The textile industry is one of the biggest polluters on the planet, and the greenhouse gas emissions are dubbed some of the most dominant on the planet. Fast fashion is a large contributory factor that environmentalists believe is damaging our planet. That is why a growing number of people are beginning to turn their hands to sewing. Crafting their clothing and home goods limits textile waste. The simple, yet ethical solution is... a needle and thread.
The principle of sustainability is utilizing several crafts and materials that are found without a trail of unethical practices. Natural materials are those that are void of harmful toxins. Opting for recycled or upcycled fabrics offer you a deluge of creative possibilities. The option to customize our modest pieces is a vital step, and may well live to tell a tale in hundreds of years to come. Loose fabric scraps that are sustainable can include plain or printed cotton, linen, bamboo. When we use these in our sewing crafts, we can rest easy that we’re contributing to a better planet. Worldwide, “cotton production represents 70% of textile production.” It is the second most polluting industry in the world behind oil. Since conventional cotton cultivation consumes a lot of water, insecticides, and pesticides, many choose to invest in organic cotton.
To simplify the benefits further, we can name the top three benefits of sewing:
It doesn’t require many resources
It doesn’t require many materials
It focuses solely on sustainable elements and techniques
Quality and personality last
Investing in good materials will offer you a superb ROI. Sewing with high-quality materials will offer you longevity. A poor-quality garment will deteriorate very quickly, after all. On the other hand, sewing for the pleasure of creating your items, allows you to create a garment that is modified to our morphology and our personality which gives every item a new meaning.
Contributing to slow fashion
Committed sewing means taking the time to think about your project, reusing or recycling as much as possible the existing fabrics. This contributes to slow fashion, which halts the fast fashion industry. Many unethical manufacturers rely on sweatshops that create poor-quality products. Therefore, an eco-responsible outlook means you consume fewer resources and items. From the origin of the fiber to the manufacturing conditions, you make the decisions. Choosing eco-responsible haberdashery and sewing sustainable clothes provides you with guilt-free items every day.
Sustainable equipment
The choice of sewing machines can contribute to a more ethical project also. Whilst a traditional needle and thread is great, an electric choice allows you to create more at a faster pace. A popular choice is the Brother CS 10 (or its big sister the Brother FS 40 which is surprisingly simple). Thanks to its 40 stitches including 5 buttonholes, to the settings of the thread tension, the width and the length of the stitches, or its illuminated work surface, this machine will allow beginners and intermediate seamstresses to make pretty stitches without effort. This allows anyone of any skill level to try their hand at sewing.
Sewing materials and equipment are often readily available at vintage or second-hand stores. This allows you to be selective with your choice, whilst easily upgrading your pre-existing items or crafting from scratch. With little to no carbon footprint, you reduce landfill waste and expel the need for long-distance transportation of goods.