What is Sustainable Sewing?
Sustainable sewing isn't just about making clothes - it's about making choices that respect our planet. From garments, accessories or any other sewn items, we will always look to minimise harm to the environment and promote ethical practices through our sewing habits. Our focus should be considering every step of the process - from the fabrics we buy, to how we sew them.
In short, sustainable sewing lets you make beautiful items while treading lightly on the planet.
Sewing Sustainable Tips
Choose Your Fabrics with Care:
opt for organic and certified options like Tencel™, Econyl®, and EcoVero™ whenever possible. Fabrics with these eco-certifications meet rigorous standards, giving you peace of mind that they’re both environmentally and ethically produced. By selecting these materials, you support sustainable practices and help reduce the environmental impact of textile production. Plus, you’ll be sewing with fabrics designed to be kinder to our planet, creating beautiful, durable items you can feel proud of.
Start with Your Stash:
The most sustainable fabric is the one you already own. Take time to look through your stash and use it to benefit your wardrobe, there might be a forgotten gem that would be perfect for your next project.
Preloved/Upcycle Your Wardrobe:
Whether you are looking around the charity shops, or shopping from your own wardrobe, take a look to see if you can upcycle or revamp some clothing to bring it back to life. Sometimes clothing just needs a second chance to thrive.
Buy what You Need:
The most typical fabric order is 2/2.5metres as it's easy to grab more, but overbuying leads to unnecessary waste (unless you are incredibly strategic with your scraps!) Try picking a pattern first, then calculating how much fabric you require before hitting that add to basket.
Explore Zero Waste Sewing Patterns:
A well designed sewing pattern - without the pattern pieces. Cutting directly from your fabric, learn a quick and easy way to sew your zero waste garment. Zero Waste Patterns typically use all the fabric so you have no scraps left over. Perfect for those eco-conscious projects!
Your Sewing Box:
Shop Quality. When you start out sewing you don't need many tools to begin. As you build up your sewing box, look towards the quality tools that will last you a lifetime. Instead of finding yourself replacing tools after so many years, you'll find yourself losing count of how long you've had them and how strong they still are. I personally use Fiskars as they have a 25 year guarantee - yet my mother has a pair of scissors that are much older!-
Make a Wearable Toile:
If you're testing a new pattern, it's always a good option to make a 'wearable toile' meaning you use a fabric you already own/or a fabric that is cheaper/similar to 'the fancy fabric' you plan you make your 'real' project from. This way you can check fit, stitch and test without sacrificing the good fabric.
