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Eco Fashion Q&A: Denim repair and cheap style |
14 Comments |
| By Victoria E in Fashion, Green Living | January 24, 2007 | ||
It’s that time again! Question four comes from Mallory: I’m not sure if you’re familiar with the company Denim Therapy. Basically the revive old jeans by sort of reweaving the fabric where it’s torn or ripped. They estimate the cost at $7 per inch. I love the idea, but to me it seems like more than most people would be willing to pay. I think most people would just go buy a new pair of jeans. I was wondering if you have any other leads on other similar companies? This is the only one I know of quite like this. It’s one of those things that, as with so many green products and services, I think people would be interested in but they’re most worried about the immediate cost and it’s hard to think about long term costs when you’re trying to make ends meet, etc. What are some other cheap but green fashion alternatives?
It’s official Mallory – you win the award for the longest question 
There are two inquiries mixed in with all that, but answering them in one post should be no problem.
For denim repair, I don’t know of any companies that focus on that service, besides Denim Therapy of course. This leaves you with a host of other options:
1) See if your local tailor will repair them (many will).
2) Repair them yourself.
3) Cut them up and use the denim for various projects.
4) Donate them to a Goodwill or Salvation Army-type store.
Repairing a pair of jeans yourself is quite easy, in fact; I’ve done it a number of times before and have come to enjoy it. All you need is some extra fabric (denim or not), and a needle and thread (though a sewing machine works better for heavier fabrics like denim). You can get denim or any host of fabrics from stores like Joann Fabrics, as well as many online stores (a good idea if you are looking for organic or sustainable ones). Another option is to go to thrift stores and pick out a pair of shorts, skirt, sweater, or any other item that you like the fabric of, and use it for the project. Click “more” below to continue reading!
If you think you can live without that particular pair of pants, then two options present themselves: donate them (which we all know is a kick ass thing to do) or cut’em up and use the fabric for something else. Now we are getting onto the topic of being crafty and creative, which I could ramble on about for eons. The following is just a small selection of things that you could use spare denim for: coasters, dish rags, pillows, the start of a nifty blanket, pet toys, scented satchels for your closet or dresser, tea pot cover … yeah, you get the idea. The joy of this choice is that you are becoming an even more active part of the recycling process. Crafty books are abound, so finding inspiration shouldn’t be tough.
I’m not surprised that a company like Denim Therapy was started, because our society has an overall possessive tone. Many of us have a hard time letting go of our favorite items, whether they are people, pets, clothes, or anything else. Everything is impermanent; keeping that in mind, make sure to enjoy your favorites (who or whatever they are) while they are still in one piece.
Now, on to your second question: what are some other cheap but green fashion alternatives? This comes back to the point that I just made. When it comes to fashion, many see it as a temporary thing, but everything we choose to spend our hard-earned money on should be an investment. Of course, now we are talking about adjusting the human psyche, and that is just one big ole mess.
So, if you want to be cheap and green, thrift stores are your best bet, hands down. No extra energy or fabric was used to create these items; they’ve been around for years and are still in good condition. While it is good to support new, sustainable fibers and businesses, jeans from 20 years ago are just as sturdy as those made last week. If you have an aversion to thrift stores, you should dig deep down and find out why; these places rock! Maybe you are worried about walking around in a stranger’s old clothes? Understandable – to combat this, have a swap party with your friends. Pick a night, get some tasty food, have everyone bring the clothes they hardly/don’t wear anymore, and SWAP! No fuss, no muss, no money exchanges hands. Feeling inspired? Head to (or set up your own branch of) the Swap-O-Rama-Rama event, started by Wendy Tremayne in NYC. Not only will you have a bigger selection of goodies to sort through, do-it-yourself workshops of all kinds are offered to help transform your finds.
Mallory, I hope this served as a pretty good answer to both of your questions. If anyone has other suggestions or comments to add, bring’em on! As always, my door (or at least my e-mail inbox) is open to any and all of your green fashion questions, so keep them coming. Til next time – this is Victoria E, signing off.
