The latest trend in eco-clothing is “upcycling”—reclaiming vintage fashions, disused garments, tablecloths, blankets, and other
fabrics into brand new, one-of-a-kind pieces. Green? Absolutely. Run of the
mill? Not a chance. Here, we speak with four inspirational companies, and the
talented designers and teams who are producing beautiful, handcrafted clothing
for boys and girls from a variety of environmentally responsible sources.
Designer, part-time teacher, and mom Jennifer Zamudio
named her company in honor of her grandparents. She combines her art training
with the lessons her grandparents taught her about treasure hunting at garage
sales and thrift shops as she searches for discarded cashmere and other
fabulous finds—converting her discoveries into lovely, handmade items for
children.
MM: Where do you find inspiration for your children’s
designs?
Zamudio: In the fabric itself. I recently came across a
wonderful pink velvet bedspread that’s in great shape and will make a
beautiful party dress. It was probably stored away forever and rediscovered
when someone cleaned out their mom’s attic. There’s a thrill to finding a
piece, envisioning the transformation of it, and seeing the end product.
MM: Does the fact that you have two small sons of your
own help with the designing of boy’s clothing?
Zamudio: My designs are for both boys and girls, and for
infants starting at 6 months. I’d love to do more boys' stuff, but it’s harder
to find boy-appropriate fabrics. With the boys, I focus on pajamas because it’s
far easier to wear funny prints as pajamas.
MM: Any plans to expand?
Zamudio: My sister and I both just had another baby, so
I’m adding some bibs and maybe more accessories. I love to make party dresses,
adding fun details like vintage trims, and buttons or broaches to waistlines.
MM: Can you accommodate requests for custom work?
Zamudio: Definitely. I recently made some flower girl
dresses, and the bride gave me some old lace to incorporate into the designs.
Send me an email, and let me know what you have. We’ll go from there.
Victoria, B.C., residents Bonnie McGrath and Kirsten Coupe
have been friends since they were 6 years old. From sewing outfits for their
Barbie dolls as kids, they progressed to a variety of other creative pursuits,
including knitting and stained glass. As moms, they began to envision what form
a shared business enterprise might take, and their company was formed—represented by the word Banbutsu, which is Japanese for “everything under the
sun.”
MM: What was the catalyst for creating Banbutsu?
McGrath: One day we got together for coffee to share our
latest new idea for a cool business, and discovered we were thinking about the
exact same thing—making things from recycled wool sweaters. Banbutsu was our
‘Yes!’ moment. Everything sort of spiraled from there. We started experimenting
and making clothes for our own kids. Strangers would ask where we got their
clothes, complimenting them. It was exciting, and gave us the momentum we
needed.
MM: Where do you find your materials?
McGrath: We live in a very socially and environmentally
conscious community, and recycling is important. We find many of our materials
at thrift stores and garage sales, or as donated items from friends and family.
We’ve even found offerings of wool sweaters left on our doorsteps by community
members who are familiar with our work. There’s a lot of satisfaction in
creating new things without using up a lot of natural resources, and being part
of a larger, green movement. There’s something really satisfying about finding
a beautiful cashmere sweater with one little hole, and giving it a new life by
using the material that’s undamaged. And, using recycled fabrics means that
almost every piece we create is unique.
MM: Can you create custom items for clients who may have
a sweater of their own they’d like to upcycle for their son or daughter?
McGrath: While there are some limitations to what any
particular garment can be upcycled into, and we do like to ensure the style of
the finished pieces are in keeping with our own designs, we’re happy to
communicate with people to explore possibilities—almost everything has the
potential to be transformed into something sweet.
Stacy Waddington and Jen List met as preschool room moms.
List is the mother of five, and Waddington has two children of her own—hence the
company’s name. The two women quickly discovered they shared a
love for creating things and wanted an outlet that would provide more of a
challenge than their fabulously decorated classrooms.
MM: What are your backgrounds?
Waddington: Our backgrounds are in graphic arts and fashion
merchandising. I worked in retail for 17 years. We found we shared similar
dreams for a product line. It’s the creative outlet that gives us pleasure.
Since we’ve always enjoyed children’s clothing, it was a natural fit.
MM: From where do you source your materials?
Waddington: Mostly at thrift stores. Winter things are
great because of all the soft wools and cashmeres. For summer designs, we use
vintage feed sacks and pillowcases that we find on eBay.com.
MM: What’s in your collection?
Waddington: Both boy’s and girl’s clothing, plus
stroller-size blankets, hats, mittens, slippers, and kimonos. For our sweater
collection pieces, we work in colors, but most of the designs are pretty much
unisex. We’re always adding little bits and pieces to what we offer, but I’d
say our collection is set at the moment.
MM: Can you create bespoke, commissioned pieces for
clients?
Waddington: We can do whatever a customer wants—last
year, we got a lot of orders for blankets that were personalized with
birthdates. We’ve talked about creating pieces from personal sweaters, and
would love to be able to offer this. Right now, it’s just the two of us doing
all the work, from designing and production, to keeping up the website, taking
photos, and dong PR, so sometimes we have more ideas than time!
Chicago-based designer Courtney Chu studied textile
design, refining her skills as an Industrial Design major at Carnegie Mellon
University. She works full-time designing products for a children's rainwear
and accessory company and makes uniquely brilliant garments on the side for
her own company, CourtneyCourtney.
MM: What was your inspiration to focus on children’s
clothing?
Chu: I originally started sewing women’s clothing, and
then dog t-shirts. Children’s clothing came soon after, and it really just fit
my design process; the children’s clothing range is always cool and pretty
open-ended. I enjoy repurposing t-shirts and knits because they are easily
accessible and come in so many colors, textures, and prints. Every single
piece is like a small exercise in working with what I have in front of me,
incorporating all these characteristics to create something unique and special.
I am always scouring thrift stores, and friends and customers also send me
fabrics and t-shirts.
MM: What do you enjoy most about your business?
Chu: The moment that I flip a sewn piece right-side out
and see it complete.
MM: Are you able to do custom designs on demand with
materials supplied by customers?
Chu: I only consider custom orders from
customers who have bought my clothing before, just so they know what to expect.
I wouldn't feel comfortable taking my scissors to someone's sentimental
t-shirts without any knowledge of my work and fit. There are some technical
restrictions for re-sewing something, as well.
MM: Do you have plans to expand your line?
Chu: I’d love to bring more attention to my hand-cut silk
screens. I learn something new each day, and feel I have to be adaptable to
changes in how people shop. Right now, I'm figuring out a way to bring shopping
in person and shopping online closer.
MM: Do you have children of your own?
Chu: Not yet! I fear we won't be able to make it out of
the house until everyone has something new to wear!
Author Debra Bokur loves to sew and has been making blankets out of old sweaters as gifts for friends and family for years, ever since her husband ran a batch of her favorite sweaters through the washer and dryer. He no longer helps with the laundry.