Christine Whelan, FEO, JULY 23, 2026, Volume 7
Melissa Huffman, a local artisan, developed her skills first out of necessity, then to feed her passion. She now brings it all together into a business specializing in handmade, tie-dyed wearable art and custom clothing.
Each piece of clothing is a work of art.
“My family came here, to Ridgeway, from the state of Virginia in the late 1700s. They’ve all been farmers. My grandfather had a farm out on Hwy. #3, like a hobby farm,” Melissa shared. “I would say I’m the second generation that isn’t a traditional farmer. But I am a clothing farmer.”
Melissa explained that she got into fashion when she was a young girl. “My mom sewed a lot, so I think I picked up that skill and habit from her. I grew up making my own clothes.”
She said the family didn’t have a lot of money, and she didn’t grow up with the clothes everyone else had, so she started making her own. “That’s been my passion ever since,” she said, turning it into a business in 2019.
Huffman parks her van and sets up shop at three Farmers’ Markets on different days of the week. “I do Port Colborne on Fridays, Ridgeway on Saturdays, and Crystal Beach on Sundays, and then I pick up little events along the way.”
According to Farmers’ Markets Ontario, in Ontario, at least 51% of a market’s vendors must be agricultural producers selling their own farm products to be classified as a legally exempt Farmers’ Market.
Handmade clothing has historically been made by women and children on farms, so businesses like Vanjo Dyes can be considered part of the 51% of vendors in that category.
Melissa says she does most of her business in the summer. “People don’t usually wear tie dye in the winter.”
Facebook Page
The Vanjo Dyes Facebook page plays a major role in showcasing the business by featuring photos of the wide variety of tie-dyed items available and videos of the manufacturing process in Melissa’s “tie dye dungeon”.
She has T-shirts, hats, bed sheets, bandanas, rompers, harem pants, dresses, skirts, hoodies, accessories, and more. On-site, you might even spot her tie-dyed teepee. As you will see on her page, she tie-dyes just about anything, “As long as it’s natural fibre.” It’s her dream to own her own clothing store where everything is handmade.
Huffman shared, “Working with tie-dye makes you think about how garments are made. When I went to fashion school, I discovered how fast fashion upended the fashion industry, so people like me, who make their own clothing, aren’t as successful as they could have been because corporations mass-produce cheap, trendy clothing. So, it’s important to make sure people know the effort and time it takes to make each item.” Her social media videos demonstrate this message.
If you’re looking for quality handmade tie-dyed clothing and accessories, check out Melissa Huffman’s Vanjo Dyes Facebook page, then find her at one of the three Farmers’ Markets on her weekly circuit. Seamstress services are also available.
