Meet the Maker: The Story Behind 4th + Fir
Well hello, it’s lovely to see you here.
I’ve long thought about creating a blog where I can share the behind-the-scenes and ins-and-outs of what it’s like to run my own business. It looks like today is the day that it all begins! Considering that this is the first post and will serve as a launch-pad for all good things to come, I’ll start with a brief introduction so that we can get to know each other.
I’m Nikki! The founder/owner/operator at 4th + Fir Scrunchies. I began building the framework for this company in the spring of 2020 and officially launched on Etsy in August of that year. At the time, I was living in Vancouver and enjoying my time off (I work at a post-secondary institution and had the summer to myself). THREE years later, we’re still in business and busier than ever.
Photo credit: Annie Chen Photography
So that you know I’m a person and not a scrunchie-making machine, here are some fun facts about me:
I have 61 tabs open on my phone browser (yes, I know).
I love thrift shopping
My favourite colour is light purple
New songs? No thanks. I’ll listen to the same few songs for months without even wanting to hear another.
How did this all begin? I am a very particular human being who also has fine hair. Nothing will ruin a workout or cue a meltdown like a ponytail sliding out of place (at least for me). On top of this, my fiance (now husband) had just proposed and keeping my hair in good condition was top of mind. Unfortunately, I had a halo of broken hairs around the top of my head due to wearing tight, high ponytails with bad elastics. Having spent hundreds of dollars on ‘protective’ hair elastics and other scrunchies that just wouldn’t stay in place, there was nothing left to do but take matters into my own hands.
Countless patterns, measurements, elastic styles and fabrics later, the first prototypes were ready. Feedback along the way has been consistent in saying that 4th + Fir Scrunchies truly have superior hold and reliability, and this is something that I pledge to continue to provide.
One thing that I’ve learned is that creativity is often solitary. Everything seems to take place in my own world. Colours come to me in daydream and textures are chosen in person. My motto is: if it doesn’t feel good in hand, it most likely won’t feel good in hair. In my studio, the measuring, cutting, sewing, packing, shipping and social media management are accompanied by endless podcasts, ample hydration, and stand-breaks forced upon me by my Apple watch.
While the overall experience of owning 4th + Fir has been so positive, it hasn’t been easy. There’s just me behind the brand. There are nights when I can’t sleep because of the list of things I need to do, and days where I’ve asked myself what I’m doing because I’m so overwhelmed by the amount of things that I need to learn or fix on my own. I remember the first package that I lost, it felt like the end of the world. Spoiler: it was fine (eventually).
Through it all, it’s been your continued enthusiasm, positive feedback, and conversations that have kept me going. This community is everything to me.
My dream for 4th + Fir is to continue to grow in a way that has a positive and genuine impact. Introducing new collections to bring joy to each change of season, testing out the creation products that you reach out to request, and building partnerships and collaborations are all on the list. If I can continue to make your custom bridal boxes, that is the icing on the cake!! Writing here is something that I’m looking forward to as well.
Well - that was relatively painless as far as first blog posts go. Thank you for sticking around!
Please let me know in the comments: what kind of content would you like to see here? I’m truly at your beck and call (and would be happy to open more tabs for my research).
x Nikki
