Since founding Relativity Textiles in 2015, Erin Minckley is on a mission to rewrite the conversation around pattern play. As a screen printer by trade, Minckley uses her industry know-how and global citizen status to bring diverse, storied prints and practices to an assortment of fabrics, wallcoverings, artworks and rugs. And, after nearly a decade in business, Minckley’s Six Months to Launch program gives fellow female entrepreneurs a steady ground to catapult their own businesses. Ahead, a conversation with Minckley, edited for clarity.
aspire design and home: When did you found Relativity Textiles and what inspired you to launch a textiles company?
Erin Minckley: As an artist straight out of my MFA program in 2012, I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I went to work for another artist, who wanted me to help him print a wallpaper for his show at the MCA in Chicago. I ended up finding a wallpaper manufacturer to do the printing for the project and I fell in love with the old printing presses and the process. I later went to work in that print shop and learned everything there was to know about print production. By 2015, I was ready to take all my industry know-how and go out on my own.
adh: Where does the name Relativity Textiles come from?
EM: The name of the brand was given by one of the workers in the print factory, Chester. My initials when married were EMC like e = mc 2. He wrote that on my box of paper, and I decided to institute that as a clever way to disguise my name into a brand. The principles of the Theory of Relativity prove to be a lovely metaphor for how we all see design from a different vantage point depending on our style, age, and geographic location. Thus, Relativity was born.
adh: Where do you draw inspiration from when dreaming up new patterns and repeats for Relativity Textiles?
EM: Wallpaper is everywhere, and there are a million different patterns to choose from. I wanted to find an angle for my brand that really filled a gap in what’s out there. I didn’t feel like there was a ton of inclusion of different cultural traditions from hundreds of years of makers. I went into the archive of historical patterns and tried to emulate some of the design aesthetics. In essence, I wanted to be the Marco Polo of wallpaper design and “bring the world home.” My eclectic sensibility comes from my love of travel, learning new languages and embracing foreign cultures.
adh: Can you walk us through the design process of your wallcoverings?
EM: I normally start with a drawing or a painting. Since my training is as a screen printer, I think in layers and flat shapes like a stencil. I like the graphic quality of screen printing. Everything goes from analog to digital by way of Adobe Illustrator. The math of how things repeat is very specific to the scale on the wall and the width of the panel. I love the math! Then things either get digitally printed or screen printed by hand, all in Chicago.
adh: While it is hard to select favorites, what is a collection or repeat that you think best reflects the brand’s design DNA?
EM: In 2022, I launched a Dutch Wax-inspired collection. The heritage of Dutch wax cloth is so interesting: It is a global mish-mash of Indonesian batik techniques brought to Western Africa by way of the Dutch trade triangle. The bright colors and unapologetic scale of the motifs feel bold and different and alive.
adh: You’ve also recently expanded into fabric offerings. Can you share a little bit more about this expansion and if the process differs from wallcoverings?
EM: In 2022, I also started offering my designs as fabrics. Fabric is my first love, from before I ever made a wallpaper. I found a mill that’s owned by a female artist, who prints all our fabrics using dye sublimation. The colors are vibrant and steadfast, and the fabrics are washable, fade-resistant, and “life-proof.” Your kids and pets can live on these things without fear of ruining it. As a mom, I felt that this was important when launching a new product.
adh: Of course, Relativity Textiles isn’t complete without its collection of art prints and rugs. Can you share how these smaller goods work into the brand’s offerings? What do these pieces provide clients that a wallcovering or fabric may not.
EM: Since everything starts as art and ends as a vector image, the sky is the limit. I sell some of the motifs from my collections as static artwork prints because everyone loved the little animals from the Alebrijes design. The rugs are being made overseas and are the highest quality silk and wool construction. We are really craving designers who can use these rugs in an innovative way, and we encourage collaboration by making the colors and sizes customizable.
adh: One of Relativity Textiles’s biggest offerings is its Six Months to Launch program. Can you describe what prompted you to offer this program?
EM: I really wanted to find a way to share my knowledge of this industry with others. I’ve been asked many times to consult on the formation of new brands and help existing brands get their art print-ready. With a background in teaching and working in manufacturing, I have such niche skills to share. This is where I came up with the 6MTL program. It’s a done-for-you approach where we use all our resources and help interior designers and artists alike to create their own product lines. It is open to very specific people with businesses that are ready to jump to the next level and already have a built-in audience. It’s been very exciting to see several women through the program and I’m looking for one to two more this fall/spring of 2025.
adh: Can you please break down how the Six Months to Launch program works?
EM: We partner with [both] designers and artists on branding, choosing a cohesive collection of prints, colorizing, and making ready for an industry-wide launch. We create packaging and photograph the products so that they’re ready for selling on an e-commerce platform. Beyond the program, we offer ongoing support through one-on-one coaching and print manufacturing. We also partner with brands like a showroom would keep their line under our umbrella.
adh: At Relativity Textiles, you use your platform to help uplift and amplify other female entrepreneurs. What advice would you give to other women who want to launch their own business?
EM: Hire a coach or find a mentor. I would not be where I am today without a whole team of support. It started with a call to an old college friend who’d become a life coach. We set clear goals and started down a path to reach them. I liken it to hiring a physical trainer. Anyone can go to the gym, but if you want to see results you will need that accountability.
adh: Looking ahead, can you tease anything exciting that Relativity Textiles has coming down the pipeline?
EM: I am writing a book called Pattern to Profit, a step-by-step guide to making a profitable product-based business from your art. This is aimed at interior designers and textile brands to enhance their strategy and structures for their textile business.
relativitytextiles.com | 872.946.7088 | @relativitytextile
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