More Than Business as Usual Ann Arbor mom lends purpose and passion to home-based business By Lori Maranville
Ann Arbor-area mom Caroline Hovord wants to keep things simple in life and in business, all the while trying to do a little good in the world. As the parent of four, she can attest to the sheer busyness of caring for young children: Lara, 8, Meghan, 6, Theo, 3, and Phoebe, 7 months. Add to the mix a home-based, online, kids clothing business and the level of activity increases.
“I love what Elephant Moon is doing,” Bergemann commented. “We have the A2 connection and my family lives in the UK where she (Hovord) is from, so it all just makes sense.” Hovord said her clothing is also designed with the environment in mind. She found a manufacturer in India that was certified by the Global Organic TexWhat is yo tile Standard (GOTS) and also Fair Trade ur favorite restaurant to with or certified, which assures certain stanto go without th A business with purpose e kids? I like Bigalora in Ann Arbo Launched this summer from her Burns dards in the manufacturing process. She r because it really big re is a staurant with Park area home, Hovord’s business ven- said her company also uses minimal a nice level of W e a ls o packaging, with no plastic. en jo noise. y K ni ture, Elephant Moon, offers what she deght’s Steakh ouse. Where do scribes as “purposeful clothing for kids” A little help from some friends you like to do your h shopping? that also respects the planet. Even though she launched the oliday I a m trying to buy “I didn’t want it to be just another business just this summer, Hovord smaller, mor year for the e unique gift clothing company,” said Hovord, who said, it has been a few years in the holidays. I re s this ally love the Candy and moved to the U.S. from the United King- making. In taking care of her own Rocket Gifts in Ypsi lanti and Ro Scissors in A ck Paper dom four years ago with her husband children, she noticed there was somenn Arbor. David, an anesthesiologist at the Univer- thing missing in children’s clothing Favorite h oliday tra ditions? sity of Michigan. lines and she started jotting down We usually tr y to do an evening at a Formerly a high school science ideas and designs on paper. With rytown Chris Kertmas event. On Christma teacher in the UK, Hovord has a degree no extended family in the U.S., she each of the s Eve, children rece ives a pair o in bioscience. As a stay-at-home-mom, said, she was grateful to have the a book. They f pjs and go to bed w when she moved to the U.S. she saw an help of many area friends. A stay-atearing the p and we rea ajamas d the books . opportunity to create a business in the home mom friend, Emily Wingfield, children’s clothing arena. Her business principle is simple: to offer well-made, durable clothes while using business and manufacturing practices that are ethical, sustainable and give back to a cause she is passionate about.
For the elephants from Ann Arbor “I’ve always been a lover of elephants,” Hovord said, and in wanting to make her business a success, she realized an opportunity to go a step further and do something more. Hence the name Elephant Moon, which is not only the logo of her clothing line, but also a symbol for one of the wildlife animals she is trying to protect through her support of Amara Conservation. Every purchase channels five percent to Amara, a charity organization founded by Ann Arbor resident Lori Bergemann in 2001. The goal of the US and UK-registered organization is to protect endangered African wildlife from ivory poaching and the destruction of their habitat. Bergemann, who currently lives in Kenya, said much of the organization’s efforts are in the form of educational programs provided to residents in remote rural areas in Africa. In researching projects she could support, Hovord said she came across Amara, realizing the organization’s founder Lori Bergemann, also lived in Ann Arbor and had UK roots. The two communicated via Skype and a link between Elephant Moon and Amara was created.
Photo By Lori Maranville
Get to Know Caroline Ho vord
Caroline Hovord, mother and home-based business owner of Elephant Moon holding her daughter Phoebe, who is wearing Elephant Moon clothing.
helped put her designs on fabric. Jen Geer of Jen Geer Photography in Ann Arbortook photographs for her website. Her clothing line is designed to “grow with children,” she said, with fold over feet and sleeve cuffs, double rows of snaps on onesies, and easy on and off zippered body suits. The fabric is an organic cotton and elastane made to wear well through the many washes she knows children’s clothing endures.
Balancing act Balancing motherhood and her business is not easy, Hovord said, describing it as having “a lot of spinning plates in the air all at once.” “Sometimes it’s really difficult and I feel like I am taking three steps forward and five steps back. It is almost like I’m running on a treadmill all day long.” Hovord said her belief in her business and its goals keeps her going and she is working on self-care, trying to be more mindful of her own health and getting a few moments in the day to herself, which isn’t easy, especially with a new baby. She said seeing her oldest daughter’s interest in her business is a good feeling, as she knows her children are seeing another dimension to their mom. Find Elephant Moon at My Urban Toddler, 3010 Washtenaw Ave. #107 or online at elephantmoon.com.
www.annarborfamily.com • December 2018 •
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