COMPANY NAME: Purrfect Pineapples 

YOUR NAME/TITLE: Erika Shuhendler – Business Owner/Designer/Sewer/Pattern Drafter/Silk Screener 

LOCATION: Downtown Toronto 
 

HOW DID YOU START DESIGNING CLOTHING/LINGERIE?

I started off making PJ pants from store-bought patterns, tote bags and pillows. I didn’t start designing and making clothing or lingerie until I went to college for Fashion Design.  
 

HOW IS YOUR LINGERIE PRODUCED?

All Purrfect Pineapples’ lingerie is produced in my studio. I make all my patterns from scratch, and then I cut out all the pieces in fabric. Once everything is cut, I pin them down on my silk-screening table and silk screen each piece individually. Everything gets heat set to ensure the print does not wash off. Then I sew each garment. Fun!

My grandmother taught me how to hand sew when I was a little kid. I used to do needlepoint and embroider little cloth napkins before the age of 7. Once I got a little bit older, my parents got me a sewing machine. 

 
IS FORMAL TRAINING REALLY NECESSARY TO BECOME A DESIGNER?

I do not believe that you need formal training to be a “Designer”, because anyone can have ideas for designing clothing, BUT I definitely believe that you need formal training to sew, pattern draft and run your business correctly.  Don’t be fooled by every celebrity and their sister having a clothing line that does amazingly well. They hire the best of the best and outsource all their sewing/drafting/cutting.  

I have seen people who start their own clothing companies and hire all the wrong people, so they end up with butchered patterns, clothes that are the wrong size and do not fit and aren’t sewn correctly.

There are a lot of differences between clothes and clothes that have amazing quality and are built to last. I believe in order to be successful; you have to know right from wrong ways of doing things. You have to be able to have the knowledge to do things yourself.  I think customers are finally starting to appreciate handmade, quality clothing and there is a large market for it today. 

Sewing Construction class made me the pickiest sewer you will ever meet; it definitely brought up my standards to make everything 100% perfect. I definitely suggest a college level sewing class if you want to learn all the tips and tricks to making your garments with a professional quality.

 
WHAT KIND OF SEWING MACHINE/SERGER DO YOU USE? 

* Juki Industrial Single Needle – Straight Stitch 
* Juki Industrial 4 Thread Serger 
* Kansai Special Industrial Coverstitch 
* Babylock Crafters Choice

 
WHERE DO YOU BUY YOUR PATTERNS? 

All of my patterns are made from scratch.

 
DO YOU DO CUSTOM ORDERS?

That depends on what you want made. I do custom sizing and custom colors on styles that I already have for sale. I am open to suggestions, so if you want a custom order, please feel free to email me; erika@purrfectpineapples.com 

I AM A SIZE XS OR XXL, DO YOU HAVE MY SIZE?

Depending on the item you are inquiring about, most of my styles can be made smaller or bigger. Feel free to email me for added sizing information and pricing.

DO YOU SHIP TO EUROPE/AUSTRALIA/ETC?

YES! I will ship anywhere in the world.

WHERE DO YOU GET ALL OF YOUR AWESOME FABRICS?

I buy medium weight cotton/lycra fabric and silkscreen it with custom prints.  
Some of my fabric is store bought from EBay, Joannes, Fabricland random websites and quilting stores.  To make things more exciting, I am using up what I have left and once it’s all gone I will only be screening custom made prints.

 
WHAT DOES “CRUELTY-FREE” MEAN? 

Cruelty-Free means my products are sweatshop free and animal friendly.  
Everything is made by me and only me, IN CANADA.  
I do not use: leather, wool, silk, fur or any other animal products.  
 

WHY DOES “CRUELTY-FREE” MATTER?

Feel free to browse these websites for more information:  
FurIsDead.com 
CowsAreCool.com 
SaveTheSheep.com 
FarmSanctuary.org
VeganThis.org

CAN I MODEL FOR YOU? 

I am always looking for new, awesome models. Please send photos to: erika@purrfectpineapples.com

WHERE CAN I BUY YOUR CLOTHES?

Online:  
www.purrfectpineapples.com/store 
www.purrfectpineapples.etsy.com 
 
Stores:  
- HELLS BELLES 463 Queen Street West (at Spadina)  
Toronto, ON 
- PLASTIK WRAP 2235 Dundas Ave West (at Bloor)  
Toronto, ON 
- MONSTER MUFFIN BOUTIQUE 18 Holland Street West
Bradford, ON
- LIONS LAIER BOUTIQUE 2329 Columbia Ave
Castlegar, British Columbia