Get Cozy in PNW-Inspired Clothing

Q&A with Eliza McElroy, Owner of Absideon Apparel

INTERVIEWED BY COCOA LANEY | PHOTOGRAPHED BY DANI WINTERS PHOTOGRAPHY

First of all, tell us a bit about you, your background, and how Absideon Apparel came to be!

I’m a PNW native born in Bellingham, named after Eliza Island. I am an outdoor, dog, and beer lover and enjoy having fun and spreading kindness as much as possible. We are now in Birch Bay and love having the ocean so close to us and having access to the beach and wildlife here.

I had been working in the lumber industry when the pandemic hit and because of my autoimmune disease, I ended up at home. After looking for temporary work in 2020 and finding nothing that struck my interest, my husband encouraged me to start a business.

What does the word “absideon” mean, exactly? We started by googling “cool words,” discovered “absideon,” and fell in love with the meaning of it. Absideon means “to banish negative thoughts.”

In just a few adjectives, how would you describe the Absideon Apparel brand?

Cozy, soft, minimal, unisex, unique, and inspired by the woods.

Where do you find inspiration for these creations? Could you give us some insight into your process for designing and making clothing?

I get inspired by PNW nature, animals, and random songs that pop in my head. When I get an idea it’s typically pretty clear in my mind what I want to do. While creating designs, I try to keep it in our branding aesthetic: Blacks, browns, greens, and earthy tones will always be featured.

You can typically find me sipping a local beer, next to a cedar wick candle, jamming to the Gorillaz while I draw on Procreate, Canva, and Cricut. We’ve also broadened our horizons to embroidery and DTF printing as well.

Tell us a bit about your materials. How do you choose where to source things like fabrics, leather, et cetera?

I am so picky with my materials. Texture, quality, and earthfriendly practices will always be my criteria on where I choose to source from. It’s important to me that I carry sizeinclusive, eco-friendly, buttery soft [clothes] that will always feel good. I buy mostly from Bella+Canvas because of their fair trade practices and appreciate that all the fabrics are made in the U.S.A.

How do custom orders work?

Simply reach out via Instagram or email to get a quote going. I can create logos, do embroidery, full-color printing, and vinyl work. Coming from the lumber world, I actually love the design and quoting process with my customers and am happy to help your vision come to fruition. There are no minimums and we love the sense of community we get from providing these custom orders.

Where can readers find Absideon Apparel products?

Rooted by the Bay, a local coffee shop in Birch Bay, carries a small selection of our line. We sell online at absideonapparel. com, and other than that, we do tons of markets around the county. Birch Bay, absideonapparel.com, @absideonapparel 