I always think it’s important to send out a newsletter that’s relatively actionable after a more cerebral issue. Call it my civic duty — friends can likely attest I can quickly jump from musing on a subject to asking what we are going to do about it.
Throughout the course of my Substack “career” I’ve mentioned offhandedly my plethora of hobbies and crafty endeavors, one of which falls into the upcycling and DIY camp. With clothing clogging up landfills and coastlines across the world, it’s imperative that those of us in Western countries break the cycle of purchasing + purging and create inventive opportunities for our clothing and “waste” (used here in quotations because there’s plenty of life left in the things we’ve been throwing away).
Textile recycling centers are beginning to hit an exponential curve for engagement and partnerships, allowing brands to reinvent the wheel for their chain of production. Independent designers focused on upcycling and sourcing from scraps have carved a space for themselves within luxury fashion. Our options for improved fashion circularity are slowly, steadily, increasing. In truth, no one in the fashion ecosystem is a passive participant. It begs the question: what are we going to do about it?
With a little handiwork, creativity and fine motor skills, we can make good use of our Pinterest boards and the existing thirst for a fingerprint on our individual style. Collect your scraps, grab some needle and thread or whatever you fancy, and start crafting!! I’ve got some great ideas listed here that I’ve used recently.
Donate to your local pet rescue/animal control center
They’re always looking for donations of towels, blankets or pillows to keep their rescues comfortable and cared for. Recently, I dropped off some cushy, weighty pillows that my mom had stuffed with her quilting scraps (fabric, batting/foam fiber, etc) and sewn shut. I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of something sooner — on our end, it was an easy process, yet resulted in immediate and localized impact. Your nearest shelter may have certain requirements or different needs, so it’s best to call ahead, but I’m convinced no one would turn away more pillows for the pups!
For smaller scraps, try patches…
Whether you have holes in your denim or not, the new frontier of personalization is the perfect platform for spinning old scraps into custom details on your clothing (or just as likely these days, your canvas tote). You can lean old-school with some elbow patches, or you can experiment with a mixed media version of your clothing that speaks Bode’s signature language. Layer embroidery, or trucker patches, or paint over/under your fabric patches. It’s fun to have fun, no?!
…Or hand-sewn bag charms
Cut your letters or cherries or whatever other shapes you’re spotting on the runway or on bag charm ShopMy pages. Proceed to hand-sew shut, using other scraps to fill inside your creation, et voila: you’ve got bespoke fabric charms!
I did this recently, taking Free People’s leathery ones (seen in header image) as inspiration. They might not be perfect, but they’re mine and I love them. And I <3 London!! Shown here with a wee strawberry friend I nabbed in the gift shop at Wimbledon.
Upcycling tired button-ups
I would be remiss not to mention Sandy Liang’s take in this category, lining women’s fitted button ups with lace trim. And a matching tie, no less! Good for scraps and larger pieces alike.
Quite literally quilting everything
Sewing machine required, intricate details not necessary. Whether you’re a quilting fiend or can’t get much further past sewing in a straight line, using your old or unused fabrics for quilting iPad covers, makeup bags or dining placemats is one of the most straightforward ways to repurpose. There’s often an intention with quilts to pull off a hodge-podgey look that is really playful, and works in our favor here. Similar to the aforementioned charms DIY, these projects that require a plushier look are the most effective at utilizing an abundance of scraps. Forgo the batting!
I hope it’s a given that this isn’t meant to be exhaustive or all-encompassing… just an impactful piece to the eco-friendly puzzle :)
ICYMI
On the phone the other day a dear friend (and reader!) mentioned how much he enjoyed the topics of two recent issues of my newsletter. It was really touching, not in the least because I was writing from a critical POV that I felt really passionate about… so here are Mahdi’s recs!!
Coco Gauff Carries the Flag
At just twenty years young and an estimated net worth of $12 million, Gauff is spearheading a pro athlete career that is one-of-one. Gauff’s platform and status in particular is one of the strongest indicators currently existing that can point to where we’re headed with the new generation of athletes and their commercial interests. Below, a few key takeaways.
Can Campaigns Be Interesting Without Being Inflammatory?
Every couple of months, it seems as if there’s a new company getting flack for an inflammatory ad gone wrong.You could call it lazy. Creating a campaign from ideation to execution that seeks to get a rise out of viewers through shock value, however, doesn’t feel lazy. You can’t exactly ‘throw together’ a full-blown campaign or shoot anyway; nothing is as slapdash as it seems. So how does it make it to air, only to be taken down within the same breath?
Time to return to my 8th grade home-ec class roots baby!