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Shay Cook of Beyond Swirls makes wearable art with a geode-style tie-dye. It's powder and ice dyeing instead of liquid dye, so the colors split apart as the ice melts and every piece comes out one of a kind. Shay talks about how a disappointing tie-dye kit during COVID turned into years of experimenting, why everything for sale is something Shay would personally wear, and why keeping up with TikTok and online content is the hard part, plus Jethro's advice to simply show the process.
Hosted by Jethro Jones of Optimization Doc. Discover more Spokane business conversations at Spokane Daily.
Spokane Daily tells the stories of how local people actually make a living. Join Jethro Jones, the Optimization Doc, for conversations with Spokane-area business owners about why they started, how their businesses make money, what's working, and what they're building next. From solo operators and family businesses to growing local companies, each episode goes inside the work: the people, numbers, decisions, and challenges behind the business. Hear practical lessons you can use, discover businesses worth knowing, and meet the people shaping Spokane's business community. When we talk about AI, we focus on what it means for local businesses.
Beyond Swirls: shirt.
So all of my blanks are premium. I try to get organic if possible. I try to get US-based. And so everything is a high quality. So if I'm gonna spend two days making a shirt, it's not gonna be a shirt that is gonna chafe or something like that. And so people will notice that my shirts are softer, my hoodies are softer.
And that just seems to be working, that people notice that what I create's different and they've never seen it before. And who doesn't want a one-of-a-kind shirt that they're not gonna see someone else wearing?
Jethro: Welcome to Spokane Daily. I am your host, Jethro Jones. I run Optimization Doc, where I help businesses streamline so they are either ready to sell their business or be more of a cash cow for the owner. Today, we are c- talking with Shay Cooke of Beyond Swirls. You can check out her website at beyondswirls.com.
So welcome, Shay. Thanks for being here. What do you do, and who do you do it for?
Beyond Swirls: Create wearable art with a geode style tie. It's technically tie-dye, but it's definitely different than what most people consider tie-dye. And I do it for everyone that likes art. You don't need it on the wall if you're wearing it necessarily.
Jethro: Yeah. And if you are watching the video, which, uh, this podcast is available in audio and video, if you are watching both of them, then, uh, or watching the video, excuse me, then you will see that, uh, Shay's wearing one of her shirts. And, uh, explain a little bit how it's different from regular tie-dye, because that was something that I didn't understand when I first met you
Beyond Swirls: The process is different. So I do powder and ice dyeing. Um, the standard tie-dye is just liquid, but when you powder and ice dye... So my sweatshirt here is only one color, but you can see there's, like, multiple colors in here. So when you do the ice dyeing, it allows the colors to split apart as if, I don't know, you're, if you're aware, it takes multiple colors to create one color.
So as the ice slowly melts, it allows all of those colors to split apart. And so every piece that I create is always gonna be different. It's always gonna be a one-of-a-kind piece. It takes a lot longer, and it takes a lot more dye than what liquid dye. So liquid dyeing, it would probably maybe a tablespoon of dye to do a shirt.
When you ice dye, it's more like 15 tablespoons. But then it's c- it just creates a beautiful piece that it's more flowy, and I think it's just way prettier and more artistic than just the standard
Jethro: Uh, and, and I agree with you on that. It, it feels, uh, more ephemeral, as in you, you... Uh, I know that it's, it's there and it's gonna be there as you wear it, but it feels like it's a cloud more than a dye. And, and that is a, that's a neat thing to see. And when, when I was at your booth at the craft fair, I saw you had a ton of stuff, and each piece...
I mean, we're not here to talk about that part of it, but it takes a long time, and it's really amazing what you're doing. So why did you start this, Shay?
Beyond Swirls: Um, well, during COVID I bought my friend one of those like cheap $10 tie-dye kits, and we did it 'cause I was bored in COVID and, you know, whatever. And I was like, "This, this is sucky. Like, this could be so much better." And I mean, everyone's stuck at home, so I just started doing some research and watched some YouTube videos, and tried to figure out a way to just make it more artistic and like make the colors more vibrant.
