About Us
Thanks for coming to chill! My name is Elena and Mochi and Chill is a combination of several passions.
One day, I was making fresh mochi and a spark of inspiration hit me. I thought what if the mochi was a character? And maybe he had friends? What kind of personality would this little blob have? I started doing some rough sketches and Mochi came to be. Mochi (the character) is just a chill little blob- no judgement, he just likes to chill and live his blobby mochi life (kind of like my dog). Poke him and he bounces right back. From there, I started developing ideas for products and what I wanted to create.
Mochi and Chill offers a mix of clothing, accessories, fragrance & incense while incorporating my passion for thrifting with vintage and upcycled finds like my upcycled kimono scrunchies. It also serves as a compliment to my other business; It’s Time to Get Thrifty- a secondhand thrift and consignment business I have been running since 2018. I love the thrill of hunting for one of a kind items from high-end fashion to vintage odds and ends. My purpose with that business was to re-think how I (and others) buy fashion. It’s important not only for our wallets but for the planet to slow things down and think about where our clothes and other purchases are coming from. I love finding new homes for items that may otherwise end up in a landfill.
Mochi and Chill combines the best of both worlds for me: my passion for thrifting and making things by hand as well as my Japanese heritage. Many of the scents and designs are inspired by my exploration of Japan and the photos and experiences I had. I'm lucky to have had these experiences and want to share them with you!
In terms of future plans, my goal is to return back to Japan when travel is a reality again and find one-of-a-kind vintage items and material to re-work into new items. Stay tuned!
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Our Core Values and What We Stand For:
Being Yourself: Express yourself and choose happiness whenever possible. One of my favorite quotes is “Light up your corner of the world.” While we might not be able to do everything, small actions can have a big impact around those in your world.
No labels: Instead of labeling genders or whether a piece of clothing or a fragrance is masculine or feminine, measurements (clothing) or notes (fragrance and incense) are provided. Wear what you want and what makes you comfortable! Choose what brings you joy!
Being Aware of our Choices: My goal with Mochi and Chill is to be aware and conscious of product choices and packaging and how it affects the environment. For us this means trying to source materials that are organic, recycled, made in USA, supporting a small business, etc. For packaging this means using things like recycled polymailers with a low carbon footprint to recyclable packaging materials. While not everything is recyclable/compostable and our packaging isn’t 100% perfect, Mochi and Chill is striving to minimize the environmental impact and will continue to look into new packaging that allows us to accomplish this.
Intentional and Open to Change: While we aren’t 100% perfect, we strive to make changes that have a positive impact and incorporate feedback. For example, being intentional in our product sourcing (trying to choose organic and/or made in USA or eco-friendly options, supporting local or US-based businesses such as the fabric we purchase from a small business here in the states). I am open to change in order to be the best versions of myself and this business.