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Weekend Reading: Happy Earth Day!
Happy Earth Day! We’re celebrating some Eco-friendly and organic fabrics on Instagram today, and as Fashion Revolution wraps up this week, there’s plenty of thought-provoking reading out there.
So celebrate the Earth, ask important questions, and share the following stories.
Weekend Reading:
- Why we need a fashion revolution – now.
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Three Years After Rana Plaza, Has Anything Changed?
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Sustainable or Superficial? Fashion’s issues with marketing sustainability
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We must expose the contr-addiction at the heart of fashion
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Art, Sewing, and Practice: Cultivating confidence through the practice of sewing, by Eowyn McComb
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This month, listen to Jacqui’s story of how a trip to Egypt shifted her whole perspective about how her clothing was made – and what she could do about it.
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My Ethical Fashion Favorites: A round-up of brands that take an ethical approach to fashion, by Thread Tension
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“Stop looking for bargains. Start looking for quality. Move towards the idea of slow fashion.”
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How do you feel about Hancock Fabrics closing?
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For a Cause: An exploration of companies that care, by Betsy Blodgett
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Another Big Step for Beauty-Industry Diversity: Meet the new face of Beauty and Pinups
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Sashiko: Make do and mend with Kat Siddle
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Here’s how some of your favorite indie patternmakers got their start, by Mariah McPherson
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From steppe to catwalk: The Mongolian co-ops protecting a way of life
For more links every week, you can follow us on Twitter, where we’re always posting interesting tidbits and discussions.
Comments
Robin
April 22, 2016 #
Thanks for asking the question about Handcock Fabric closing. It is the only store within a 90 minute drive for me that was, sometimes more and sometimes less, all about fabric. I take that back – living in northeast TN, there are several quilt fabric stores nearby, but I don’t quilt, and I am not interested in quilting cottons.
The closing will affect a lot of rural areas like mine. I am not sad to see them go for the most part, with the exception of the loss of jobs. Why? The product was mostly from China, which was frustrating, because what the factory has to sell is what is available to buy. And although the staff were glad for a job I am sure, they did not seem very happy working there.
I would love to see an independent, but not sure that the market could bear a traditional store, perhaps a store specializing in odd lots from NYC, or some other hook. I don’t mind driving to hipster Asheville when I need a feel fix at the wonderful House of Fabrics, otherwise, ordering on the web works fine. If I won the lottery, I would open an independent store and studio where sewists of all manner could gather, talk shop, rent time at a machine, etc. but I have no gumption for that without a windfall to work from. Otherwise, it’s to Walmart and thrift store finds for local fashion fabric, notions, and the occasional pattern. Luckily I have a major stash, but I feel for those with no treasure…
Robin
April 22, 2016 #
About 15 years ago I had the good fortune to visit Mongolia twice for business. Their culture is amazing, and their clothing is so distinctive and special. I bought a woman’s traditional jacket and wore it to a business function there, and whenever I can at home, though it feels like a bit of a costume in TN. I bought as many buttons as I could find, which are very unique to them, and a sweater knitted from yarn spun from camel hair, which was incredibly soft. I hope Tengri helps to preserve their traditional life and native species. Thanks so much for the link!
Liliana
April 22, 2016 #
“It’s a luxurious extremity of slow fashion and of course a bit of a lopsided utopia.” I loved Susie Lau’s article about the Chanel Summer 2016 Haute Couture show – interesting thoughts on the sustainability issue, plus awesome pictures.
Ravennemain
April 22, 2016 #
One of the interesting things (to me) is the vagueness of the word “ethical” – for some people, it is about paying the workers a living wage, for others it is an environmental issue. Personally, I always find myself surprised when an ethical brand carries leather, or doesn’t know the source of its wool, due to my own take on the issue. (This is not meant to be judgy of leather and wool wearers, btw :) ) “Ethical” seems to be a very personal concept.
Sarai
April 22, 2016 #
Definitely. Jacqui touched on this I think in the last podcast episode too. Each person sort of has to choose where their own line is, based on what matters to you.
Meri
April 23, 2016 #
I’m rather sad hearing the news about Hancock Fabrics. They had been my preferred brick and mortar store of choice, particularly because they continued to have a strong offering of apparel fabrics when Jo-Ann’s started moving towards specializing in crafting/quilting. Even my one of my apartment selections was influenced by having a Hancock right down the street. That being said, I’m not surprised that they have been struggling. Home sewing, especially in apparel, is not as common as it was a few decades ago. Even while the movement is growing, the sewing community is still pretty spread out. I think brick and mortar stores will have greater difficulty than online retailers.
Marsha Nikooforsat
April 23, 2016 #
Hancocks was a 7 minute drive from me. It was so great to just be able to put on a baseball cap and pick up a zipper or whatever I needed. I loved being able to zip in an d buy a pattern on sale. I am leaving Atlanta next month to go back to California and I am sure I won’t be able to just pop into a nearby fabric store. Hancock will be sorely missed by this community!!
krystina
April 25, 2016 #
I usually look forward to your Friday roundups, but this one was great. Thank you for posting the article about Kate Meade, the first model with Down syndrome making waves in the beauty industry. This is a huge victory for people with “dis”abilities, and I couldn’t be happier about it.