The tea you've been waiting for.

The tea you've been waiting for

The truth will set you free, right? Well, here we go. It’s time to share what’s been happening behind the scenes at Sash—the challenges, the heartbreaks, the lessons, and the incredible opportunities ahead. You’re smart. You’ve probably sensed something has been off, and honestly? It’s been hard not being able to tell you everything.

Some of you have been here since the very beginning—back in 2012 when Sash was just a wild idea I couldn’t let go of. Some of you found us through our Kickstarter campaigns, others through our viral Harmon Brothers ads, and some of you are brand new. No matter how you got here, you’ve felt what makes Sash special. It’s not just a bag—it’s a feeling. A sense of ease, freedom, and, honestly, a little bit of magic.

My first investor and partner, Liz Stone, called it “catching the Sash fever.” She caught it so hard she risked everything to help me launch this business. We had no idea what we were doing, but we did it anyway—because we had to.

And starting a business, especially as a woman, is hard.

Here’s a fact: Women-owned startups receive only 1.9% of venture capital in the U.S. Consequently, only 1.7% of women-owned businesses reach $1 million in revenue. And when it comes to manufacturing? I couldn’t even find reliable stats on how many women own businesses in this industry. That’s how underrepresented we are.

Why does this matter? Because when women entrepreneurs don’t have access to funding, we have to fight harder, take bigger risks, and get more creative. We don’t have the same safety nets. We don’t have the same access to capital. We survive on grit, determination, and the strength of our community.

And boy have I leaned on the strength of this community. So much so, that I might have weakened it at times when I had no other resources. You have all been there for Sash through thick and thin and I hope you know that it's the only reason we're still here.

And that’s why, no matter how hard this gets…

I WILL NEVER GIVE UP.

Not when contracts fall apart. Not when manufacturing hits roadbumps. Not when I have to make impossible decisions or lay off employees I love. Not when people are mad at me, telling me what I should or shouldn’t be doing. Not when I feel like no one understands just how hard this is.

Because Sash has a life of its own. It’s meant to exist. It’s meant to be on your bodies, in your lives, making things just a little bit easier. And I will never stop fighting for it. Or for us.

So… What happened?

Two years ago, we thought we had found the perfect funding partner to help take Sash to the next level. A company (let’s call them Company B) came in with big promises—ones I truly believed would solve our biggest challenges with production and cash flow. We put our trust in them, hoping this would be the key to sustainable growth. We were trying to "get away" from pre-orders, so that we didn't have to keep relying on a community that had already showed up so many times.

But it went wrong. So wrong that we almost lost the entire company.

Without getting into too many private details, here’s what I can say: Company B wound up with responsibility for too much of our inventory. With each of their promises, we extended promises to you, and some of those promises never came through. And when the cracks started to show, it became clear that Sash was in serious danger.

At first, I tried to salvage things. We even agreed to a “merger” plan with Company B that seemed like it might stabilize the business. But as the process unfolded, It appeared to us to be more like an acquisition, not a partnership. And if I went through with it, Sash would no longer be Sash. I didn’t know what would happen to our customers.

I had a choice:

Give in and let Sash become something I didn’t believe in.
Walk away and risk everything to keep fighting for what we built.

I chose Sash. I chose you. I chose us.

It was one of the hardest decisions of my life. It meant stepping into uncertainty, knowing we’d have to rebuild, knowing we’d have to fight harder than ever. But I trusted my gut, leaned on my board of directors, and made the choice to walk away—because I knew it was the right thing to do.

And then… something amazing happened.

A New Chapter Begins

A friend connected me with Jerry Kohl, founder of Brighton. (Yes, that Brighton.) He took a deep dive into Sash and gave me some hard truths. And then he said something that brought me back to myself:

"Focus on your community. Make beautiful products for them. Forget trying to fit into someone else’s mold."

That hit me like a lightning bolt.

Because that’s what Sash has always been about—you. This incredible, loyal, passionate community who believes in what we do and why we do it. Hearing it from someone with his level of success knocked me back in alignment with my original mission.

So here’s what’s next:

A major flash sale is happening. We are shaking the etch-a-sketch! We want to clear out the remaining inventory so we can move forward stronger than ever. This is your chance to get some amazing deals and help us reset for the future. Check out the website now for what's on sale.
Kickstarter is our new focus. We’re not treating Muralidharan like a side project—it’s our main event. Expect weekly production calls (that YOU can join!), behind-the-scenes updates, and a level of collaboration with artisans unlike anything we’ve done before. More to come on this. The Kickstarter is going to help us completely re-launch our company in a better way!
Sash is going back to its roots. We’re done chasing growth for the sake of growth. We’re focused on making the best possible bags for the people who love them most—you.

This isn’t just a pivot. It’s a return to why I started Sash in the first place. And honestly? It feels right.

I know this has been a wild ride. I know there have been delays, frustrations, and moments of doubt. But I also know this community is incredible. You’ve stuck with us through so much, and I can’t tell you how much that means to me.

Sash isn’t just a bag. It’s a movement. And we’re just getting started.

While we’re super excited about the path ahead of us, we know there's cleanup needed for customers affected by delays. If you're wondering about your bag, please note that Company B has no connection to Muralidharan or Special Orders. Company B’s role has been financing bulk production for collections like Yosemite, Egypt, Nylon, and Uganda—which is why Uganda keeps going up and down, only some of the nylon bags have arrived, and we're still waiting on basketweave and others. Things keep changing. And to be clear, Company B is NOT the factory. They are the intermediary. The factory and its workers are also caught up in all of this, and they are patiently waiting for a resolution as well.

We understand the frustration this has caused you. When you order from us, you trust us—just as we trusted those who committed to us. Unfortunately, you’ve been caught in the fallout. For that, we are truly sorry. We never would have listed these products if we hadn’t been assured they were on the way. This was never our intention, but it happened, and now we want to make it right. We hope you’ll stick with us as we move forward.

If you are waiting on a pre-order, please check your email for a message with updates and options.

If you're waiting on a Special Order from Muralidharan, watch our video in the Sash Community from Saturday, February 8th, or read the summary posted (it's pinned in the features section).

Here's to the future, my Sash Fam!

xoxo,
Nichole