beach for lunch, that is an iconic spot with a beautiful view. Then walk around Laguna and take in the sunset.
Tuesday-Dana Point has whale watching and if you are lucky enough to encounter the Gray Whales migrating up the coast it is truly magical to witness.
Wednesday-Day trip Catalina Island is a great time, board the Catalina Flyer out of Long Beach. There are lots of fun things to do in Catalina, zip lining is a top priority.
Thursday-The Getty Center is wonderful and a must when visiting Southern California. Take in the grounds and soak up the Artwork, then head off to dinner at Perch.
Friday-Take a hike, head over to Griffith Park, enjoy the Observatory and enjoy the local nature.
Saturday-Head off to Fashion Island in Newport Beach, hit up the local shopping. Either eat at Joey’s at Fashion Island or head over to Lido Island and grab dinner at Nobu.
Sunday-End the week at the beach in Manhattan Beach, lay out the towel, throw on the sunblock and grab a book. Good times for sure.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to give a shoutout to all of our employees that helped us scale to the place we are today. Thanks to Leigh Dyer, Maudie Owen, Cathy Kay, Ava Tualere and Nicole Okada. In particular I would like to give my business partner a huge shout out, thank you Kelly Morrissey-you are the best ever!

Website: https://www.jjwinks.com

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