Sustainable Fashion Brand Allégorie Secures Block Advisors ‘Fund Her Future’ Grant for Women-Owned Businesses

Women-owned businesses are historically underfunded yet have seen unprecedented growth in recent years. In fact, women are among the fastest-growing segments of new small business owners, with almost 850 new business formations daily in the U.S.

To help tackle the funding gap, Block Advisors by H&R Block created Fund Her Future – a grant for women-owned businesses to facilitate their growth and long-term success. This June, Block Advisors awarded five women-owned businesses nationwide a combined total of $100,000 in funding and a year of small business services — including bookkeeping, payroll, tax preparation, and business formation. One winner received a grand prize of $50,000. Four additional finalists received $12,500 grants.

After receiving an overwhelming response from more than 6,000 talented women founders applying during the submission period, the grant selection process wasn’t easy. From this pool, twenty finalists were selected for their entrepreneurial tenacity, well-crafted plan for grant use, and intent to create a positive social impact.

Block Advisors awarded the grand prize to Allégorie. This New York City-based women-owned business produces innovative fashion accessories that provide a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional materials. Founder Heather Jiang leads the company. Her mission is to bring creative sustainability practices to the fashion industry. Her company transforms discarded fruits such as apples, mangos, and pineapples, and recycled plastic into stylish and durable wallets, purses, backpacks, and other accessories. The company’s goal to reduce food waste and greenhouse gas emissions, combined with Heather’s detailed plan to leverage the grant to grow her company, convinced the selection committee to name her the Fund Her Future grand prize winner.

Fashionably tackling food waste

Heather’s products are as eco-friendly as they are beautiful. Characterized by clean, on-trend designs and resiliency comparable to genuine leather — the Allégorie brand resonates with many consumers. Her customers seek stylish, low-eco-impact products for their slow fashion lifestyle. She started Allégorie in 2019 after realizing the need to reduce food waste. Nearly 40% of food produced in the U.S. goes to waste. And food produced but not eaten yearly adds 3.3 billion tons of greenhouse gases to the planet’s atmosphere. Startled by the reality driving these statistics, Heather made it her mission to turn waste into something useful and beautiful.

She described a revelation that set the stage for starting her own business. “Meaningful products are only made through thoughtful processes. We decided to do it right from day one, through how we produce, who we produce with, and where we produce.” Community connection is a cornerstone of Allégorie. Heather partners with local NYC-based upcycling and food system nonprofits to give back. She also uses local manufacturing and partners with area artists on design collaborations. The company sells its products at pop-up events and maker markets across the New York metro region.

Taking chances; changing the fashion industry.

Heather first heard about the Fund Her Future grant on social media. Without hesitation, she applied for the grant. “It looks like a great opportunity,” she thought. It was her first time applying for a grant program, let alone one intended for women-owned businesses like hers.

“While I can talk about food waste, sustainability, and my products all day, it was the first time I applied for a grant, so I didn’t know what to expect.”

Heather completed the application, detailing critical business details. In it, she carefully outlined her short- and long-term business goals and methods for achieving them. Her answers on this initial submission opened the door to a finalist interview, where she expanded on her ideas.

“In my interview, I was honest about the challenges and laid out a realistic plan.” Like many small business owners, Heather is challenged daily by the limitations so many entrepreneurs face. She often spreads herself thin to get everything done. “As a business, there are always to-dos: new leads to chase, new product ideas, new projects, new business opportunities. But every one of them takes time and resources.”

Heather hopes to boost her company’s productivity using the Fund Her Future grant for women-owned businesses. As the sole full-time employee at the company, she juggles a lot. From daily operations and production coordination to marketing, design, and financial management – there’s plenty to keep her busy. Hiring additional employees will empower her to delegate some aspects of her business. This will help Heather focus on leading business development and expanding distribution to amplify Allégorie’s sustainability impact. The grant will also enable Heather to expedite plans to unveil new designs, colors, and fiber sources for the Allégorie line.

“I need to bring the brand to more people,” Heather says.

The right support at the right time for women-owned businesses

Heather is eager to leverage Block Advisors’ small business services. “I’m excited about having less guesswork and having an experienced professional guide me through best business practices.”  Heather looks forward to having an experienced advisor to help her keep her company’s finances organized and ensure cash flows are on track as she grows Allégorie.

Heather Jiang’s work through Allégorie exemplifies the powerful impact that passion, innovation, and determination can have. Winning the Fund Her Future grant provides the financial support and expertise to accelerate her company’s growth. It empowers her to continue pushing the boundaries of sustainable fashion.

With the added support from Block Advisors’ services, Heather is poised to bring Allégorie’s eco-conscious designs to a broader audience. She’s set on proving that fashion can be both beautiful and environmentally responsible. Her company’s growth journey over the next year will demonstrate the difference targeted support makes for women-owned businesses.

Learn more about Heather’s story on the Allégorie website.

Get help for your small business today from Block Advisors.

---