Two-Tone Checkerboard Knit Coaster Set

Ella Lim's brand Verloop started as a creative exercise in reducing textile waste, a topic she's intimately familiar with as a third-generation textile producer who grew up watching her grandfather and mother build a knitting business at a factory her grandfather opened in the '80s in the Philippines. This early exposure led Ella to understand the untapped potential of "deadstock" (unused) yarn, which she started developing into vibrant, colorful pieces designed to use up leftover yarn from previous projects at the factory. Today, Verloop continues to prioritize deadstock materials and low-waste processes in their expanding line of accessories and home goods, all still produced at the family factory.

Verloop, founded by Ella Lim, is a brand I really admire for retaining their "shop small" values as they've scaled up. All their vibrant, playful pieces are produced in-house at the factory opened by Lim's grandfather in the '80s in the Philippines, meaning that, unlike so many fashion brands, Verloop has direct linkage to and accountability for the working conditions in their factory. They've also retained their commitment to sustainability as they've grown, even bringing in other companies' deadstock (unused) materials to incorporate into their designs. Their pieces are so colorful and fun, and I love knowing that what I'm enjoying is responsibly made. --Gigi