fashion design – the {r}evolution apparel blog

Wearing Local for One Year: A Slow Fashion Interview {Part II}

Yesterday, we had the chance to interview Rebecca Burgess, the face of The Fibershed Project. She has committed to wearing clothes made only from materials sourced within a 150-mile radius of her home in California, and as her year of wearing local wraps up, we asked her a few questions about sustainable design and personal challenges.

{r} You are also an educator and textile artist. As designers wanting to make the best decisions for people and planet, what advice would you give us about entering the industry, compromise, and sustainability?

I highly recommend the mantra, ‘make do with what appears to be little.’

Start from the inside out. What do you really want to create in this world? What do you ideally want to offer as a service or good to your fellow human? What is the systemic impact of your product?

When I reflect on the word ‘ideal’– it reminds me how this project began… it was an ideal scenario… and the question existed… but can the ideal work?

Your ideal becomes your goal, and you move towards it. You take leaps, and risks, and sometimes you work with self-imposed limitation to get there. Ideal doesn’t land in your lap, you make it happen.

Now that I am closer than ever to my ideal scenario, I’m better informed about how I would want this to be scaled to become available to others in my community. Keeping with the ideals, the clothing would be a product of a human-scale, and deeply ecologically thoughtful processes.

The current caliber of ‘sustainable’ textile production is summed up by the owner of one particularly famous environmentally friendly clothing company (that I’ll remain nameless), who says, ‘The cost of manufacturing is inherently going to damage the earth, that’s why all business needs to have a pay-back plan to the planet.’

What that person is saying and accepting as truth is that we as humans are going to continue to have a material culture that does damage. The problem with that scenario is that we live on a finite planet, and damaging manufacturers cannot continue to expand on a finite planet. This clothing company is not inherently sustainable, nor is it doing anything to create a vibrant and thriving planet; ultimately all the money put towards conservation, and protection of the environment is at best, (in a historical snapshot), neutralizing the effects of an ever- growing manufacturing process that will eventually exceed all attempts at neutralizing.

I think the next wave of textile production will be looking at how to manufacture regeneratively. How to make the process a living, ecological model. Can you eliminate the concept of waste? If you can close your loops, and balance your carbon, then your system is as harmonious as the process of breathing. And, it will last the generations, and not simply be a blip on the screen towards ecological collapse.

Planting the dye plants, harvested later for dyeing fabrics

Leather in Fibershed: DIY

Local sheep used to make socks and legwarmers, among other things

Part of the dyeing process

{r} And the question everyone wants to know: When the year ends, what’s next for you and Fibershed?

The next wave for Fibershed is to expand out of my wardrobe, and begin to look closely at how we can create a bioregional supply chain that does no harm. We are celebrating the Fibershed as a whole, and bringing attention to our plans for the first ever, solar-powered, farm-based cotton and wool mill. We’re throwing a party on May 1st, and you’re all invited!

We are inviting people from everywhere — because we see a Fibershed as a replicable module. This isn’t just about our bioregion, its about the potential that exists in all regions!

As the personal challenge ends, I forsee Fibershed having a for-profit and non-profit wing. The for-profit wing will be a host of bio-regional fiber growers and processors working together to create the best possible garments. The non-profit wing will be working on R&D (research and development), and grant-writing to secure the funds to help develop innovative manufacturing systems — everything from rotational grazing regimes, so that farmers can get help to improve their soils, and sequester carbon, to developing closed-loop water systems in our fermentation indigo dye house.

It is all completely exciting, and the best part is, it’s already happening!

A huge thanks to Rebecca for sharing her expertise with us. Her story makes us re-think the boundaries of a seemingly-oxymoron, “sustainable fashion.” We encourage everyone to check out Fibershed and spread the word!

The Importance of Taking Time To Do Things Right: An {r} Update

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again — It’s a slow revolution.

The past couple months have been a real test of patience, teamwork and pure determination. Most of our days are spent making phone calls, bombarding people with e-mails, and searching long lists of fabric databases.

No one told us it would be this hard.

