Our Story
First Rite was launched in 2015 in San Francisco, CA by designer Nikki Garcia. Years of working in all aspects of the industry from retail to small label and corporate design finally converged into the idea of a better way. A smaller footprint, and a more hands on approach involving personal relationships, and an involvement in the process from raw material to finished product.
In 2022 Nikki and her family relocated to her hometown of Portland, OR, where the studio and business are currrently located.

The Collections
We design collections twice a year keeping in mind the principles of considered minimalism and seasonal fluidity. As we begin our process each season, we think about where we left off and what pieces we can carry through or build upon. Our goal is to create a seamless collection of interchangeable pieces designed from all natural fibers to fit effortlessly into any wardrobe and push beyond seasonal trends.

Our Materials:
We are constantly working toward sourcing the best textiles and fibers for our collections and choose only those made from all natural fibers, our favorites being linen, organic cotton, and alpaca. We choose undyed yarns that highlight the natural shades of the animals they come from for our knitwear whenever possible. The dyes used for our linen collection out of India are azo free and Oeko Tex certified.
Read more about our materials here

Our Production Partners
We have chosen our partners based on their quality, craftsmanship, standards and practices, and have built lasting personal relationships with mutual respect. We support fair labor and hourly living wages. Our wovens are cut and sewn in Los Angeles, CA and New Dehli, India. Our LA partners are a small family owned, woman led workshop that sew our heavier twill styles. Our partners in India produce our linen collection and have been a fair trade facility for the past 30 years. Our sweaters are knit by a woman led, fair trade workshop in Lima, Peru and we work closely with them to source all natural yarns from mills that support the surrounding farming communities.

Sustainability
We are committed to reducing our footprint by continuing to support partners and suppliers using best practices, and source all natural materials for our development and production.
We are proud to ship plastic free, using 100% recyclable materials made from post consumer waste to contribute to a zero waste future.