Hemp Bridal, Yes, Hemp

We love repurpose and reuse. It's known that the fashion industry is full of waste. One can say that in a way, it perpetuates waste at times. Then comes a bride's big day this time of year, usually including fashion only worn a single time. This is why when we entered the fantasy world carefully tucked away off Johnson Drive in Mission Kansas inside a small rented house, known as Janay A Eco Bridal, we were so excited that we required owner Janay Mallela to carefully calm us down.

Carefully curated gowns hang along crystal and pearl beaded accessories of all types, shapes, and sizes. Pale pastels create a soothing vibe for the most flustered of brides. Janay's motto is to hold other women up in an art of service to create a sacred space for their wedding day. She uses intuitive design techniques after meeting 5-6 times over the process with clients one on one. She only takes clients by appointment.

Janay is a Missouri Ozark native who after fashion school was asked by a friend to help with a wedding dress. A career of 14 years in bridal followed. She's been in Mission Kansas for 7 years. A master seamstress, she creates custom designs in eco-friendly fabrics such as hemp/silk blends and cottons, recreates or reworks existing vintage/heirloom dresses, and does dramatic, specialty alternations of new dresses. All aspects are truly design, require exceptional skill and are opportunities to rise to the occasion to exceed client expectations. "My focus is the right thing to do, not the easiest."

Janay A Eco Bridal also offers eco-friendly gown cleaning and preservation using hand-wash techniques used by museum curators of collections, such as the costumes at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. She considers it a natural transition of the dress to its next stage in life.

Our question to Janay regarding the hardest part about working with a new bride "A bride must be open to receive and know herself". Because the work itself is time consuming, she makes great use of technology and automation for client bookings and reminders. "The millennial bride is quite receptive to our use of technology and prefers it."

If you're into eco-friendly and want something very special, definitely book an appointment and check them out. Janay A Eco Bridal is currently located at 5939 Woodson Rd, Mission KS 66202, (913)721-6838. Tell Janay KC Herbalist Magazine sent you. She has an organic garden and is a budding herbalist herself.