Te Awamutu woman launches clothing company

October Clothing Company owner Amy Arnold and son Levi.

Facing redundancy and discovering a passion for sewing led Amy Arnold to launch her own business.

October Clothing Company sells made-to-order breastfeeding tops and regular tops for women.

October is a significant month for the Te Awamutu mother-of-one.

"In October 2015 my son Levi was born and the following October my redundancy was finalised," she says.

Mrs Arnold had recently learnt to sew and saw a gap in the industry for fashionable, affordable and discrete breastfeeding clothes.

So she started sewing tops with a two-way zip along the front for easy access breastfeeding.

She loved wearing the tops and was soon making them for breastfeeding friends.

"My friends encouraged me to start selling them," she says.

"So I thought I'd give it a shot."

In January this year she launched the October Clothing Company Facebook page.

Orders started rolling in and the business has been a success.

Each month she has had more orders than the previous month.

"Women love the bright colours and the comfort and discretion of the tops," she says.

"Lots of Te Awamutu women have bought the tops. The support from our town has been amazing."

Customers can choose fabrics from the Facebook page and contact Mrs Arnold for an order.

"Mothers don't have to leave the house to go shopping."

The turnaround time from payment to delivery is around two weeks, she says.

Tops range from size 8-16.

Mrs Arnold's new love for sewing has led to a change of lifestyle.

For the last year she's sewed all of her clothes and Levi's clothes - with the exception of buying jeans for herself and merinos for Levi.

"Between buying hand-me-downs and merinos, I pretty much make everything," she says.

Her new lifestyle is simpler and more affordable, she says.

"I love clothes and used to buy lots - but now I don't need fancy things."

Check out October Clothing Company at http://tinyurl.com/ybo3vkpd