'Cause when you buy those kits, you know, at Target or whatever, they're just not bright, they're not vibrant. The color tends just to wash out in a couple of washings. And so I started researching the ice dyeing. And we had a pretty bad winter so I was able to buy my ice and just leave it outside. Um, typically I go through about 200 pounds of ice a week, and a freezer doesn't hold that.
So it's really nice when it's cold outside, 'cause then I can just buy a whole bunch and just leave it outside. Um, so then that's when I got into ice dyeing. It's taken me quite a few years to tweak, 'cause different dye powders have a different consistency, and some colors are a heavy hitter, some don't hit as hard.
So you have to figure out, oh, the turquoise you don't need as much as if you would need it for the powder pink. And, um, it's taken me a lot to get where I am and to figure out my tying style
Jethro: so give me the numbers. How do you make money? Do people see the value in it, stuff like that? How's that going?
Beyond Swirls: Um, I'm not necessarily making money at this point. I'm really trying to get the brand out. Um, I can't really do the cost of each, like say shirt. I don't like to s- I don't wanna weigh out my powder. I don't wanna weigh out the ice. I feel like that would take the fun out of the art, and I don't wanna let a shirt tell me how to live my life, you know?
Jethro: Yeah.
Beyond Swirls: I'm just gonna go with the flow and, I know a hoodie takes about 30 pounds of ice per se. A shirt may be around seven pounds. Is that exact?
Absolutely not. I don't wanna do that. It takes away from the art and me turning my brain off when I get home from work and able just to create. I don't wanna keep doing that.
Jethro: Yeah. Well, and that's the, that's the accountant in you thinking about all those things and knowing that that's, that's how you make the business work, and that's not what you're doing this for, obviously. And so being able to, like, share your art and create something beautiful for people is, is really the point.
And so that stuff, uh, definitely would make it less fun if you just had to do more work when you got home, and so I can see where you're at with that. Um, what's working really well, and what are you... What's going, what's bringing you a lot of fun and joy right now?
Beyond Swirls: Um, I really like when people come into my booth and they see the difference in what I create, um, versus like a standard Grateful Dead style tie-dye. Um, it honestly makes me really happy, and it brings me joy when they're like, "I've never seen a tie-dye look like this." And everything that I sell is what I personally wear, so it's not like a $2 someone else wearing?
Jethro: Yeah, yeah, for sure. Uh, having that uniqueness is, is really cool. Um, you're putting a lot of time and energy into making each of these items of clothing, and so, you know, it's taking two days to make a shirt sounds crazy to me, but that's, that's what it takes. So what's something that is harder than it should be for you right now?
Beyond Swirls: Um, the whole internet content, I tried to do the TikTok thing and it's really hard to keep up with. And it's like I don't wanna put myself as my brand, and that's what I guess you need to do to have people follow you or like your videos. But I want my brand to be about the art, not it just being a blonde girl or it just being a girl period.
And so on my page, people never know if I'm a girl, if I'm a boy, if I'm young, if I'm old, 'cause I've- I don't post my pictures. And I'm really bad about trying to do process videos 'cause then I have to like set up the light, then set up the camera, remember to record, and I don't think about that.
I just wanna turn my brain off and create my art. And like my, my pictures probably get like 700 views and maybe like two or three likes. So I mean, people are looking at them.
Jethro: Yeah. Yep. Yeah, so I would, I would say, um, looking at your TikTok, uh, the process video is, is what's going to be beneficial for you because then that's what shows people the value of what you're doing, that you, you have like, you start the camera at PM on Tuesday, and then you pull out the final shirt and you show that it is, uh, 7:00 PM on Thursday or whatever, you know? And so it could... Like, part of that is really boring 'cause it's just sitting there in the ice, right? Yeah,
Beyond Swirls: Super boring.
Jethro: yeah, so you take a couple pictures, uh, of, of that process and, you know, and I wouldn't worry about the lighting, and I wouldn't worry about, like, it being perfect. Just showing the process would be sufficient, and it doesn't have to be, uh, perfect, and you're not selling the shirt at that point. What you're doing is showing the process and why nobody else can do this, or nobody else can do this easily. Like, if I wanted to do this, okay, I could do it, but then I'd have to get all the stuff and set aside a space to do it. I promise you I'm not interested in that, but I'm really fascinated in how you would do that.
