Off The Pole was born out of Sarah Scott’s desire to share her experience with as many people as possible. As a professional level pole dancer and instructor her travels around the globe had seen her come across the same questions and issues within the industry and so the concept of creating a shared space to help bridge these was born.
As the concept of Off The Pole gathered momentum so did the feeling of responsibility within the team to create a company that not only reflected the beliefs and passions of those involved but also to be a place that the team are proud to work. Coming from varied backgrounds we’d all worked in places that talked the talk but were more interested in the bottom line when it came down to it.
We’ve tried to remain true to our core values as we have grown. Some of these are represented through our:
• Facebook Community – A safe space for pole enthusiasts to share their inspiration and challenges and be supported by one another. The group currently services over 16,000 members and this is increasing every day.
• Inclusive clothing – We wanted high quality clothing at an affordable price that lasts. Our sizing aims to cater to all body shapes and sizes and the models we use to promote them also reflect this. We also regularly use customers’ images in our social media posts which we then feed into our website. The fabrics and designs are hand chosen by Sarah and are made to be hardwearing and functional without compromising on comfort and aesthetics.
• Listening! – It seems so obvious but we’ve made so many changes to our processes, website and clothing based on customer feedback and appreciate we wouldn’t be where we are today without it. Our customers know we listen and feel comfortable letting us know how we can improve our products and services. If ever there is a problem we try to resolve it quickly and make our service as friendly and easy as possible.
• Principles – we know we have a voice and that carries a responsibility with it. We stand up for what we believe in and try to create a positive impact and experience with our followers. These include supporting and donating to environmental initiatives, Mental health, disabilities and educational tutorials. We also endeavour to grow our own understanding of the issues we support and our customers often help us with that by tagging us in articles. It’s a two way street! When we decided to start our clothing line we felt it was important to fly and visit our manufacturer to ensure the production met our standards for working conditions.
• We can always do more! We are currently working on more free content for our customers with training videos, tips and tricks and member guest blogs to add to the masses of free content already available through our website. We are also working on reducing our environmental footprint.
How we show up for our customers and followers represents how we feel a business should be run. It’s a lovely position to be in; to be creating something that seems to matter to so many people. The feedback we get from our customers about how pole has changed their lives, the way they feel about themselves and the confidence it has given them keeps driving us forward. Hearing how our clothing and social presence has contributed to this makes our work so much more rewarding.
We are still a small team and would never have dreamed we would be in the position we are today in a few short years. There is still so much left to do but it’s exciting to see how far we have come and what we might be able to achieve tomorrow. To be a part of a community that genuinely wants you to succeed. That feels like you make a difference to them. It matters.
As a company grows it can be harder to stay true to your principles but it’s not impossible. It just requires a little more work. But it’s worth it.
SewSteff is a UK based, custom pole clothing brand, passionate about making size inclusive and affordable pole fitness wear.
I am the sole owner and seamstress at SewSteff HQ. As a single mum to two young girls I am committed to promoting independence, self-sufficiency and empowerment. I love to reflect these qualities within my work.
3 years ago, my new love for pole unexpectedly united me with my passion for sewing. The values demonstrated by my instructors and classmates really ignited a fire in me to bring both of my passions together.
I have worked to build a person-centred experience with a view to inspire confidence in fellow ‘Polers’. The items I offer are both customisable and practical whilst also encouraging clients to show their individual style and flair. I strive to provide pole clothing that is as empowering for those more body conscious, as it is for those more daring. Each and every one of my clients is treated as an individual.
3 years ago, I began by only offering two styles of shorts. These were primarily sold to local pole students. I began to develop Facebook and Instagram pages to advertise my items. I have since worked to provide a much larger array of choices, including but not limited to, various styles of sport bras and shorts to back warmers, skirts, crop t-shirts and platform shoe protectors. I am steadily increasing the available selection as I am encouraged to respond to Polers requests – they all have their own fantastic inspirational ideas. I lovingly handmake each set with the individual client in mind and am now even shipping internationally.
