Kickstarting our Meet the Brand series with Rosa
– founder, fabric lover, and the one-woman powerhouse behind Sew Eco Fabrics.
The Brand Story
Can you tell us a bit about your brand and how it began/any inspiration to start the business?
Sew Eco Fabrics was born out of a few key things: a love of sewing, a deep frustration with how most businesses treat their people, and a bit of a sustainability obsession (okay, maybe more than a bit!).
I’ve been sewing on and off since school – so that’s going back about 15 years now – and I’ve always loved the thrill of stitching something up from scratch. But after years working in retail and hospitality, I grew tired of seeing how capitalism prioritises profit over people. I wanted more than that. I wanted to build a business with soul – one that valued community, treated people fairly, and left the planet a little better off.
So I decided to bring all my passions together – sewing, sustainability, and doing business differently – and Sew Eco Fabrics came to life.
Who are the people behind the brand – can we meet the team?
At the moment, it’s just me running the show. I do everything from sourcing stock to packing orders, writing newsletters, and stamping boxes by hand. After two years of chipping away, I’ve built a supportive small customer base and just about support myself full time – which still blows my mind. There’s still a long way to go, but the dream is to open a brick and mortar fabric shop one day, with a community sewing space, free tea and biscuits, and a big warm welcome for anyone who wants to sew.
What’s in the Shop?
What products do you offer?
Sew Eco Fabrics started with just five bolts of fabric – yep, five! – and has slowly grown into a curated collection of over 40 rolls and bolts, plus a small-but-mighty range of sewing patterns and eco-conscious haberdashery.
Every single fabric that lands in the shop is handpicked and stamped with a sustainability badge – whether that’s organic, deadstock, or made using less water, fewer chemicals, or biodegradable fibres. Patterns are always chosen with size inclusivity in mind (as best as we can get so far!), and when it comes to habby, I keep it simple: just the good stuff you’ll actually use, and always as eco-friendly as I can find.
If you had to pick a favourite product (or top 3), which would you choose – and why?
Oh, this is easy:
Sewing Pattern: The Collage Gather Top by Matchy Matchy Sewing Club. I’ve made four already – it’s comfy, fun, and a perfect pattern to show off your fabric.
Fabric: Right now I’m obsessed with the Merchant & Mills cotton/linen ranges – especially their summer blends. I’ve secretly kept some for myself… they always fly out the door!
Habby: Fiskars snips! I’m a snips girl through and through – so sharp, so handy, and way better than reaching for scissors mid-make.
The Day-to-Day
What does a typical day look like for you?
I start with my morning routine – shower, get dressed, breakfast – always. Then it’s laptop time: admin, SEO updates, product uploads, tweaking the site, and planning social content. Honestly, there’s a lot of screen time. I do take breaks (especially lunch and stretch breaks!) and I love packing orders and photographing new fabric arrivals – but then it’s back to the laptop.
Everything still runs from home – stock’s in the living room, and I share the spare room with my partner, who also works from home. It’s a juggling act.
What part of your work brings you the most joy – and what’s the trickiest?
Creating campaigns is my favourite bit – like the Christmas Sewing Boxes in 2024. I loved pulling all the elements together and making something special for customers. The hardest bit? Motivation on heavy laptop days. Working from home means I’m constantly tempted by the laundry or other distractions.
How do you stay inspired creatively?
Notepads! I jot down every idea before it vanishes. I also step away from screens often – sitting in the garden, doing some yoga, stretching, letting my brain breathe. I’ve just moved to the New Forest after 10 years without a garden, and honestly – getting muddy again has been so good for me. Nature = instant creative reset.
Sustainability + Positive Impact
How do you incorporate sustainability or eco-conscious decisions into your business?
It’s built into everything I do – socially, economically, and environmentally. I source fabrics using strict criteria and created my Sew Eco Scores to make sustainability super clear for customers. If I wouldn’t use it myself, I won’t sell it. Our packaging and shipping are fully eco-friendly – and we offset all our carbon emissions, so every order is shipped carbon neutral.
Have you made any changes recently that support a more sustainable future?
Yes – I’m always refining who I buy from, and I vote with my money. If a supplier isn’t transparent enough, I move on. I also make sure everything I offer meets my eco-minimum.
Are there any challenges you face in trying to be more sustainable?
Definitely. Transparency can be hard when some manufacturers keep a lot of detail to themselves. And as a small biz, I’m often priced out of certain fabrics because of minimum order quantities. But I do what I can and aim to grow into those options over time.
Do you have any future goals for improving your environmental impact?
Yes – more fabric variety! I’d love to bring in new types of sustainable fibres and blends. As I grow, I’ll be able to work with more mills and expand what I can offer.
Are there any certifications, materials, or processes you're proud of when it comes to becoming a more sustainable brand?
Absolutely – my Sew Eco Scores! They go from 1 to 4:
Score 4 is our gold standard – the most sustainable fabrics available right now, using the best tech, fibres and certifications that exist today.
Score 1 is our minimum – usually natural-fibred fabrics with at least one eco accreditation. But deadstock and reclaimed fabrics may also sit here due to limited traceability – still a win, because they’re saved from landfill and put to good use.
Read more about the Sew Eco Scores and understanding their role at Sew Eco Fabrics.
Creative Community & Just For Fun
Why do you think sewing/making is important in today's world?
In a world full of doom scrolling, sewing offers something different – something real. It reconnects us with our hands, our creativity, and a slower pace of life. Whether it’s stitching up clothes that actually fit or making something useful and beautiful for the home, sewing brings value and meaning back into what we wear and use. It's been proven to support mental health too, and honestly? If there’s one hobby I think the world needs to keep alive – it’s sewing.
Do you ever host sewing days, make-alongs or get creative with others?
I haven’t hosted my own sewing days (yet!) but I love attending sewing socials – nothing beats that feeling of sitting around a table with others, sewing, chatting, and just soaking up the energy. I still remember finishing my Helene Jeans at a sewcial – the buzz of completing them in that space, surrounded by sewists who just get it, was such a high. I’d love to start a New Forest sewing group in the future – it’s something I’ve got on my radar now that I’ve moved, especially since my nearest social is over an hour away.
Do you have a favourite make you’ve ever seen using your product?
One of the best parts of running Sew Eco Fabrics is seeing what my customers make. Every time I get tagged in a photo, it makes my day – actually, it makes my week! I can't even choose a favourite – they’re all amazing in their own way. There’s just something so magical about seeing fabric you sold transformed by someone else’s creativity.
Lastly, What’s one thing you’re loving right now – doesn’t have to be work-related!
Honestly? Running my fabric shop full time! The first 2 years of Sew Eco Fabrics, I was juggling a job alongside building the business and it's been tough. I quit that job in March (more out of desperation to get away from a toxic boss than being ready to go full-time), thinking the only way to make this truly work, is to have all my energy going into it. So here I am, making a go of it.
I’m also loving is my Rosie on the Road, meeting sewists, making connections, and watching the community grow. It’s a pretty special thing to be part of – and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
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Thanks so much for taking the time to read a little more about the story behind Sew Eco Fabrics.
It means the world to have you here. Whether you’ve been with me from the early days or you’ve just stumbled across this corner of the sewing world – welcome. I hope this gave you a peek into the heart of the brand, and the passion that drives every bolt of fabric, every order packed, and every idea dreamt up at the kitchen table.
If you’re curious to explore more, you can browse the full fabric collection here, or dive into our Sew Eco Scores to see how we keep things planet-friendly.
Here’s to building a slower, more sustainable, and seriously creative world – one stitch at a time 💚