And so that's, that would be my recommendation is that process stuff would be... People would love that.
Beyond Swirls: Yeah, I mean,
Jethro: bit
Beyond Swirls: my,
Jethro: but do it
Beyond Swirls: my business has taken over my dining room, my garage, my spare room. Uh, yeah, I mean, I could show you how
Jethro: Yeah, there it is
Beyond Swirls: So, so that's a catering table,
Jethro: Yeah, and then
Beyond Swirls: it has like a drain. Those are my dyes.
Jethro: Yeah
Beyond Swirls: It might not look like much, but there's a ... I think last time I counted, I have 98 colors
Jethro: Oh my goodness. That's crazy.
Beyond Swirls: I know, and they're like ... And then the website will send you an email, "Oh, a new ice style color came out." And then of course I'm like, "Well, I have to try it."
Jethro: sure. Yeah. Yeah. Very good. All right, so, uh, that would be my suggestion for the internet marketing stuff. I, I think that kind of process stuff of what it takes and how much room it takes, and just a picture of all your supplies and everything, and where it's all stored, that would be compelling internet content for people, and people would like watching that process, even though a lot of it is just sitting there for 24 hours, 48 hours, whatever. so what should people in Spokane know about you, and how can they connect with you?
Beyond Swirls: Um, they could know that I'm just a real person that likes to create art, and I love every piece that I make. And sometimes I'm sad when things sell 'cause then I know that I might not ever see it again. And I always get excited when I see my art in the wild, and they're like, "Hey, I made that. I, I know your wife.
I- she bought that from me. You have matching socks with that."
Jethro: Ja
Beyond Swirls: really excited.
I am working on my website. It's not the most up-to-date. I just switched from GoDaddy to Shopify. So anyone that knows that process, it's, I have to weigh every piece that I have. And as you know, I have, ugh, probably over 300 pieces.
Yeah
Jethro: Yeah, for sure. Yeah. Um, so, uh, as, as part of that, uh, or as part of this, I put together a little thank you for coming on the show, uh, which is a, some suggestions on how to improve your website. And so you can, uh, take that and, and use it. I'll send it to you here in a minute, uh, once we finish. But, uh, thank you for being on.
Uh, w- I'm gonna do our rapid fire questions now. You ready?
Beyond Swirls: Okay. Yeah
Jethro: All right. Here we go. So best business decision that you have ever made
Beyond Swirls: Getting myself out there and doing events for sure
Jethro: Yeah. Uh, I agree. I would've never met you if you didn't go to that craft fair. what local business deserves a shout-out?
Beyond Swirls: Tails and Scales Shop
Jethro: What are the, who are they? What do they do?
Beyond Swirls: Um, so they do 3D printed, but, um, they, it's hand-painted on top of it, so you would think that when you pick something up, it would be a ceramic piece. But it's actually 3D printed, and so it's not just a standard run-of-the-mill 3D printed. When you look at something, it looks, um... She does skulls, like unicorn skulls and dinosaur skulls, and I sent one to my nephew, and he actually thought it was a real dinosaur skull.
I mean, granted, he's five. But she hand-paints everything, so it looks, it looks like it's ceramic, or it looks like it's a bone. It's, it- they're really awesome
Jethro: Great. That sounds like somebody I need to have on the podcast. Please
Beyond Swirls: For sure
Jethro: so we can do that. All right, what do you want to accomplish in the next 12 months?
Beyond Swirls: I would like to get my gr- my brand out globally. I, I have quite a few states that I s- have regulars in, but I would like to get, you know, international. That would be nice
Jethro: That, that would be cool. well thank you again so much, Shay, for, for coming on Spokane Daily. I'm really excited to have you. This was a great conversation. And, uh, if you want to check out her awesome stuff, go to beyondswirls.com. Shay, thank you for being part of Spokane Daily
Beyond Swirls: Thank you for having me