Written by Jess Unsworth
Image and make by @letsgetsewing1
Textiles is the one industry that will always be around, no one can escape it, not even the nudists. The seats in your car? Fabric. When you get out the shower, what do you dry yourself with? Fabric. Even Greta Thunberg, the biggest environmental activist of our time and general badass, couldn't leave the house without her iconic yellow raincoat, which is made from what? Fabric. So WHY I cry when I'm lay in bed at night, is it falling so far behind when it comes to sustainability? The answer is money probably, but that response will simply not do!
Some of the major environmental effects of the textiles industry are the high levels of water consumption, the hazardous, synthetic pesticides that are used and the waste products ending up in landfills. Now, I'm not saying that everyone should sack off fabric, and join a self-sufficient environmentalist cult in the fields of Southern France (although that does sound tempting). What I am going to discuss, is the different ways that we as companies and you as sewists can start taking steps in the right direction.
There are many things big companies can be doing, and here at Craft Cotton Co, we are actively trying to improve our products to create a more sustainable future. Which, I am super happy to say, we will be doing! This month we have launched our new brand 'Make + Believe Fabrics'. It will focus on digitally printing on to organic cotton. We have chosen to do this as a step towards people becoming more environmentally aware. The main positives of working with organic cotton are that it eliminates hazardous synthetic pesticides and it allows farmers to grow other food stuffs alongside the cotton, which allows them to diversify their income and and cope with demand and change in the market.
When it comes to fabric hoarding I know you guys are the worst for it (because I am the same). You don't just want that gorgeous FQ you've clocked in the bargain bin, you NEED it. The chairs made from piles of fabric in your living room isn't clutter, it's just a quirk. We all need to Marie Kondo our sewing rooms, and the best way to do this is scrap busting. Not only does it use up your piles of 'too nice to throw out' scrap fabrics, it also means you can save that pair of jeans that are on their last legs!
Now, with Earth Day coming up (22nd April), I have decided to challenge all you lovely sewists. I want to see what YOU can make with some of your left over fabric. Patches for ripped clothing, make up pads, jazzing up an old pair of jeans, whatever you make we want to see it! Our favourites may even get featured on our page. So get crafty, challenge your sewing buddies and don't forget to tag us and use the hashtag #CCCScrapThatChallenge.
Photo and make by @creativeblondegifts
To get the creative juices flowing, here are some ideas of what you can do:
Reusable sanitary pads
Wax food wrap/sandwich bags
Face/eye wipes
Shoe laces
Plant pots
Patches for clothes
Cuffs/collars on jackets
Coffee cosy
Keep your eyes peeled on our blog for some #CCCScrapThatChallenge tutorials.
Written by Jess Unsworth for The Craft Cotton Co 2022.
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