Necessity, so they say, is the mother of invention, and new Mancos resident Susan Rahmann takes it to heart.
Rahmann, who recently moved from Telluride and opened a clothing and design studio in Mancos, likes to ski, but faced a problem many skiers know well.
"I would always get cold wearing synthetic base layers," she said.
So she set out to design a warm and breathable base layer. After many attempts, she hit the mark with environment-friendly bamboo fabric.
"I love bamboo blends because the smooth, light fibers of bamboo textiles are surprisingly soft, strong and breathable," she said. "And because bamboo is the fastest-growing plant on earth, it can be reharvested frequently without causing damage to the plant system and surrounding environment. In fact, harvesting actually improves the overall health of the bamboo plant, eliminating the need for pesticides - just one more reason to love it."
Rahmen + Co. uses a fabric that is 70 percent bamboo, 25 percent organic cotton and 5 percent spandex. It's warm, breathable and anti-fungal. She designs with two fabrics - fleece and thermal. Base layers continue to be her best sellers.
"Bamboo has been in the fashion industry for 30 years; it just hasn't gone big yet," Rahmann said.
She's banking on bamboo becoming popular, and plans to go wholesale nationally.
Rahmann, who is a self-taught designer, had worked as an accountant before making the move into design.
"Accounting is not very creative, but it did give me a leg up in the business," she said. "My creative juices really started to flow when I was in my 30s."
She then designed clothes in Telluride for about five years under the name Cinnamon Wear, starting with base layers, and recently expanding into dresses and skirts.
Rahmann said she was at a skiwear show in Denver when famous designer Klaus Obermeyer approached her.
"He's a living legend in the ski world, and he pointed to my name (tag) and said, 'That's your company name,'" she said.
Rahmann tweaked her name and now sells under the label Rahmen + Co. Her workshop/studio is at 145 Grand Ave., a historic downtown building. Her store is open with limited hours. She offers discounted items, but mostly sells to boutique stores. Her spring line will be out in a few months.
This year will be the first that all Rahmann's clothing has been sewn in the U.S. The fabric is imported, but she said she makes sure she only works with environmentally friendly companies.
Reviews on Rahmann's website speak the softness of the fabric, which retain a soft quality even after washing.
Looking back, the accountant-turned-designer said she should have known she was destined to be a designer.
"I never had a Barbie when I was a girl, but I had trolls, and I would make outfits for them," she said.