This last year has been incredible. I have been honoured to support other areas of the pole community as they raise money for charities. I have had the great pleasure of making outfits for annual charity shows, providing raffle items and vouchers to university pole communities and even supporting a studio after they had flood damage earlier this year. I have also had the opportunity to team up with a couple of studios to create a ‘uniform’ that reflects their studio’s personality and brand. In the last few months, whilst continuing to trade during the Covid-19 pandemic, I have supplied face coverings and headbands to workers on the front line alongside working on the front line myself in pharmacy.
Being environmentally conscious is high on my list of priorities. I use packaging that is either repurposed, recyclable or reusable. I make a conscious effort to buy supplies from small businesses, where possible. Scrap fabrics are either repurposed or sent on to those that can make use of them. This will continue to evolve as the business grows.
In the future I plan to expand the options offered (I am currently working on leotards and researching male orientated pole wear) whilst continuing to provide a flexible service to all Polers. My clients will always be my focus and I am joyed to say that I have made many a friend along the way.
My facebook: SewSteff Pole Wear https://www.facebook.com/SewSteff88
My instagram: SewSteff https://www.instagram.com/sewsteff/
The company was started back in 2016, I had been poling around 3 years and decided I wanted to compete. Being quite creative but never trained, I started embellishing underwear and altering tops to make them less sports wear and more stage wear.
From here I found the love for sewing, using a small corner of my spare room and a 6 box storage unit too, my journey started.
I hand draft all my own patterns and literally taught myself along the way, watching numerous YouTube videos and Pintrest how toos.
I spent 2017 competing and using this as a platform to get my creations out there.
One of my proudest moments was being approached my Stacey Snedden in 2018, to make the costumes for the Pole Theatre UK’s opening show, dressing pole celebrities from around the globe. I was so overwhelmed and couldn’t believe that little old me had been given this amazing opportunity.
From here I converted what was my guest room into my main office/sewing room, it was time to level up!!
Pole Theatre UK was the most amazing experience ever and to be invited back in 2019 just made me realise this is what I wanted!
The past few years have been amazing, being able to go to competitions where I take a stall, sponsor the events, providing prizes and vouchers. I also try my best to support online challenges on Instagram too, as it’s great to see people from all over the world come together.
I love people glowing on stage wearing my outfits, there is no better feeling. Every order that comes through to me is made to measure and custom made, with one on one contact with the customer. They can choose every single detail from cut of shorts, how many straps on the back to full lace and rhinestones outfits. My designs have been sent all over the world, some have even been worn on the front cover of Australia’s Pole Dance Magazine, when Chilli Rox got her number 1 inspirational pole dancer for the second year running.
I still work from home in my spare room, I also have my own dog groomers and just bought a pole studio so safe to say I like to keep busy. Pole is my passion from choreographing routines, creating outfits and helping others, the whole industry has become my life!
Throughout the covid-19 pandemic I donated my time to making face coverings, head bands for the mask to hook on to and snap bands. These were all donated to key workers, NHS staff and 50 went to the McMillan nurses who were working constantly throughout. The pole industry is very inspirational and supportive, I am so happy to be part of this amazing community. Thank you for my votes.
We are based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, since 2017. My name is Raquel and I started the company as an accessories brand for floorwork, with socks and knee pads, which grew to a complete clothing brand this year. I now run the brand together with my husband, Evilásio.
As a pole dancer, I wanted to reflect and contribute with what is best in our community: the mutual acceptance and sorority. Since the beginning, we aimed to be inclusive, to show real bodies in our campaigns and to develop products that were accessible to everyone, always client focused. We want our products to make the clients feel comfortable and sexy. We always try to use our social media and voice to contribute to the growth and empowerment of our community, staying connected to the clients, the pole world and the society in general.
