Although many believe the new generation of young adults are ‘out of touch,’ one Georgia State University student is proving them wrong.
Sandy Mitchell, owner of Tie Dye by Sandy, never imagined her tie-dye t-shirts would be so successful.
“This started out as a hobby, and I didn’t know what to expect, but now that it’s going I’m just going to keep pushing,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell’s tie-dye business has been doing so well, she now has t-shirts targeted to raise money for breast cancer awareness research.
Although the 21-year-old sociology major just started her business a few months ago, her love for tie-dye began years ago.
Two years ago, she was inspired by a group of women who participated in a breast cancer awareness event after receiving positive feedback about the t-shirts.
Now, for every t-shirt purchased in the special section for breast cancer awareness, Mitchell pledges to donate $5 to research.
While the revenue Mitchell makes from her growing business is a plus, she mostly attributes her motivation to the many women in her personal life who have been diagnosed or are affiliated with breast cancer.
“I’ve had relatives who’ve had it; my aunt, her best friend currently has it, [and] a couple of friends that go to my church,” she said.
The statistics don’t paint a pretty picture for women: research shows about 1 in 8 will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer; for men, the risk is about 1 in 1,000, according to breastcancer.org. A diagnosis of invasive breast cancer means the cancer is spreading and possibly damaging otherwise healthy tissue.
Still, not all of the statistics are reason enough to lose hope. As of 2011, more than 2.6 million Americans have survived breast cancer.
It’s the strength of these survivors that inspire Mitchell.
“It’s extremely rewarding every time I get on the computer and see another sell, or another kind note from someone, a stranger, or someone I know…it really makes me happy.”
To purchase items from Mitchell, visit her website at www.etsy.com/shop/TieDyeBySandy.
