Oddbird Co. was established in 2015 by Ceren Alkaç-Lee (pronounced Jeren), a Turkish native, wife, and mother of five, who now resides in Los Angeles
Oddbird was born from Ceren’s deep desire to celebrate and share the traditional, handcrafted textiles of her homeland, Türkiye—while offering sustainable, elevated alternatives to the most-used and most-loved essentials for home and body.
In the early 2000s, most fashion brands released just two seasonal collections a year. By 2011, that number had climbed to five—with fast fashion giants like Zara and H&M pushing out up to 24 collections annually to keep up with demand of trends.
By 2016, Oddbird's first full year in business, fast fashion in the U.S. alone was responsible for over 16 million tons of textile waste. Consumers were buying more but wearing less- discarding pieces constructed cheaply, primarily using synthetic fabrications, made under poor working conditions, and that never meant to last.
Recognizing a growing community of conscious consumers—like herself—who sought to lessen their environmental impact through intentional shopping habits, Ceren began sourcing luxurious natural and ec-conscious fibers, handwoven in her homeland of Türkiye. Her vision was to create multi-functional, heirloom-quality homewares and lounge-layers that would stand the test of time and serve a variety of purposes—allowing us to 'buy less and use more' all while supporting small-batch production in the process.
But it wasn’t just about offering better options for the consumer—it was equally about creating a brand that could serve as an ethical and sustainable partner for the craftspeople behind the work. By collaborating with family-run weaving ateliers, many of whom have practiced their craft for generations, Oddbird exists to both preserve Türkiye's traditional textile industry and ensure that artisans are thriving—not just surviving while sharing their incredible craft with the world.
That’s why we’ve always paid our weavers above industry standards, and why we’re committed to growing with them—so that as our brand evolves, their communities do too.
We’re incredibly proud to create small-batch, artisanally-made pieces that require a human touch. What sets Oddbird apart from many other home/body brands is our dedication to working with traditional century-old shuttle looms, operated only by trained artisans—unlike the factory-made textiles often sourced by larger labels. It’s slower, yes—but with Türkiye's rich history woven into every piece - it’s infinitely more meaningful.
At Oddbird, we work exclusively with 100% natural—mostly raw and unprocessed—fibres, as well as eco-consious and recycled materials, not just to extend the life of each textile, but to ensure that if one of our pieces ever ends up in a landfill, it leaves as little behind as possible. Most of our garments are handwoven, thoughtfully finished with reinforced seams, and designed to get softer, stronger, and more beautiful with time.
We build every piece with multi-functionality in mind, so our customers can get more out of less—and with the right love and care, we hope your Oddbird pieces will stick around for many, many years to come.
In fact, we offer complimentary lifetime repairs on all Oddbird garments—because longevity isn’t just a hope, it’s a promise. (See our FAQ page for details.)
We’re proud to be part of the growing conversation around ethics and sustainability in fashion, and honored to serve a community of customers who are seeking quality, care, and integrity—especially in their most used and beloved everyday essentials.
*source: Business Insider, https://bit.ly/3obGfVm