Grip-Hands is a product produced by Tanzstudio VI-Dance. After 10 years of pole danceexperience we started to produce a grip which works really fast and is easy to remove from the pole. Grip-Hands was born.
I started this business here to support the local stray animal association here in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. Most of the earning goes to the strays every month. Due to movement control recently because of pandemic more and more strays needed help. Our business module is based on creating something new with my clients something that they dream of. However, due to small business we can’t afford register and trade mark all design that we created so there are few insta shop that will used our shoe’s pictures that we created and produced on their pages and declare it to be theirs. Sadly, when the client that created the shoes come and show me yet I can’t do anything about it. Business is hard during the tough time but I will still tried my best to create some happiness for my client.
We don’t have any website. We only have insta page.
We are a small business located in good old sunny Skegness. We hand-make all our garments from our little HQ that we have grown into.
We started out 4 years ago after finding it difficult at a dress size 14/16 to find pole wear that i felt comfortable in, that fitted me correctly. Going to classes i craved to feel inclusive with all my pole friends. So knowing my partner aka “Mr Polehog” was experienced with sewing machines i asked him to make me something that i felt comfortable in..
Voilà Polehog was born.
Our aim…
The creation of Polehog is very personal..we wanted to create something that would offer something for everyone, no matter of their financial circumstances, dress size or age… so regardless of anyones situation, pole abilities, beginner new mummys, men who want to try something a bit different, children to teenagers and world class pole champions, they can go to pole classes feeling a million dollars.
We wanted to create a brand that is known for being friendly, truthful with great helpful advice, real photos of real unedited people. We’re not here for a hard sell, we wont sell an item we feel isnt suitable!
We only use top quality fabrics, threads and fantastic industrial machines, as to us quality is key!
We have created an amazing following for the above reasons.. going forward, we hope to keep things exactly the same no matter how much we expand just adding more styles and things we can offer.
Our friendly “safe place” group where members can ask questions, show off their new buys, general pole chit chat, see our newest and limited fabrics and usually where we hold our insane sales:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/1384435154916450?ref=share
“Hoodlum Fang is a brand drenched in colour, distinctive prints and classic fitness wear designs. Quality is of the utmost importance, each garment is handmade with care and dedication by the sole founder and creator, Chloe Hood. With print designs unlike anything you have seen before, digitally designed in house by Chloe also, Hoodlum Fang stands for boldness, confidence and strength.
Hoodlum Fang originated from founder Chloe’s desire to find fitness wear that was not only functional to fit their body well while they trained, but to also be comfortable and host some killer prints. Sick of buying fitness wear that would inevitably end up in the bottom of the wardrobe after one unsuccessful workout session, they set out to make their own fitness wear to fit their shape. Taking the skills they had learnt from University they set to work. It was only through speaking to their peers from roller derby, they soon realised that they weren’t the only one who was struggling to find functional, well fitting fitness wear that was built to last. They felt they could help and from that Hoodlum Fang was born.
Years later, Hoodlum Fang now thrives in the Pole Dance community, producing new and fresh garments for a growing community of badass babes. There is something for everyone at Hoodlum Fang from shorts for beginners who need security and function in their workout wear to the seasoned pole dancer who wants to bring a sultry style to their outfit. Catering for all shapes and sizes, from standard sizes to custom fit available at no extra cost. Hoodlum Fang stands with badasses who want to get fit, do what they love and also look badass while they do it.
About Chloe, owner and founder of Hoodlum Fang. Chloe is a heavily tattooed non-binary bald babe who lives in Portsmouth, UK with their two cats Mr Pickle and Miss Dolly. They spend most of their time pole dancing and cuddling the aforementioned cats, sometimes at the same time, and tending to their house plants. You can find Chloe on instagram where you can check out their freestyle exotic pole adventures, online exotic classes, pictures of their fur kids and newbie gardening skills.”
Website: https://www.hoodlumfang.com/
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/HoodlumFang/
https://www.instagram.com/hoodlumfang/