If they had, we wouldn’t have listened.

For those of you unfamiliar with the process of starting a clothing line: It’s complicated. And as one of our mentors has said, it’s about 10 times more complicated when trying to do it ethically.

There’s a term called “greenwashed” that we’ve been trying to avoid like a bad haircut. Too often, companies give American consumers false messages of environmental responsibility and eco-friendly manufacturing when it’s simply not the case.

We’ve come across this same problem in our research to source sustainable fabric. It’s a lot of smoke and mirrors, and it takes a LOT of investigation to know what you’re really getting.

Take for instance cotton. It may be organically grown, but the majority of the time it’s not organically manufactured — consequently defeating the whole purpose of growing it organically in the first place.

Or sustainable bamboo. The fastest growing plant in the world is acclaimed as one of the most environmentally-friendly ways to make a t-shirt. In reality, manufacturing a bamboo shirt takes an incredible amount of chemicals that usually end up being dumped into the water ways of China.

And then there’s traditional nylon, rayon and spandex. But I won’t even get started on that.

The bottom line? We’re doing our research. And we’re doing it well. We feel a responsibility to the consumer and future buyers of {r}evolution apparel, and we’re not looking to pull a fast one on you.

We won’t do this until we can do it right.

And thankfully, we think we’ve found our answer.

But more on that to come. {r}

Rethinking Fashion: An Interview with HOLSTEE

{A Note on the 2k Competition: We won’t find out who won until this weekend, but we’ll be sure to let everyone know! A huge thanks for all of your support — we sincerely appreciate the amazing turnout.}

If you haven’t heard of HOLSTEE, you will. Meet Mike, Dave, and Fabian: three guys, living in Brooklyn, who design and curate “kickass products, sustainably made, with a social impact.” It really doesn’t get much cooler than that.

It all started around the HOLSTEE tee, with a holster-like zipper-pocket for all the stuff dudes carry. They’ve branched out with “fins,” wallets and pendants, and an entire curated collection. The amazing part? Every product is made in a way that helps people and planet.

HOLSTEE is a special inspiration for us, because these guys created a company that reflects their lifestyle, and encourage others to “live their dream and wear their passion,” as well. We had a chance to interview them and find out what young entrepreneurs think about trends, sustainability, saving the world, and living your dream.

{r} HOLSTEE’s manifesto has become slightly famous (check it out here). In it, you say, “Life is about the people you meet, and the things you create with them, so go out and start creating.” How did the idea for and creation of HOLSTEE come to be?

Well, like you said, Holstee all began with the idea of putting a pocket on a shirt, but at the time it was one of a few projects I was working on with some friends at Incubaker. We always loved working together and had a few side projects going on at any given time. We came to realize that if we all focused our energy, even if it was part-time, we could take one concept and push it much further than we could multiple projects. We put the other ideas on hold and decided to move forward with Holstee. At that same time, my brother and I decided we were ready for change. It was almost summer in NYC and we decided to quit our jobs in the heat of the recession and focus full-time on Holstee and see how far we could push it before running out of cash. We figured in the worst case scenario it would be the best summer of our lives and we would find jobs again, and that is how we got started!

{r} Starting a business is never easy. What were some early obstacles that you dealt with, and what advice would you give yourselves if you could do it all over?

Production was a big challenge for us at the beginning. Without backgrounds in design, fashion, or producing apparel and accessories we had a huge learning curve. The biggest takeaway was always sticking to your gut when it comes to design, and budget twice as much time and money to produce anything, especially when it’s the first time.

{r} Sustainability and responsibility are cornerstones of HOLSTEE. We think more and more people are asking, “What’s in this product, and who made it?” What are your thoughts on the shifts in consumer trends and attitudes?

As new and increasingly transparent brands emerge that educate consumers on the entire ecological impact of an item, consumers become more aware and begin to take responsibility for the impact of their purchases. It is too easy to frown on child-labor, pollution and pesticides one day, then turn around and buy a t-shirt from the local fast-fashion outlet around the corner without considering the effects. The most important thing people are continuing to realize is that each dollar spent is a vote and investment towards what you value in life.

