Dress up BREAK DOWN

I grew up in a family of makers and have always been encouraged to use my hands. As a child, I was constantly drawing figures in elaborate outfits and sewing awkward stiff dresses for my teddies out of upholstery fabric remnants. And I would stitch buttons onto anything I could.

I have a great love for the outdoors, our beautiful mountains and rivers and coastline, but even as a 21-year-old, I have seen in my lifetime the human impact on the environment (the destruction of habitat, the increase in unsustainable farming and forestry practices, the sharp rise in tourism) all in the name of economic growth. It has made me explore the question of how we can cater for our needs (food, clothing and shelter) without exploiting others, and at the same time tread lightly on the planet.

MY QUEST FOR SUSTAINABLE FASHION

Naively, I entered the world of textiles and) textile industry which existed up until the last mill closed in 1985. Here was an industry that was sustainable; it required little water, the fibre was retted and bleached naturally (as opposed to chemically) in fields in the sun. It had everything going for it, except it couldn’t compete against the import of cheap fabrics.