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Eco Fashion Q&A: Swatches, Sewing, and Stitches |
4 Comments |
| By Victoria E in Fashion, Green Living | May 1, 2007 | ||
A warm hello and good day to everyone reading! This week’s unique question comes from Beth: I’d love to purchase organic fabric and yarn; I could make some spiffy organic clothes for a fraction of what is available at retail.
Being crafty is another one of my all-time favorite hobbies; so much so, that I founded the San Francisco branch of the Craft Mafia. Taking it upon yourself to create the items your desire is a wonderful relaxation tool, as well as a money-saver. Books and classes are abound, whether you want to make curtains, clothing, accessories, or gifts. In terms of supplies, finding organic and sustainable fabrics is easier than ever, though shopping online is still your best bet. Most companies, both fabric and yarn, have a store list on their website so you know where to go to see their fantastic goods in person. Even if you aren’t naturally craft-inclined, I encourage you to break out of your comfort zone, take a creative class, and try to sew your first pillow or knit your first scarf – the experience is remarkable.
As requested by Beth, below are my favorite eco-friendly fabric and yarn companies, as well as a few online stores that make crafty shopping a snap. Also, for good measure, I posted a few links for my favorite books to help get your creative juices flowing.
Fabrics
+ HarmonyArt
+ Pickering
+ Sonic
+ Loop
+ Mod Green Pod
+ PM Organics
+ Ambatalia Fabrics
+ NearSea Naturals
Yarns
+ Blue Sky Alpaca
+ Vermont Organic Fiber Co
+ South West Trading Company
+ Mango Moon
+ Lanaknits
+ Classic Elite Yarns
+ Earth Friendly Yarns
+ Organic Imaginings
+ Purl SoHo
Books
+ No Sheep for You: Knit Happy with Cotton, Silk, Linen, Hemp, Bamboo & Other Delights by Amy R. Singer
+ Sew Subversive: Down and Dirty DIY for the Fabulous Fashionista by Melissa Rannels, Melissa Alvarado, and Hope Meng
+ New Knits on the Block: A Guide to Knitting What Kids Really Want by Vickie Howell
+ Sew U: The Built by Wendy Guide to Making Your Own Wardrobe by Wendy Mullin, Eviana Hartman, and Beci Orpin
+ Stitch ‘N Bitch: The Knitter’s Handbook by Debbie Stoller
+ Second-Time Cool: The Art of Chopping Up a Sweater by Anna-Stina Linden Ivarsson, Katarina Brieditis, and Katarina Evans
+ Fitted Knits: 25 Designs for the Fashionable Knitter by Stefanie Japel
+ Craftivity: 40 Projects for the DIY Lifestyle by Tsia Carson
+ Knitting Nature: 39 Designs Inspired by Patterns in Nature by Norah Gaughan
If you can’t find just the right fabric or yarn you are looking for, consider going second-hand/vintage shopping. Cutting up old t-shirts and unraveling sweaters is always an option, presenting you with some truly individual fibers and options.
Questions are ALWAYS welcome, so feel free to leave a comment on any Eco Fashion Q&A post with your green style curiosities; your question will be answered in a future post. Note: Questions are answered in the order they are received. 
[+ Victoria E +]
P.S. – Keep your eyes peeled for my article on green knitting in the September 2007 issue of Yoga Journal Magazine.
Image courtesy of Victoria E
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TH Blog Love #02 at Victoria E :: Writer, Model, Environmentalist said,
[...] For the second time (as you likely gathered from the title), one of my blog entries has been featured in the weekly TH Blog Love post on TreeHugger.com. This time around, one of my weekly Q&A posts from GroovyGreen.com made the cut – hooray! [...]
greenhillfarm said,
Congrats on TH Blog Love. And thankyou for this great info. Beth
Harmony said,
One more good resource for organic fabrics would be http://www.organiccottonplus.com
Thanks for helping get the word out about our fabrics! Big love – harmony (art)
Jessica Gregory said,
Next question: I generally don’t buy that much clothing, as what I do have tends to be well made and last ages, but one thing that keeps needing to be replaced are tights/nylons as they keep getting holes and runs! For winter I’ve found plenty of green alternatives — tights made of cotton and wool and such, but what about “nude” coloured tights for summer?