These days few people know how to mend or sew a simple garment, yet this is a life skill akin to cooking. Fast fashion, like fast food, has taken over with an endless stream of cheap, disposable clothing – but at what price?
Not only is this exploitative and wasteful of resources, it’s taken away the simple pleasure of creating something of our very own to wear. Something unique that is crafted by our own skilled hands through imagination and energy.
While sewing from scratch can be expensive and sometimes disappointing, there is a seemingly endless supply of upcycling material languishing in wardrobes and opportunity shops.
Sew it Again is a 2014 project which aims to revive home sewing to be:
• empowered – wear unique garments in colours you like that suit your shape
• sustainable – create eco-fashion, reuse natural fibres and reduce waste
• thrifty – enjoy affordable, natural, one-off outfits that won’t break the bank
For years, Jane Milburn has been stockpiling clothing made of natural fibres such as silk, linen, wool and cotton by rescuing garments from op shops and friends. Five wardrobes later, something has to give.
Through 2014, Jane will refashion 365 garments for a second life as part of a creative journey inspiring upcycling of natural fibres. Please revisit this site after 1 January 2014 to see the results.
Why does this matter?
Global textile use is growing at a rate three times faster than the population. Since 1992, the world’s population has increased 25 per cent while textile consumption has increased 80 per cent. Read more in the World Apparel Fiber Consumption Survey July 2013 FAO-ICAC-Survey-2013-Update-and-2011-Text
In her book Overdressed: The shockingly high cost of cheap fashion, Elizabeth L. Cline said: Every year, Americans throw away 12.7 million tons, or 68 pounds of textiles per person, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
But all is not lost, because Cline also said: According to Time magazine, there were approximately 35 million sewing hobbyists in the United States in 2006, up from 30 million in 2000. And the number is growing as more people tap back into the pleasure of making something themselves.
WOOHOO – go Jane
Loved the story with Rebecca on ABC – what’s the feedback been like?
A x
Great idea Jane! Look forward to following the blog. Hope all is well with you and the family! Melissa, Andrew, Thomas & Zoe x
As someone who enjoys making my own clothes but in recent years has not had time to do much sewing, I salute your efforts. May you inspire others to take up home sewing. I know you’ve inspired me to make a real effort to make up those pieces of material that lie in my cupboard into new garments.
Fantastic feedback and learning every day. J
I am watching your inspirational eco-fashion project with great interest. Well done, Jane. Jo Seccombe
Better late than never that I have discovered you Jane, your blog and project Textile Beat. I am keen to promote it on to my followers from Facebook groups Bowerbirds Journal and Melton Bowerbirds, my blog Rude Record and on twitter @RudeRecord.
I hope some of them check out what you are doing and get further inspired to REscue and REinvent beautiful textiles.
I REscue woollen and other garments from the point of landfill.
http://ruderecord.wordpress.com/2014/04/04/dumped-duffle/
All the best
Karen Ellis
Melbourne, Australia
Thanks so much for your enthusiasm for my project Karen. There are so many fabulous resources going to waste, and I completely understand your sense of joy and pleasure in rescuing and refashioning – as with your dumped duffle video.