[Image courtesy of Dave Sag]
turtlebella said,
I’d like to submit the idea that jeans from 20 years ago are more durable than jeans made yesterday! This whole pre-worn-in thing means my last couple of pairs of jeans have fallen apart after only a few months. erg!
I also recently discovered some ‘shops’ on http://www.etsy.com who take vintage and ‘used’ fabrics and re-make them into various clothing options. I thought this was a great green idea to get some unique items of clothing (‘course I have been a huge convert to etsy.com – the shops only sell all handmade stuff and it’sjust a great community).
Victoria E said,
You make a very good point about denim these days TurtleBella, which I am sure is caused by a number of factor (all of them bad for the planet, I’m sure).
Etsy is a fantastic website and my preferred alternative to eBay; I’d suggested everyone check it out.
wendy said,
Great article! And thanks for mentioning Swap-O-Rama-Rama. I just want your readers to know that should anyone want to begin a Swap-O-Rama-Rama in their area, I’ve collected great resources to help them: my 501C status, art, email lists, press and promotion. I’m trying to make it really really easy! Enjoy!
Wendy Tremayne
Mallory said,
Hahah, go figure I’d have the longest question ever…I’ve always been known to be pretty verbose.
Personally, if my jeans rip I deconstruct them and turn them into skirts, but that doesn’t really help people who don’t wear skirts, which is why I posed the question. Great answers!
Keep the huggs coming! at Victoria E :: Writer, Model, Environmentalist said,
[...] It’s happened … again. For the 5th time, a blog post of mine, supported on Hugg.com, is featured in TreeHugger.com’s daily weekday “Most Huggable” post. <3 [...]
Jetson Green said,
Carnival of the Green #62…
As you all know, Carnival of the Green is basically a carnival of blog posts that gets passed around from one green site to another. Posting happens on Mondays. Treehugger graciously supports the endeavor, so pop on over there if you’re interested in …
GroovyGreen.com - Start Today :: Save Tomorrow : Blog Archive : Eco Fashion Q&A: Who’s Got Green Jeans? said,
[...] Organic cotton and hemp are the most common fabrics for green denim, though we can’t forget the joys of vintage blues as well. Often much more affordable that newly-manufactured eco-denim, vintage jeans also present the delicious option of being truly unique; tis pretty hard for someone to have the same pants when they are over 20 years old. If you still have a pair of jeans that are in pretty good condition, check out the Q&A post from last week that features denim repair tips. Chris, I hope this list-tastic post helped to answer your question pretty throughly. As usual, if any of our great readers have anything to add about green denim options, make sure to leave your thoughts in the comment section. [...]
arie vandenberg said,
It’s great fun to patch your old Levi’s. I am doing it already for 20 years and still wears a Levi’s from 20 years ago, patchin over and over again.
I do all my repairs with a Singer sewing machine and use different kind of fabrics to put on the Levi’s: denim handkerchiefs, leather and suede, curtains, towels.
Also doing it for friends (for free) and one of my friends has a 25-years old Lee jeans, with I have patched over and over (it’s hard to see the original Lee-denim, only patches from old Levi’s are sewn on. I enjoy looking at him when he wears ‘my’ jeans).
And another great advantage of patching your old jeans: you are wearing a unique piece of jeans that no one else owns.
I am looking forward to patch my next Levi’s 501xx, get’s very thin at the seat now and I am going to sew a big round darker denim patch on it, covering the whole seat (that’s what I often do, it’s my speciallity).
GroovyGreen.com - Start Today :: Save Tomorrow : Blog Archive : Eco Fashion Q&A: Green Style on a Pizza-and-Beer Budget said,
[...] In a previous post, I talked a bit about how all fashion purchases should be seen as investments, making $180 for a pair of organic cotton jeans seem not as severe. Despite this fact, even saving that much for a pair of pants just isn’t an option for many. Over at GreenOptions.com, I recently began posting about affordable green fashion brands, the first of this series being American Apparel. When it comes to “cheap” eco-style, you are likely to find more basic items instead of the stylized, fashion-esque goods featured in magazines (not that that is a bad thing). Below are a few brands that you should check out if you are in market for green goods that won’t break the bank: [...]
