Where every stitch tells a story
Founded by Henriëtte van der Zwan, Once Upon a Thread brings creativity and care together to craft handcrafted dresses that celebrate every child’s unique charm.
Once upon a thread, science and creativity intertwined.
I’m Henriëtte van der Zwan, a former animal geneticist who discovered a love for sewing when my children were babies. What began as a quiet, joyful escape between feedings and nap times soon blossomed into something more.
As I stitched tiny dresses for my daughter, friends and family began to take notice, asking for pieces of their own—each request sparking new ideas and growing my passion. I found myself enchanted not just by the fabrics, but by the stories woven into each design.
Inspired by the joy of creating beautiful, one-of-a-kind garments that made little girls light up with delight, I founded Once Upon a Thread—a brand dedicated to making every girl feel like the princess in her own fairytale.
Our Mission
At Once Upon a Thread, we believe life is too short not to wear a pretty dress every day. Childhood is full of magic, and what we wear should reflect that wonder.
Each of our handcrafted dresses is made to order with care and intention, ensuring not only quality and comfort but also a sense of individuality in every stitch.
With a thoughtfully curated range of premium fabrics and customisable design options, we create timeless pieces that celebrate each child’s unique style—and invite them to step into their own everyday fairytale.
Our Vision
We dream of a world where every dress tells a story and every child has the freedom to express their personality through beautifully crafted clothing.
At Once Upon a Thread, we believe that what a child wears should be more than just fabric—it should be a reflection of who they are and the world they imagine.
Through high-quality, custom-made designs, we strive to inspire creativity, nurture confidence, and add a touch of everyday magic to every little girl’s wardrobe.
Our vision is to create garments that not only look beautiful but also feel meaningful—pieces that become part of childhood memories, playtime adventures, and the stories they’ll one day tell.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have a physical shop?
How do I order?
- Select a pattern from our selection of patterns
- Select a fabric from our selection of fabrics
- Select a fabric combination if you wish to
- Select your size or measure the child’s chest, waist, hips and height and enter into custom sizes.
Will the dress look like the pictures?
- You design your own dress and can select which pattern and fabric you want. However, if you see a dress you like on our website we can make it exactly the same.
- Please note that some shades of colour and fabric might be different to what is displayed on your electronic screen as all screens have different colour calibrations.
Can I choose a different dress pattern or fabric?
- We aim to offer a custom made service in which you can select any combination of fabrics we hold. However, should you feel that none of the fabric choices satisfy your needs, you are welcome to contact us and we are willing to use fabric you supply. Please just contact us before purchasing the fabric since not all fabric types work on all patterns (e.g. stretch or non-stretch fabric). Please also note courier of the fabric to us is at the customer’s expense.
- Should you have a dress pattern in mind that we do not carry, please feel free to contact us and we can custom make it for you. Please just note this is done at an extra cost.
Can I make changes to the pattern??
Turnaround Times
Delivery
- R120.00 (3-5 business days from collection from our studio): Door-to-Door (nationwide), by the courier guy.
Return Policy
- Regrettably, due to each garment being custom made, no returns or refunds are possible
- However, in the event that the item you received is faulty, defective or the incorrect item, Once Upon a Thread must be informed within 24 hours of you receiving the parcel, with photographic evidence of your concern, if you wish to return them.
The courier costs will be carried by Once Upon a Thread. - Once Upon a Thread will not be liable for items damaged during transit while being couriered. Courier is done at the clients own risk.
- Once Upon a Thread will let you know once the package is shipped, and thereafter you will receive communication via Whatsapp or e-mail on the courier process
How do I order the correct size?
- Each pattern has measurements for each size. It is the buyer’s responsibility to ensure that the correct size is selected.
- The child must be measured across their waist and chest as well as their height. Please see the Measurements page for tips on how to measure.
- If the child is of the average size or cannot be measured, the buyer can select the desired size, HOWEVER, please note no custom made dress can be returned due to incorrect measurements. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to measure the child before selecting a size. The measurements can also be entered in the system and the dress can be tailor made if the child should measure at two different sizes.
- These sizes are the average size of children at that age. If a child measures between sizes, opt for the larger size.
- Please note that if the measurements are sent incorrectly, you cannot return the garment.
- Once upon a thread will not be liable for items you have ordered in the wrong size
- Please view our size guide and measurement chart page
- Please view our measuring page on instructions how to measure the child
How do I care for my dress?
- The Once upon a Thread range is made from Cotton fabric. Since it is a natural fabric, cotton can shrink.
- However, all fabric is pre-washed before cutting to ensure shrinkage is kept to the absolute minimum after sewing.
- Cold hand- or machine wash
- Cool to medium iron
- Do not tumble dry
- Dry flat
- Do not bleach
- Wash like colours separately
- Make sure the garment is completely dry before storing to prevent mildew
