It’s Fashion Revolution Week and Friday is Earth Day. Plus it’s almost time for Me Made May! This week is a great time to slow down and reaffirm what I strive to achieve in my sewing and creative practices.
- Reuse and recycle old clothing and textiles
- Mend and repair
- Use organic and sustainable fabrics and notions whenever possible
- Keep it Local
- Look for Fair trade and ethical production
- Avoid chemical dyes. Use plant based, low impact and non toxic dyes instead.
This will be my 9th year participating in MMM with So Zo. Check out her fabulous podcast, Check your Thread, to learn more. So I’ve been thinking alot about my pledge will be this year. I make all my clothes at this point so wearing something handmade everyday is something I already do on a daily basis. I’m hoping this year I can tie this all together and focus on repairing or refashioning my makes as I go to extend their longevity and make what I’m not wearing more usable. I’m going to try and slow down my sewing a bit more this month and really focus on what I already have. I know this week I’ve already repaired a few hems and hooks and eyes and put aside a few pieces that also need to be repaired.
“I Rebecca at Sew Pomona, pledge to wear handmade every day, with a focus on repairing and refashioning what I have made, throughout May 2022. ”
Me Made May 2022
My spring summer wardrobe gets a ton more wear than my winter clothes, since I wear them for such a short time. That means my spring clothes are worn for more than 9 months each year and wear out much more quickly as a result. My style has also changed quite a bit from when I started sewing a decade ago which means I have a bunch of lovely makes that are just not my style. I’m going to try to pay attention to this in the next month to really narrow the focus on what would make my wardrobe work better, and last longer.
There is no sustainable fashion without fair pay. Throughout the pandemic, fashion brands have made billions, while the majority of workers in their supply chains remain trapped in poverty. To address this, we are calling for new laws that require businesses to conduct due diligence on living wages. This will transform the lives and livelihoods of the people that make our clothes, and help redistribute money and power in the global fashion industry.
We know that both people and nature are paying the price of the fashion industry’s unregulated exploitation and waste. Brands are avoiding the realities of climate breakdown by continuing to pursue extractive business models and greenwashing their way to sustainability. In 2022, we need brands to radically reduce their environmental impact by shifting their focus away from growth. Small businesses and independent creatives around the world are already enacting these ideals; their courage and wisdom will lead the charge.
Currently, there is a lack of understanding and appreciation of the true cost of clothing. Price tags fail to reflect the social and environmental cost of production, while as consumers, we don’t always care for our clothes in the way we should. We need to scrutinize what it is we’re really paying for. Throughout Fashion Revolution Week, we’ll educate and inspire our global community on the real value of what we buy and wear.
Now is the time to rise up together for a regenerative, restorative and revolutionary new fashion system. Now is the time for a Fashion Revolution.
Fashion Revolution Week 2022
I participated this past weekend in “That’s Sew Sustainable” at South Regional Library as a representative of the American Sewing Guild- ASG Ft. Lauderdale– sharing simple mending and sewing techniques to help extend the life of garments. I had so much fun that I thought I’d share some of the techniques I taught in the class. I shared how to sew on buttons by hand, some simple sewing stitches as well as how to hem garments with the herringbone stitch. It was so great being back in person and able to share what I know with fellow enthusiasts! I hope these simple tips will help you in your sewing practice- or just refresh some skills!
Here’s a copy of the worksheet I handed out (linked above) if you’d like to print out a copy for yourself.
“Buy less. Choose well. Make it last.”
Vivianne Westwood
Happy Sustainable Sewing!