Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Harden.
Hi Julie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My journey to creating True Lavender Collective didn’t begin in a lavender field. It began with a decision to walk away from a successful 14-year career in high tech. The career that had once challenged and inspired me was taking far more than it was giving back. Eventually, I listened to that quiet voice many of us hear but few act on: there has to be something more.
Walking away from a stable career wasn’t the safe or obvious choice. But the opportunity to own a lavender boutique was the first path in years that sparked genuine excitement. It wasn’t a carefully mapped-out life plan; it was a leap of faith toward something that felt meaningful.
So why lavender?
Most people think of lavender as a pleasant fragrance or beautiful flower, but it’s one of nature’s most versatile plants with more than 40 species and over 400 cultivated varieties worldwide. Whether one is being creative in the kitchen, caring for health and well-being, creating a fragrant and restful home, caring for pets, or simply building moments of calm into everyday life, lavender has a useful place.
In 2019, my miniature Labradoodle, Juneau, and I packed up our lives and moved to Ashland, Oregon, a small town of about 21,000 people nestled in Southern Oregon. Together, we began what I thought would simply be a new business venture.
For the first five years, our shop proudly represented Pelindaba Lavender, a beloved 25-acre farm on Washington’s San Juan Island that was home to more than 30,000 lavender plants. We believed we were building a long-term partnership with one of the most recognized names in American lavender.
But by mid-2023, subtle cracks in that foundation began to appear. At first they were easy to dismiss. Then, in early 2024, everything unraveled.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
When Pelindaba Lavender abruptly closed in January 2024 amid a pending $3.5 million foreclosure, the impact reached far beyond losing a supplier. It disrupted nearly every aspect of my business, from product development and inventory to marketing to ecommerce and long-term planning.
To make matters worse, I absorbed significant financial losses from inventory that was never delivered. Because no one expected a well-established, 24-year-old farm to close, there was no contingency built into our agreement for a situation like this. There was no safety net and no clear path to recover those losses, just the reality that the foundation beneath my business had disappeared overnight.
I had a choice: let the moment define the future, or lean in and reimagine what was possible. I chose to lean in.
Oregon’s incredible lavender community made rebuilding possible. Because the closure happened during our slower season and we still had inventory on hand, we quietly reinvented the business behind the scenes. It often felt like changing the tires on a moving car. Somehow, we transformed our suppliers, products, branding, and vision without most customers ever realizing how much was changing beneath the surface.
As I began building relationships with lavender growers and small family businesses across Oregon, my vision for the business evolved. Instead of rebuilding around a single supplier, I realized I could create something even more meaningful, a thoughtfully curated lavender collective that celebrated the craftsmanship, creativity, and diversity of an entire community rather than just one brand.
From that vision, True Lavender Collective was born. And yes, building our new identity around the initials TLC was completely intentional. The name reflects not only True Lavender Collective, but also the care, passion, and “tender loving care” that goes into every product we create and every customer experience we hope to provide.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about True Lavender Collective?
True Lavender Collective is much more than a lavender shop. It’s part boutique, part artisan marketplace, and part sensory experience.
The moment you step through our doors, there’s an immediate shift. The calming scent of lavender fills the air, shelves are lined with handcrafted goods, culinary treats invite you to taste something unexpected, and dried bouquets add beauty around every corner. It’s the kind of place where you’re encouraged to wander, ask questions, sample products, and discover something you never knew lavender could do.
Everything we offer is built around the many dimensions of the lavender plant, from steam-distilled essential oils and floral waters to dried flowers and culinary buds. Whether you’re looking to create a more restful bedtime routine, elevate your cooking, freshen your home naturally, find thoughtful gifts, care for your pets, or simply carve out a small moment of calm in a busy day, we want every visit to leave you feeling a little more inspired and a little more relaxed than when you arrived.
What sets you apart from others?
What truly sets us apart is that we don’t see lavender as a fragrance — we see it as a lifestyle.
Many brands offer lavender-scented items alongside dozens of other fragrances. Everything we do is centered around lavender. That singular focus has allowed us to build one of the most thoughtfully curated collections of handcrafted lavender products we’ve encountered, with more than 200 offerings that invite people to experience lavender in ways they never imagined.
Just as important is how we source what we sell.
We work directly with our lavender growers because we believe knowing where your ingredients come from matters. In an era of mass production and anonymous supply chains, we’re intentional about partnering with the people who grow, distill, create, and pour genuine care into their craft.
Every item on our shelves has earned its place. Many are handcrafted by me in small batches. Others represent the life’s work of talented artisans we’ve come to know personally. Each one has a story worth telling.
Our customers certainly have their favorites: from our bestselling Lavender Lotion, Insect Repellent, Linen Spray, Room Mist, and Body Mist to culinary specialties like Lavender Coffee, shortbread cookies, honey, and teas. We hope every purchase becomes more than something to use and instead becomes a reminder to slow down, live more mindfully, and bring a little more calm into everyday life.
How would you describe your brand’s personality in three words?
Grounded. Calming. Intentional.
Grounded because we stay connected to real lavender farms, real ingredients, and the talented artisans behind every product we carry. Calming because we want people to genuinely feel more relaxed and restored after spending time with us, whether they’re visiting the shop or enjoying our products at home. And intentional because every formula we create, every artisan we partner with, and every product we place on our shelves is chosen with purpose.
What are you most proud of, brand-wise?
Losing our exclusive supplier began as a crisis but it was an unexpected gift.
Today, True Lavender Collective helps small farms extend the value of their harvests beyond bloom season by connecting their ingredients and craftsmanship with customers year-round. In return, I get to do what I love most: handcraft products, preserve beloved lavender traditions, develop new ideas, and curate an exceptional collection that showcases just how amazing lavender can be.
I’ve discovered leaving my high-tech career was never just about selling lavender products. It became about creating meaningful connections — between people and nature, between customers and makers, and between small businesses that are stronger together than they could ever be alone. That’s what I’m most proud of.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.truelavendercollective.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/lavender_ashland
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/truelavendercollective/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/true-lavender-collective
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TrueLavenderCollective
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/true-lavender-collective-ashland-2
