A purpose of repurposing
Sawdust + Stain transforms discarded items into jewelry
WHERE OTHERS SEE OLD desks, discarded baseballs, barn wood or bowling alley planks that need to be thrown out, Holver and Tina Pech, owners of Sawdust + Stain LLC, see possibilities to construct unique jewelry for their business.
And Tina also sees opportunities to connect.
“Community and family and connection are where we thrive,” she says. “We’re not just selling products. We love getting photos of our customers wearing what we make after the purchase. We love that connection.”
Sawdust + Stain is the Florence-based LLC they launched two years ago. The business today focuses on producing earrings and bracelets from recycled wood and other products. Teachers are a big part of the business, which is why their earrings made from old school desks are popular with educators.
Working from their home, powered by Owen Electric Cooperative, the couple has doubled sales over the past year by selling jewelry at more than 25 arts and crafts shows in northern Kentucky and Cincinnati.
It is very much a family business. Their three daughters—Nova, 12, Arbor, 9, and Charlie, 7— provide a thumbs up or down on new product ideas, and it all seems to work, because business is growing.
In the beginning, the couple made gnomes at Christmas from reclaimed two-by-fours. But about a year ago, Tina realized that jewelry constructed from repurposed material was really what she loved the most.
She encourages other moms wanting to operate their own business not to wait.
“This has been a dream come true, and I encourage any mom wanting to launch a business to just start,” she says. “There will be ups and downs, but enjoy the journey and the learning that comes with it.”
