Q: Can you share more about the "divine whisper" that inspired you to start Loam? How did this spiritual connection guide your journey?

Rather than select already made materials, I worked with my production team to create the highest quality materials from organic cotton. It was very important to me that LOAM be a high-quality offering. I wanted the best of the best for these pieces and had a vision in my mind of what that would be. I was able to take samples of some super lux fabrics and have them made in organic cotton to my exact specifications.

Q: How do you feel fashion can be a form of nurturing, especially for mothers in the postpartum phase?

The way we dress ourselves not only sends a message to the world around us but also sends a message to ourselves internally. If we take an extra moment to lovingly dress or express ourselves, we feel the difference. In the sacred time of postpartum, which I believe extends to somewhere around 3 years, we tend to have very little time for self-care. If we can dress ourselves in something that feels good, that supports our biology by carrying a harmonizing frequency, and that we enjoy wearing, we are nurturing ourselves and ultimately able to give more energy to mothering.

Q: Can you share more about the GOTS and OEKO-TEX certifications and why they are important for Loam?

GOTS, The Global Organic Textile Standard, is a third-party certification that ensures a high standard for environmental and social criteria in addition to setting the standard for organic fibers. The OEKO-TEX standard ensures that no harmful chemicals or substances have been used in the making of a garment. I think, particularly when you become a new mama, you have less time to research all while it becomes more important than ever that you utilize “clean” products for and around your baby. It was important to me to extend the high priorities of non-toxic and organic clothing to mothers as it has become easier to find these items for babies. By offering GOTS and OEKO-TEX certifications, mothers can rest assured that their purchase is not only ethical but also non-toxic and organic.

Q: How does Loam aim to support mothers and women throughout different phases of their life cycle?

LOAM pieces are designed to effortlessly transition from season to season, whether that be the weather or the seasons of a woman’s life. Many of our styles work during pregnancy, all are designed with postpartum and nursing in mind, and with flexibility in the sizing can also work before and beyond those years. These pieces are meant to be an investment in a woman’s comfort and give her an elevated style to carry her from rest to the day seamlessly.

Q: How has your own experience as a mother influenced the creation and evolution of Loam?

My own experience as a mother is the reason that I created LOAM. I noticed how little preparation women have in our society around the massive shift of moving from maiden to mother. I was acutely aware that I had birthed into a whole different woman, who had different needs of her wardrobe (breastfeeding access was necessary, and I hated pulling up my shirt to expose my belly hanging over my uncomfortable jeans and block my baby’s face), all in a culture that was telling me that I could “get back to it”. Well…getting back to it isn’t a thing…after you birth into a mother, you will never go back to the maiden that you were. That should be honored and celebrated! So, on the day that I received the inspiration for LOAM, I was wearing yoga pants (yes, plastic pants…yuck!) and my husband’s button-down shirt so that I would be able to nurse my daughter easily on our trip to the grocery store. It hit me at that moment that if there was a simple capsule of elevated loungewear for mothers to serve all the needs of early postpartum and still be useful beyond, it would be a beacon and save so much time for women when they don’t even have the time to shop around much. It also feels like the larger mission is to give greater permission or awareness around a gentler way of being with ourselves in motherhood.

Q: What are your future plans for Loam? Any upcoming collections or initiatives we should look out for?

While I am balancing this offering with motherhood and am following a unique path for a fashion brand, moving away from the traditional seasonal collections to an evergreen model, I do have several new styles and colors in the works. You can expect to see these sometime in the summer! Other than that, I am honoring the slowness and presence required to enjoy raising my daughter.

Q: How do you see Loam contributing to the broader movement of conscious consumption and eco-conscious fashion?

I think the more the merrier in this space! I feel like much of our culture sees the pregnancy/postpartum time as a very separate event from regular life. The result is cheaply made pregnancy and breastfeeding clothing that women don’t want to wear long-term. LOAM is an eco-conscious line of loungewear that is designed with a woman’s changing body in mind but without any of the utilitarian clips and slits that makes a garment feel useless once you’re not needing those things. I think if women curate their wardrobe for pregnancy and postpartum with pieces that will last beyond in mind, it will make a big difference in the overconsumption of cheaper clothing that gets discarded once a woman births her baby or her breastfeeding journey shifts or ends.

Q: How would you like women to feel when they wear one of their pieces from Loam?

I want women to feel comfortable as themselves, in their bodies, fully supported and beautiful when they wear LOAM. I want them to feel the love and reverence for motherhood and womanhood that went into creating this line. I want them to feel ready for whatever Life has in store.

Q: Where can we find you, your clothing, and more information?

You can find more information on theloam.com along with @theloam.co on Instagram. You are also welcome to follow along with me @jenpsilverman on Instagram!