Life & Work with Marissa Hurtado-Tucker

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marissa Hurtado-Tucker. 

Hi Marissa, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am from a small beach town in Ecuador called Bahía de Caráquez. It is very nice; you should visit if your are touring the country. My family had the opportunity to come to the US and we immigrated here after I finished elementary school. We moved to Charlotte and that is where I made lifelong friends and went to school until 2015. I ended up in Raleigh when I transferred to Meredith College to study fashion merchandising and design. Their study abroad program sold me and the years of learning French paid off. I studied fashion design because I like solving puzzles, creating, and figuring things out. Yes, I was one of those kids watching Myth Busters and Animal Planet growing up. 

After college I worked retail jobs, unhappy and not really knowing what to do. Last year I was laid-off like many others and had time to think on what made me happy and how to help others. 

I started Malune to help reduce fabric waste and make cute things out of reused fabrics. The fashion industry is such a big pollutant that I want to encourage others to reduce and reuse with us. My fashion professors inspired me to think about the role of fashion in the world and how it affects our environment. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Nothing is a smooth road. It was challenging to adjust to life in the US like many other immigrant children might know. I have struggled with mental health for most of my teens and college years. Even now, depression creeps up sometimes but like some people say, progress is not linear. I have had great and not-so-great managers at past jobs. They taught me that I don’t want to work for somebody else but myself. I like meeting people, working with like-minded people but never liked customer service jobs where I had to sell something I didn’t believe in. 

Public speaking is the bane of my existence so having to talk to strangers is still weird but I can choose when to do it now. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Malune is all about reusing and reducing as much as possible! I thrift fabrics from around the area and make accessories for people and pets. Our most popular is our reflective dog collar, comes in a wide range of sizes. Size XS even fits cats. 

I kept looking for cute and reflective collars online for our dog Charlie but couldn’t find any so I started making them this year. 

We also have matching scrunchies, keychains, and a handbags made out of repurposed fabrics. 

If you want to make sure people see your pup during night walks and a fashionable collar during day walks, shop from Malune. 

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
If you are still in school, reach out to your professors for mentoring. They want the best for you. If you are out in the workforce, go to meetups, apply to pop-up markets or just reach out to like-minded creatives through email. Every person I have met at markets and online have been very friendly and supportive. I still keep in touch with my first boss, she has been a great mentor and friend throughout the years. 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.malunestudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/malune_studio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/malunestudio