Creating designs and making clothes started off as a hobby, but became something more to the creator of Costal Customs.
Kate Kenny, a junior nursing major, took what started as drawing, silk screening and making T-shirts, and turned it into a small business.
“I struggle a lot with mental health, and so I always have gone to the beach and lived by the water. That’s my protection,” Kenny says. “In my anatomy class, I learned ‘Costal’ in Latin is ribs. I took that, and used it for my brand name to put a spin on the word coast.”
Kenny emphasizes that she “feels protected by the beach” just as the ribs protect the heart.
“I was in the hospital as a patient, and they had a Cricut machine which is kind of like a printer. It cuts out vinyls and stickers, things like that. I started playing around with it and my parents got me one as a present,” says Kenny.
She was making tote bags, and embroidered hoodies. Because it made her feel happy, she took this passion further.
“I’ve always been creative,” Kenny says. “I want to create something comfy and cozy and cute that I could be proud of and share with others.”
Running Costal Customs is challenging as the only worker. She also must consider the pricing which she says she “bases off of similar products” and “what the market is currently.”
Balancing both school and posting social media content for her business can be exhausting. But she was able to combine both nursing and Costal Customs to further her connection with what she loves.
“I’m making custom hoodies for the nursing students right now, so it kind of ties up both of my passions,” Kenny says.
She also hopes to collaborate with other schools, sororities and sports teams. Kenny knows that this could take her business to the next level.
Creating designs for her clothes takes time and patience. Kenny likes creating vision boards of different designs to work with. Once she sees a sketch she likes, she applies it to her ideas and makes the final design happen on clothing. Some of the designs range from coastal cowgirl to tropical Hawaiian hibiscus to sea turtles.
Making clothes, tote bags, hats and accessories isn’t the only task that seems to brighten her day.
“If I’m wearing my own products and someone compliments me, that’s just a surreal moment because it shows all my hard work and effort have been paying off and it’s getting positive recognition,” Kenny says.
As Kenny’s business continues to grow, she hopes to keep building connections. She loves it when people from all over the country order her items, and it shows what she is trying to promote for her business.
“At the bottom of my website, there is an email to email, and I also have customers do reviews and get feedback on their opinions on the product,” Kenny says.
“I’ve done a bunch of mental health fundraisers, pop-up shop markets, farmers markets, things like that. I’ll set up a vendor booth for the day and sell, and I’m able to meet people one on one,” says Kenny.
Since struggling with mental health in the past, she is now able to help others conquer the feelings of anxiety and depression.
Being able to participate in charitable events is something that she finds the most rewarding. Kenny’s business helps her to donate to charities like the Yellow Tulip Mental Health Project.
Now, Kenny hopes to continue to collaborate with sports teams and sororities to make custom pieces and to make more products for Costal Customs.
The business currently has over 1,000 followers on Instagram and over 6,000 followers on TikTok.
In the future, she wants to be able to have her own store while still being able to be a nurse.
You can follow this small business on Instagram @costal.customs and TikTok @costalcustoms and shop at costalcustoms.com to buy her hoodies, tote bags, accessories and “Literally Just a Girl” trucker hats.
“I’ve always been very expressive,” Kenny says. “And that was definitely an outlet for any stress for me. I like creating things.”
