Behind the Brand: FABRIC

1. What is the name of your company?

FABRIC

2. What is your title?

Founder, Head of Brand

3. Where is your company located?

Denver, Colorado

4. Whats your current obsession?

Lately, I’ve been fully in my tea era, slowly cutting back from my coffee addiction. It’s that time of year when you need a hot beverage in hand at all times. I’m obsessed with my new Koshi chime, adaptogens, and, as a music lover meets brand pro, I’ve been deep-diving into sonic branding and the power of sound. Funny how even after 10 years in the industry, the more you learn, the less you know.

5. How did you hear about Naturally Colorado? What made you become a member? Has Naturally Colorado helped you in any way?

I’ve been involved with Naturally Colorado for years, first as a brand designer working with CPG founders, and now as a founder myself. I like to joke that I went from color palettes to pallets of cans. Being part of the community has been incredibly grounding, it’s one of those spaces where everyone truly gets what it means to build something from scratch. The connections, events, and conversations have helped me bridge the gap between creative strategy and the day to day of owning a CPG brand…which has been huge! There’s a certain energy in Naturally Colorado that keeps you inspired and supported, especially in such a fast-moving industry. It’s such a great resource.

6. What size is your company?

3 founders, and growing!

7. What inspired you to start your company?

FABRIC started as a shared idea between friends who wanted to create something that actually made people feel good. Tom Eddleston began toying with the concept of a functional beverage brand alongside our brewer and biochemist in Australia, Nick Galton-Fenzi. Around that time, I was doing a lot of work (brand design) in the non-alcoholic category and wanted a beverage with zero sugar, zero alcohol that still made me feel something. When Anthony Bradley and I joined forces with Tom, it became the perfect mix of creativity, strategy, and purpose. For me, FABRIC is the intersection of everything I care about: mental health, design, and culture, woven together into something tangible.

8. Why did you choose to focus on the natural and organic industry?

It’s a natural extension of how I live. I’ve always believed the things we create should reflect our personal lifestyle, I wanted something I could stand behind. I didn’t want to build a brand that contributed to the noise of products packed with sugar. I wanted to build something with my co-founders that I’d actually drink every day and feel good about sharing with others. That’s why we formulated FABRIC to be zero calorie, zero sugar, and free from the junk while still delivering on a buzz. For me, it’s about scaling things I’m genuinely proud of.

9. Can you describe the biggest challenge you faced during the early stages of your company, and how you overcame it?

Being a new CPG brand will always come with challenges, but doing it in the hemp space adds a whole other layer. From navigating regulations to dealing with ad restrictions and banking hurdles, we’ve had to get creative at every turn. Early on, it felt like there was a new roadblock every week, but we learned to treat each one as an opportunity to think differently and to build a brand our way.

For me personally, the biggest lesson has been learning to get out of my own way. As a founder, it’s easy to overthink, to want everything perfect before moving forward, but in this space, momentum matters more than perfection. We’ve overcome challenges by staying nimble, leaning into creative problem-solving, and focusing on what we can do instead of what we can’t. It’s a lot about a positive mindset, if you have that you have a lot going for you.

10. What keeps you up at night regarding your business?

My massive to-do list! There’s always something waiting for me to check off the list. It used to stress me out, but at some point I realized I’ll never actually reach the end, and that’s not a bad thing. It means the business is growing, ideas are flowing, and there’s always something to build or improve.

11. What strategies can you share that have been effective?

12. How important is networking, and what strategies do you use to build and maintain professional relationships?

You can have the best product in the world, but people need to experience it to believe it. Relationships open doors that marketing alone can’t. From getting our cans into the right hands to connecting with distributors, advisors, and retail partners, every major milestone we’ve hit has come from building genuine connections. On the business side, we’ve been intentional about surrounding ourselves with stellar advisors who are experts in their fields– people who challenge us, expand our thinking, and bring valuable experience to the table.

13. What is one piece of advice or knowledge that has changed your life and why?

“Get out of your own way.” It sounds simple, but it’s been one of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned as a founder and as a human. So much of growth, both personally and professionally comes from recognizing when you are the thing holding yourself back. Whether it’s fear, perfectionism, or overthinking, letting go of that resistance creates space for real momentum. I also think a lot about the responsibility we have as founders to build something that not only succeeds but gives back. Building a CPG brand takes guts, heart, and a whole lot of resilience. It’s not for the faint of heart, but that’s what makes it so rewarding.

Connect with Haylee.

Learn more about FABRIC.

More about Behind the Brand:

Everyone has a unique founding journey and we want to hear yours and share it with the community! Whether it’s how you started, your mission or the challenges you’ve overcome, we want to spotlight you and celebrate your success and journey. 

We will feature one brand a month on our website, on social media, and in our newsletter. In addition to connecting with the Naturally Colorado community, this is an opportunity to provide support and guidance to others! 

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The Naturally Colorado team will follow up with more information if your submission is chosen to be featured in the Behind the Brand series.