Kristine Thomas said,
Greetings!
We didn’t hear much about “green” trends during Fashion Week (who wants to design with hemp, anyway?), but next weekend, New York’s ECOFEST, now in it’s 19th year, will place the spotlight on hip, contemporary designs made of organic materials such as hemp and recycled fabrics. The audience has a chance to see how they can incorporate eco-friendly clothing into their wardrobe for every occasion — even to their wedding.
New York Fashion Week models will be donning the latest designs from:
* Edun, Bono and his wife’s clothing company for sustainable womenswear and selected menswear
* Shoes by Beyond Skin ( http://www.beyondskin.co.uk), a staple in Natalie Portman’s closet
* Mens and womenswear by Thistle and Broome ( http://www.thistleandbroom.com), a Scottish company that designs sustainable handcrafted unique clothing. Barbara Walters loves their Scottish Tweed.
* Aveda is doing all the styling, make up, hair, etc. (Photos and interviews available)
* Verses ( http://www.versesjeans.com), a small South Carolina-based shop that crafts menswear denim jeans on vintage sewing machines with the denim coming from Cone Mills, which has the only working selvage denim looms in the US
The show takes place at 3pm on Sunday, 9/30 as part of the larger EcoFest, from 11am – 6pm.
We would be thrilled to have groovygreen.com write about it as we want as many eco-conscious fashionistas come to the event. Thanks for the consideration!
Editorial Ideas:
* Pre-event story: Interviews can be held after the pre-event Press Conference, to be held on Friday, September 28th at Tavern on the Green at 11am. ECOFEST organizers and participants will be on hand along with the models from New York Fashion Week featuring the latest sustainable designs.
* Live story from the event: We’ll be going all day, and can provide a series of interviews with the ECOFEST team, including key influencers of the sustainable fashion movement.
I would be happy to send you a press release complete with all of the details. We look forward to meeting you at ECOFEST.
Thanks,
Kristine
Andra McDevitt said,
Hey Guys!
Denim Revival in Los Angeles will fix up your ripped and tattered jeans. We also alter and hem them to your request. Being in business for over 9 years- just a name change from Denim Doctors we can save your favorite jeans and as well help the environment with less waste. We have only one location but we have a large shipping clientle. You can call us at (323) 852-0171 or email to denimrevival@yahoo.com for more information.
Thanks,
Andra
ruth said,
I think the reason Denim Therapy is great, is because they don’t just patch, they do Denim REWEAVING which is a really difficult thing to do. It is impossible to do at home, and most re-weaving centers wont touch denim, they just do knits and wovens. When you’ve spent $180 on a pair of jeans, organic, designer or whatever… $7, $14, $21 beats having to spend another $180.
Tristen said,
With jeans priced from $12.00 for a pair of Wranglers to $200.00 for designer jeans and now designer jean stores are opening up from Las Vegas to New York, looks like they are here to stay. Who would ever think the blue jean would get so popular when Strauss started his business?
Mula terca said,
“We didn’t hear much about “green” trends during Fashion Week (who wants to design with hemp, anyway?),”
I only found this question 2 years after the fact (I’m trying to do something with 2 pairs of jeans I can’t even wear around the house anymore), but I smell greenwashing in this extravaganza. Hopefully you _have_ found someone who “wants to design with hemp” as well as a steady source of it.
As much as I like cotton, hemp, like linen, is a much more environmentally friendly fabric to grow fibers for. And, AFAIK, denim was also made of hemp as well as cotton originally. Cotton takes up a large amount of water and starves the soil. (Even organic cotton still needs a lot of fertilizer applied, organic or no.) Do a search for “Aral Sea” and cotton if you don’t believe me about what it needs to grow…now it’s the Aral Lake.
(I also question any “green” aspects of an industry–fashion–which encourages us to toss everything in our wardrobes out every year to start anew, but that’s another question.)