by Beth, co-owner of Soleya Scrubs.
The bobas swooshed turbulently in the beige liquid as I shook it from side to side, leaving comet like trails in their wake. I turned it upside down, wondering if they might spill out onto the ground. Proudly, I clipped them onto my ‘Van’ sugar plum top’s secret badge reel holder. I’d been waiting for months, stalking Tianna’s super trendy drop-only badge reel site, Skye & Oliver, trying to score the ‘Boba Tea’ shaker badge reel. This was the Labubu of badge reels, when Labubu was still cool. And I finally got one.
I’m a full-time nurse. I’ve worked in public health and school nursing, and like many, I have balanced my work with raising a family and managing all the unseen responsibilities that come with both. I love nursing. It has helped shaped who I am. But it has also made it way too easy to put my own ideas, creativity, and interests aside because the work is demanding and there is always someone who needs me.
I started Soleya because I wanted something better for myself and for other nurses and healthcare professionals. I wore scrubs every day that technically did their job, but they made me feel awful. They didn’t feel thoughtful. I remember thinking that nurses deserved clothing that supported them, not just functionally, but as whole people. That idea stayed with me for years before it became something real.
When I first started DMing with Tianna, I immediately recognized something familiar in her story.
Tianna, BSN, RN, Founder Skye & Oliver
Tianna is a pediatric nurse, and she started Skye & Oliver (named after her own kids) in 2018 because she saw a small but meaningful gap in her own work life. She wanted smiling badge reels that brought a little joy into long shifts and sleepless nights. She never set out to build a brand. She set out to make something fun for herself and other nurses. That intention shows in everything she does.
What stood out to me most about Tianna was the care she brings to her work. She designs thoughtfully. She listens to her community. She takes pride in the details. Those are qualities nurses develop over time, and they are the same values that guided us as we built Soleya.
When we talked about working together, it never felt like a typical collaboration. It felt like two nurses comparing notes and asking the same questions. What do people actually need? What will hold up to real work? What will still feel good after a long day?
When it came time for our collaboration with Skye & Oliver, Tianna was excited to design the perfect scrub pant. Her vision was clear. Mid-rise straight legs made from comfy lightweight fabric, identical to our top fabric. A beautiful emerald heather, which we decided together to call “Evergreen”. Roomy patch cargo pockets, with closed flaps to safely secure those shift essentials. I was especially excited she wanted to keep our trademark secret zipper pocket. And the best detail of all was her hand-drawn embroidery, the perfect emblem of a true collaboration.
Daisy, hand drawn by Tianna with Daisy Badge Reel
We were so impressed with her design that we named the style after her, the ‘Tianna’. I know it will be our new hero style, we’re already choosing our next colors. I was able to sneak an early pair and I got so many compliments at work I was a little self-conscious. The other thing I love about the ‘Tianna’ is how perfectly it pairs with the ‘Van’ relaxed fit top. They were literally made for each other. And the thoughtfullest detail of all? Tianna added a meandering heart-shaped arrow to the ‘Van’ top embroidery that points carefully to where her impossible-to-find badge reel clips on, our hidden badge reel holder.
Since the custom embroidery is centered around Tianna’s kawaii style daisy, we are calling the set the ‘Daisy’. The Daisy is comfortable and relaxed without feeling sloppy. The Evergreen color feels grounded and timeless. Those details matter because they come from lived experience, and Tianna’s thoughtful attention to detail.
From start to finish, our collaboration took over six months. We moved slowly on purpose. Nursing teaches you patience and care, and those same qualities showed up in our collaboration.
I see a lot of nurses who quietly carry ideas with them. Ideas for products, businesses, creative projects, or simply different ways of doing things. Many of us were taught that choosing healthcare meant putting those things on hold. My experience, and Tianna’s, has shown me that it doesn’t have to be that way.
This collaboration is meaningful to me because it reflects what can happen when nurses work together, trust their instincts and allow themselves to build alongside their work in healthcare, not in place of it.
In our next email, we will share more about the pieces themselves and how they look visually. Spoiler, they look stunning. For now, I wanted to share the heart behind this collaboration and why it felt important to us.
Thank you for being part of the Soleya fam and for the care you give every day.
The Daisy Set, featuring 'Van' relaxed fit top and 'Tianna' Mid-Rise Cargo Straight Legs