If you would like to see more local stores you need to stop shopping at chains, if you want to see less waste you need to buy things with less packaging. On the other side, designers and businesses need to offer not only the most ecological option but the best design and quality to make the consumers’ choice as easy as possible. It is the crossing point between mindful consumers and meaningful products where we will really see some growth. Hopefully, this will help shift the harmful phenomenon of over-consumption and waste.

{r} As “change-makers,” what do you think about power, responsibility, and a small group’s ability to impact the world?

I am positive that every decision each person makes has a huge domino effect. The most obvious example I can think of is when someone smiles. Next time you are on the subway or in a crowd of people try giving a genuine smile and see how contagious it can be.

{r} And finally, what’s next for HOLSTEE?

Oooh good question! We are hoping to release about five to 10 new products this year and are currently prototyping a few — still top secret though ;-) We are also working to grow the curated part of our site, continually offering new meaningful products to your growing community. And of course lots of travel and fun in the meantime!

A huge thanks to Dave for setting this up, and to the crew at HOLSTEE who continue to kick ass and provide products we can all feel good about buying. Check out their online home here, and connect on Facebook and Twitter to keep following their story. {r}

Creating a Clothing Line: Responsibility, Power and Change

Each of us has a responsibility as living, breathing people.

I used to think that since we’d all be dead someday, it didn’t really matter what we did as long as we were kind to each other.

I still believe that, but I suppose the phrase “as long as we are kind to each other” has taken on a whole new meaning.

It’s not so immediate anymore. It’s not just about my family and friends. Or fellow humans. It’s about being kind with the understanding that we are all connected.

And what great power we have, as people who get to read blogs, express thoughts in words, connect on the internet, and live in relative comfort!

With great power, comes great responsibility. I think we are really just beginning to realize our power and responsibility in full. It’s sometimes overwhelming to think that we truly do have the capacity to change things.

Responsibility is scary. Especially as we start a new business, producing clothing. Because no matter what, this system will not be perfect. We’ll have to burn fuel to ship materials. Use lots of water in the manufacturing process. As with any product, it involves some level of un-kindness to man and environment.

Of course, responsibility is a blessing too. We have the choice to use recycled PET plastic fiber, domestically-grown organic cotton, or no-waste Tencel. Every choice is up to us: better packaging, efficient shipping, the best manufacturing system possible. We have the responsibility to make the process kinder.

Along with this responsibility and power must come the understanding that while we will do our best, we are not perfect. All we can do is make the best choices, try to change the system, little by little, and make it easier for everyone else to make the right decisions too.

“We can’t all do everything, but we can all do something.” {r}

I am American, and I am Not a Shopaholic

A recent article in Bloomberg Businessweek compared Black Friday to a spectator sport. We turn on the news, sit back, and watch the madness with disgust. Sort of.

“Who are these people? We think, shaking our heads. And how much are those Nespresso machines? And wouldn’t I be enjoying this spectacle more if I were watching it on a bigger television, like the ones Best Buy is selling at such ridiculously low prices?”

I am American, and I am a shopaholic.

In a nation of shoppers, what the hell are we doing introducing minimalist clothing?

We get questions like this a lot. Our idea is akin to Stride gum that lasts forever. The factory shuts down because people never have to buy new gum.

As a business model, it’s a risk. We are forgoing repeat buyers. We aren’t encouraging our customers to buy more. Our clothing will be built to last. The styles are timeless staples.

Basically, we are the opposite of fast fashion.

And we don’t care.

Because there is a part of America that hates the fact that our economy is based around creating shopaholics, generation after generation. That wants to break the cycle. That realizes less is more.

And there is something inside all of us that wants to give more than we take.

We’re counting on those people to help us make this happen. Those who want to support ethical clothing, the environment, simple lifestyles, and freedom from stuff.

We might be crazy. Some have said, “You know, there’s a reason why no one has tapped into this market.”

But it’s not a market. It’s a way of life, that doesn’t involve easy profits, high turnover, and infinite resources.

