At Makerist, sustainability is very important, we believe that by making garments and products ourselves we are reducing mass consumption and also creating a deeper connection to our clothing. So this week we are celebrating Sustainability Week and have some exciting things going on!
We have put together some of our favourite sewing, knitting and crochet patterns to work towards a Slow Living lifestyle!
This week our ambassador Ruby will be helping you move towards a more sustainable lifestyle with her beginner tips to living a more sustainable lifestyle.
Hello,
In case you don’t know me I’m Ruby one of the Makerist Ambassadors. Sewing and creating is one of my passions, another thing I’m passionate about is living a more sustainable lifestyle. Whether that’s thinking more carefully about the clothing I wear or the cosmetics I buy, sustainability can impact on my everyday life in so many ways. One thing I like to do is be more sustainable with my sewing and creative choices.
My background is fashion, and with a degree in fashion design, I have always worked in the industry. From production to photography, it has given me an insight into the behind the scenes making of the clothing I wear. This made me realise I wanted to do more and only wear sustainable fabrics and clothing made in ethical workplaces. I gave up buying from fast fashion brands 2 years ago now and haven’t looked back.
It was a similar time that I started sewing again more, after finding that many sustainable brands didn’t have the aesthetic I wanted. Sewing also made me realise the amount of time and effort it takes to create a garment. I can’t with a clean conscious buy a £8 fast fashion dress knowing the garment worker has been underpaid.
Tips for ditching fast fashion
If you’re thinking about ditching fast fashion here are a few tips that I follow to make it easier:
- Unsubscribe – Unsubscribe from all those fast fashion brand updates, Instagram’s and newsletters, it removes temptation and the need for something new. For me it really is out of sight out of mind.
- Research brands – Find some new more sustainable brands to follow, a great resource for this is the ‘Good On You’ App it rates brands on their sustainability credentials. Also, most sustainable brands will happily talk about it on their websites and be happy to answer any questions you have for them.
- Revamp your current clothing – The most sustainable garment is one you already own; at the back of your wardrobe, you probably have some hidden gems. You can revamp by dying them, shorten, cut off some sleeves etc. You’ll feel like you have a brand-new garment.
- Find online inspiration – I found there are so many great instrammers in the sustainable fashion and eco living niche. A few of my favourites are:
- @aconsideredlife
- @consciousandcolourful
- @uncomplicatedspace
- @ethicalinfluencers – this is a great resource for finding more sustainable influencers
- And of course if you want to follow me I’m over at Ruby Rose Sews
5. Read all about it – There are so many books out there on the subject of sustainable fashion, here are a few of my faves. I like to get them as audio books and listen while I sew!
- How to break up with fast fashion – Lauren Bravo
- To Die For – Lucy Siegle
- The Conscious Closet – Elizabeth L Cline
6. Of course, and my favourite – sew your own clothes – sewing your own clothing will always be more sustainable as the clothes will fit you well and made on a smaller scale. You’ll probably end up keeping them for longer too as they’ll mean more to you.
Tips for sewing more sustainable
So this is actually a harder one for me, as many people sew for different reasons. I sew not only to make clothes I want to wear but also as a creative hobby. It’s a stress outlet and really calms me down and I find it relaxing and fun.
- Try and be mindful of what you sew – The same with purchases, do you need it? Will it fit in your wardrobe; will you wear it a lot? But I know with me, sometimes I sew something that doesn’t work out or I end up not wearing as much as I thought. So, although I try I’m not so strict with this one.
- Take your time – A few points to this one, if you take your time you’ll end up with a better-sewn garment, hopefully, less mistakes. This again will make you cherish your make more than any bought item. Also, you won’t feel like you’re mass-producing garments’, so less like fast fashion.
- Sew from your stash – Rather than buying something new see what fabric or patterns you already own, I’m one for hoarding and stressing about cutting into fabrics. I’ve become a lot more relaxed with using what I already have and reusing my favourite patterns rather than printing new ones.
- Think of your haberdashery – Often overlocked, but you can use more sustainable haberdashery too. Make your own bias binding, use metal zips rather than plastic or even vintage buttons. There are even organic cottons and recycled polyester thread options you can choose.
- Use sustainable fabrics – If you sew your own, it’s always better than fast fashion, but if you want to take it to the next level – sew with sustainable fabrics. I try to do this as much as possible, and just learning more about them really helps with this.
Top sustainable Fabrics
Nowadays the options for sustainable fabrics is getting bigger and bigger every day, which is brilliant, so here’s a rundown on some of my favourites:
- Organic Cotton – Organic cotton again uses a lot less water than regular cotton in the growing producing and dying process. It’s just as soft and lovely to sew with as regular cotton.
- Tencel/Lyocell – This is basically a sustainable version of viscose, but viscose production uses very harmful chemicals that are damaging to both the environment and the workers producing viscose. Tencel however works on a closed loop system so the chemicals are less harsh and are reused rather than being released.
- Recycled fabrics – While natural fabrics are more sustainable than man made, there are a lot of recycled manmade options – like polyester and fleece. So, I’d always go for these.
- Deadstock/ Vintage – Deadstock is fabric that is usually from brands or factories and is no longer needed and therefore is sold cheaply. Same with Vintage you can often get great bargains of much older fabric that was produced years ago.
Favourite sustainable fabric shops UK
- Good Fabric Store –My favourite online sustainable store that opened during lockdown last year, everything Polina picks is just lovely and she’s always happy to answer questions about the fabric and patterns.
- Merchant and Mills – Not necessarily all sustainable but all their fabrics are natural fibers and the have a really large sustainable section.
- Amo Threads – This is an amazing marketplace for deadstock fabrics, you have to be quick the good ones can sell quickly
- Bawn Textiles– Based in Glasgow, they not only stock fabrics but sustainable threads elastics and other haberdashery
- Ebay– Great for vintage fabric, I have 60s/70s curtains always on search!
Final message
Hope you like my tips; these are mostly what I try my best to do. But as I like to say, all you can do is your best and if you’re trying a bit that will always help. Even just trying one or two of these things can help you be more sustainable and don’t worry if you slip up, we’re all human.
I’ve also got a blog where I share posts about my creative projects and sustainable choices so head over to Ruby Rose Sews if you’re interested
Happy sustainable sewing…
