Moving Forward in 2021
Dear friends, happy 2021!
Let me start this message by saying, beginning today through the end of January – we’re having a “moving forward” sale. At the moment – we have a lot of inventory due to the unpredictability of last year, and we want to make sure it gets loved and used and well-worn.
And so starting today the vast majority of our site will move to 20% off. AND as an extra special thank you, we're offering a EXTRA 21% off in celebration of this new year, 2021, to those who join or are already on our mailing list.
This sale will be valid through the end of January – but many of our styles are limited – so if you find what you’re looking for in the right size – it won’t be around forever!
Many of you know our complex relationship with the concept of markdowns, so we wanted to offer a little context for why we’re doing this sale at this time. We also have some important news to share.
After 4 years of inhabiting our beautiful shop on Clement St. we have decided to say farewell to this sweet chapter of our business.
Having a brick and mortar store has been a part of the tonlé story from its very beginnings on Street 240 in Phnom Penh in 2009, starting with the team’s previous brand, KeoK’jay. Creating in-person local community, sharing our vision and time with passersby, making new friends and creating a restful space from the road has always been a part of our joy. We have valued all we have learned, shared and received from these spaces. But, the truth is, the mission of our business comes first. tonlé has never been only about selling garments, it's always been our way to fund the work behind the scenes. The work of dismantling inequality in the fashion industry, of reducing harm, and co-creating a kinder way to do business. At this particular moment of our journey we realize that holding our physical retail space in San Francisco is no longer the best use of our resources and that shifting our focus and energy to e-commerce and strengthening our relationships with our wholesale partners is our best path forward. Trust us, we aren't going anywhere!! We will continue to build our community here online and through our trusted retail partners.
We rarely do sales, and we are extremely grateful to those of you who purchased our products at full price during the holiday season, enabling us to redistribute funds to 2 amazing organizations: The Black Farmer Fund and The Ama Mutsun Land Trust. We’re offering this sale to say thank you. A sale to celebrate all of us making it through 2020. To celebrate you, those who have purchased, liked, shared, read and given your time to our ethos, and for that we also consider you partners in envisioning and co-creating a better, brighter future. At the moment – we have a lot of inventory due to the unpredictability of last year, and we want to make sure it gets loved and used and well-worn. And so starting today the vast majority of our site will move to 20% off. AND as an extra special thank you, we're offering a EXTRA 21% off in celebration of this new year, 2021, to those who join or are already on our mailing list.
If you’re local to our shop in SF, we’ll be hosting some special outdoor sales events over the month.
We’ll also be selling our plants and furniture- so if there’s anything you spy in the windows, feel free to give us a ring or email and we can arrange a pick up.
2020 was an astronomically hard year – and also provided the catalyst for some much-needed reflection and growth. When we say growth, we don’t mean, financially of course, but growth in terms of values alignment. Amidst the endless list of "unprecedented” circumstances, we somehow found a way to have one of the most creative, most connected, most collaborative years of our business. Through such adversity, we have continued to grow and strengthen our community and for that we can be nothing but endlessly grateful. Looking back, we want to celebrate the many incredible minds and creatives who so graciously contributed their many gifts and talents to uplift us through this tougher than tough time. tonlé has always been rooted in collaboration and community. Thank you all for being a part of the tonlé team, and thank you to every one of our customers who has supported this vision and this community on so many levels.
We wrote a number of reflective blog posts in 2020 – and we are committed to constant learning, reflection within our team and our community and better adherence to our goals and values. We’re starting this year with gratitude for the lessons of 2020, for the community who kept us afloat emotionally and financially, and respectful reverence for all the challenges and pain that lies behind and ahead. There is much to be done, and we are ready to keep doing it.