Cutting Through Clothing Waste: Cause-related Crafting

Cutting Through Clothing Waste: Cause-related Crafting

Finding myself with extra time on my hands as a result of COVID-mandated shutdowns, I renewed my passion in all things crafting, a hobby that was a large part of my childhood spent with my even-craftier twin sister. Like most moms, I started making wreaths to both pass the time with my young son and beautify our home, where we were spending more time than ever.

My son and I headed to the local craft store to stock up on supplies. We piled a fresh, sharp pair of Fiskars scissors, a less sharp pair for my kiddo, some wire wreath frames, and carefully-chosen fabrics into our cart then headed home to start our future as makers of rag wreaths. One wreath and we were hooked. We started buying things in bulk so we could make even more wreaths for gifts and dreamed of selling a few to fund our passion.

Aside from a pair of good scissors, creating an impressive rag wreath requires A LOT of fabric. Yards and yards of it for larger wreaths. As someone who doesn’t have an “organically occurring” pile of rags like, say, a quilter might, the costs were adding up.

So what’s a crafter to do?

I started looking at thrift stores for donated fabric to use, and in doing so, had an epiphany that changed my entire approach. Maybe even changed me as a person!

According to the World Economic Forum’s facts on the sustainability of fashion, the growing market for cheap clothes and new styles is taking a toll on the environment with people buying 60% more garments on average in 2014 than they did in 2000. A single visit to any thrift store drives home the point of our culture’s clothing overconsumption as you weave through the aisles of donated dresses, blouses, t-shirts, shorts, jeans, jackets, and more. Consider this: what you see in a thrift store is only a very small percentage of what is actually donated and deemed “sellable” by local managers. A far greater percentage of donated clothing faces a much more dire fate. The World Economic Forum (WEF) reports that 85% of all textiles go to the dump each year. In fact, the WEF says that fashion production makes up 10% of humanity’s carbon emissions, dries up water sources, and pollutes rivers and streams.

By now, you can probably see where this story is headed… to the thrift store, which really is the best fabric store if you’re seeking rags! I tend to seek out natural fabrics like 100% cotton or linen because they are actually more environmentally friendly than synthetic fabrics (did you know that even washing polyester releases pollution that ends up in our waterways and oceans?!). The men’s dress shirt section is a treasure trove of unique patterns, colors, and textures. I typically shop the tag sales to save as much money as possible so that I can make as many wreaths as possible. I pile up my thrifted goodies, throw them in the laundry, then put my scissors to work disassembling the shirt and cutting into every last corner of the fabric to get the strips of rags that make the wreaths. I also found that it’s the best store for refreshing my wardrobe -- buying used is good for the environment AND my pocketbook. Today, I can hardly remember what the inside of a department store looks like it’s been so long!

In addition to collecting “likes” on my Instagram @TheGirlisCraftyyy, I started an Etsy shop of the same name. My mom continues to be my best, and sometimes only, customer. But I do it for the love of the craft! Typically, I gift the wreaths. I make a new wreath for our beloved elderly neighbor quarterly, trying to use purples to match her flowers. I welcome new neighbors with a rag wreath. Rainbow wreaths go out for Pride month. No Christmas cookies from this family -- we gift Christmas rag wreaths! Everyone gets one for their birthday or special occasion like graduation. Sometimes the wreaths are for much sadder occasions, like the time I used a loved one’s clothing to make a memoriam wreath. Or the red, white, and blue wreath that went to a Gold Star naval mom who laid her young son to rest following a deadly training incident while serving our community (may God protect our troops). We’ve kept old friends through our rag-wreathing and made new ones too! We share stories of the fabric’s origins so every wreath comes with a little story.

I hope that I inspire crafting with a conscience. I believe the world can be a little bit better of a place if we all can practice cause-related crafting -- every scrap of change counts! xx.