CLEVELAND — At just 21 years old, Aidan Meany is making a name for himself in the fashion world. The thread that unites it all is sustainability.
“I was lucky to be exposed to sewing and design at an early age,” Meany said.
Aidan’s company, Found Surface, has only been in existence for a short while and is already selling out.
The collection of clothing — just four styles in four colors — is meant to stand the test of time.
Made in the USA, all products have been sewn using organic cotton from Texas and recycled plastic bottles of North Carolina.
“Using a crazy process that is done with steam and solar, they recycle that into a usable thread that feels just like cotton,” Meany said.
Meany, however, will start manufacturing in Cleveland in January. A sewing team is already in place.
“Our mission is to bring all of our partners right now that are domestic, even further into Cleveland and bring some really cool opportunities here,” Meany said, “Not only for labor and manufacturing but also the art and design community and bolster that here as well.”
You may not know this, but back in the 1920s Cleveland used to actually rank up with New York when it came to garment manufacturing — and that is what Meany is hoping to bring back to the city.
It all comes back to grandma.
Meany’s grandmother, Linda, actually taught him how to sew when he was 14, never thinking he’d go from a hobby on her kitchen island to a garment manufacturing company in Downtown Cleveland in seven short years.
“I mean, every grandmother loves time with their grandchildren and for him to come to my house in the summer and sew with me on my mothers 1939 Singer sewing machine, was like a dream come true for me,” Linda said.
Meany’s clothing is priced steep — ranging from $249 to $399. But, he says it’s meant to be an investment and sustainable from start to finish.
“Making stuff in the U.S. is already difficult,” Meany said. “The goal is to not be a luxury brand where you’re just paying for a name. You’re paying truly for the quality of what you’re getting.”
Forget the models on runways. It turns out that grandma can be the most effective advertisement, since she donned his jacket to the interview.
“I am very proud to wear it, and I’m excited as people ask me, ‘oh I like your jacket, where’d that come from?’ and I’m like ,’Wellll, my grandson made it!.’”