So you’re not going to see minimalism in the malls anytime soon. But slowly, we hope to provide options, in locally-owned shops all over America, for those who want to say,

Fuck trends. I care about shit, and I am not a shopaholic. {r}

How We Became Designers {Part III}

{This is the third post in a series about our transformation from totally-not-fashion-designers, to convincing a professional pattern-maker that we graduated from fashion school. Catch up by reading Part I and Part II.}

Croqui is French. I think it means “lifesaver.” A croqui is an outline of a naked woman. It’s a tool, for newbies like us, to trace and practice sketching our clothes onto.

Searching croqui under Google Images gives designers a million different options. There are baby croquis. Plus-sized croquis. Impossibly skinny croquis. Busty croquis. Whatever type of person you’re designing for, there’s a croqui to match.

When we started designing our line we printed out all the croquis we could get our hands on and began drawing. First, we made a sample “look book” of all our 100 clothing combinations. When we finished, we had two pages full of 3-inch-tall women, wearing our line.

Shannon started calling them “sassy little ladies.” The process was fun, and made us feel legitimate.

Next, came the phase we both dreaded: spec sheets.

A spec sheet is a piece of paper with every minute detail of a garment. Every measurement, every button count, every zipper length. We needed to figure out what size hems we wanted, and what color thread to use for the seams.

We had to have technical drawings of our clothing as well. Close-up. Side view. Front. Back. And for measurements, we took all of our favorite brands, Googled their sizing charts, and found an average. Plus, we measured ourselves with a 25 cent measuring tape from the nearest bodegona. We guessed our way through it.

We frantically drew up the designs before our first meeting in Nicaragua, attempting to show how each piece can convert into something else. We traced everything with sharpies, took photos of them, (as scanners are a hard find in Managua), and formatted everything with MS Word.

We were proud of our attempt as we walked into our first meeting with Sonia, a seasoned pattern-maker. But we didn’t think she’d actually believe we were real designers. She praised our designs at length, and wanted to know where we had studied fashion.

For us, this is just one more example of the truisms we’ve been learning in this process:

You can learn enough about anything to pass.
Expertise is overrated.
People will always help you along the way.
Determination is the key to success.

How We Became Designers {Part II}

{This is the second post in a series about our transformation from totally-not-fashion-designers, to convincing a talented pattern-maker that we’ve graduated from fashion school. Part I can be found here.}

Before leaving the States, I bought the “fashion bible” – The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Sewn Product Manufacturing. I read it cover to cover, and realized there are a lot of people out there just like us, with an idea, but no real knowledge about how to produce clothing.

The author calls them “designer entrepreneurs.”

So we started with an idea. At the time, we were kind of inspired by our discovery of infinity scarves. I thought it would be cool to make a scarf that was reversible four ways, and could be a regular scarf and an infinity scarf too. My mom thought we could turn it into a purse as well, so I gave that a go.

Using some cheap, ugly fabric, I started sewing.

It was a wreck. I don’t have the patience for sewing.

So I had a fugly, unfinished scarf in my closet and was back to square one.

Then, I sat down with a pencil and started sketching. Everything. It wasn’t pretty. After looking at my drawings, you’d be surprised to learn that I supposedly have good motor skills.

But I kept practicing. For all of two or three weeks, and little by little, things got a bit less fugly.

Shannon arrived in Guatemala. We finally talked about our ideas, and started forming the real base of our line in our minds. And we both drew, more and more. It turned out that she didn’t need three weeks of extra practice; her motor skills are apparently more evolved than mine.

With two people, the process takes a little longer. We’re still working on the kinks. What color should this be? Should these straps snap or tie? Should this be loose or tight? Where is this going to fall on the calf?

We finally came up with some rough sketches of what we wanted and deemed them “acceptable,” but we would have been embarrassed to show them to anyone else.

That’s when we learned about croqui’s. And spec sheets. And sizing charts. And how to convey a design to a professional.

And that’s what we’ll share on Friday. {r}

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

{the blog}

Tagged: fashion design