Blog
Trio
Living in Vancouver gives you the opportunity to travel to many unique destinations from Kelowna to Whistler to Tofino. I’ve been lucky enough to have grown up visiting these amazing places. One in particular that is close to my heart is Tofino. Tofino is known as the unofficial surf capital of Canada. The community of Tofino may not be large, but the culture is rich. By walking through town or visiting the weekly market you will quickly realize there are many talented individuals living in this little surf town.
One small business on our radar that was created in Tofino is Trio. The meaning of the name “Trio” comes from the intention to connect people. The current designs available from Trio range from polymer clay earrings to sea glass jewelry pieces. Each design is made three times, creating collections that you can purchase to share with two of your loved ones. Alternatively, if you only purchase a single piece, you are now connected by this unique design with two strangers.
Trio’s three-of-a-kind goods are handmade with love and care by Rachel Hirst. Rachel started Trio in March of 2021 out of her apartment in Tofino selling to family and friends. Like many experienced, the impact of COVID made a lot of people’s jobs unstable. It also brought on a lot of anxiety. Rachel took this uncertainty and created something beautiful. She started Trio to calm her mind and give herself a creative outlet to pour herself into. Sharing her creations with loved ones proved popular and she expanded her reach through promoting her pieces on Instagram and opening her Esty shop online. She has also become a vendor at the Tofino Market held at the Village Green on Saturdays.
I spoke with Rachel recently to get some more insight into her small business:
Q. Why did you start Trio?
Rachel: I created Trio earlier this year as a way to support my mental health and keep my hands and mind occupied. Initially, making Trios was just a fun and therapeutic creative outlet and then it quickly became a small business. Being in a place like Tofino, B.C. is pretty inspiring when it comes to being a creative and I felt so encouraged by my circle of supporters and members of the community to give it a go.
Q. Where did the name Trio come from?
Rachel: The word Trio buzzed around in my head for a few months before I really started creating earrings. I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted it to be for, but I really liked the idea of three-of-a-kind styles and nodding to my love of music with a very musical word such as “Trio”. Making three-of-a-kind pieces felt like a special way to connect people in groups of three; three has always been a special number for me in friendships, on jerseys, in childhood fairy tales, and with my two siblings. Once I began making jewelry and toying with the idea of making it into a little side hustle, I told my partner about my Trio idea and his confidence in me really gave me a push to start.
Q. How were you inspired to create the brand/look?
Rachel: For many years I have admired and interacted with so many creative beings and I’ve learned a lot from small businesses that I have been surrounded by. I think through that process and my own experimenting with graphic design I have come to find my own style. My minimalist, modern design style combined with my connections to the beach and west coast landscapes in Tofino is what really inspired the branding for Trio. I worked with my partner Jesse Betman, who is a very talented visual and tattoo artist and all-around good dude, to create my logo and my packaging and media visuals evolved quickly from there.
Q. What is your favourite part about running a small business?
Rachel: My favourite part of running Trio has been connecting with so many kind humans and creatives online and in person at the Tofino Market. One of my favourite moments recently was photographing my best friend wearing Trios and I feel very lucky that I get to work with and learn from so many great people.
Q. Do you have any advice for people wanting to start a small business?
Rachel: My little piece of advice is to create freely and remember that creativity is not a competition (at least I don’t think it has to be)! Of course finding your niche and your own space in the world of art or whichever genre of small business you’re in does put you in a position where you feel like you’re comparing yourself. However, remember why you started your business and be proud of what you can do. Other creators and small businesses are going to keep creating for themselves and the greatest feeling is to support each other rather than compete and just do what you love!
Collections
The collections created for Trio are named after the world around Rachel. Living in beautiful Tofino leaves her with no lack of inspiration. You are sure to find a piece that resonates with you. Some of her previous collections include names such as the Seaside Trio, Liquid Gold Trio, Mother Earth Trio, and the Sundown Trio. Trio’s are also wonderful gifts to connect you with your friends and family. Sharing a jewelry piece with your closest companions is such a sweet sentiment. The fact that there is only three-of-a-kind also makes it so special.
Eco-friendly
Supporting small businesses is always our recommendation. Not only does it support someone’s dream, but it is also the best option to be friendly to our planet. Trio is conscious of their impact on the earth and opts for using recycled materials for packaging as much as possible. Some eco-friendly materials implemented for packaging include using old magazine pages to make envelopes, reusing paper to shred up to make filler material, and salvaging the bubble wrap from old bubble mailers for packaging! We are so inspired by her resourcefulness and love for our planet. Rachel has also been repurposing old jewelry to incorporate into her pieces. Getting donations of old unwanted jewelry not only gives her new materials to work with but also gives the pieces a second life. It is so cool to see the way she transforms old into new. Working with her tools she makes the pieces completely her own.
Rachel started Trio making polymer clay earrings but has so much more in store! Her most recent venture into incorporating sea glass and other recycled materials into her creations shows that her creativity is endless. And she has only just begun. We are so excited to see where Trio goes in the future and will be continually supporting her along the way. A big thank you to Rachel for taking the time to speak with us about her journey with her small business. Make sure you follow Trio on Instagram and check out the Trio Esty Shop to catch her next drop! Links to both are found below.
Check out Trio:
