I have to say that I am dealing with an impressive group of women here. Every one of them is well-versed and current in the issues of sustainability and how these affect textiles and their production/distribution. Today’s discussion in class started with Bryan Selterman’s article in National Geographic (June 2018) on Greed vs. the Common Good.

Recognizing that the people in the discussion were already a environmentally-sensitive group -much like the 1000s who marched last Friday (above) – who would choose to forfeit a reasonable percentage of individual gain for the common good, the conversation quickly moved to how this ethical exercise might apply to the broader issues (See Big Board image in Our Own House post) and specifically the marketplace.

As business is driven by a profit motive, how does one understand and inform human behavior towards a more positive outcome for all? What can individuals do to feel effective? And specifically how can a group of talented young designers approach the problem, putting DESIGN at the core of problem solving? Stay tuned as we research and analyze the potential that DESIGN has to change the course!

Clothes Horse Clothing is a women’s wear fashion company located in Barrington Rhode Island. It is owned by Bianca who works as the company’s designer, owner, makeup artist, crisis management, and just about every other job you can imagine. Bianca’s goal as a self taught seamstress is to create comfortable cruelty-free clothing for women “with a fierce sense of self”. On the outside Bianca appears to be a one woman show. However, she has a little help from her adorably cute assistant Miss Everly, her four year old niece and from Bianca’s Muse, Freddie Mac, a rescue cat whose job is to greet customers and help with shipping.

Bianca is dedicated to small batch fashion, sustainable living, and animal activism. This is why every cat print purchase helps rescue cats like Freddie Mac. This is also why sourcing materials from independent designers, recycling programs, vintage shops, and other U.S. companies plays a large part in her clothing making.

As a student coming from a background in sustainable textiles I wanted to take a closer look at Clothes Horse Clothing and get to know Bianca first hand. I reached out over email and asked a couple of questions to introduce myself and get a sense of her outlook on sustainability.

My first question for her was, what other types of companies do you source from (In the U.S.) and what is your reason for outsourcing certain tasks?

She replied, “So as far as outsourcing goes, I really only outsource my printing. I create a lot of my own textiles and print them through an online provider called Spoonflower. The fabric is digitally printed in North Carolina and shipped to my studio. I don’t have the printing system or the space to house it so utilizing the service made sense for the small scale production that I use it for. My goals are very different from the average modern day designer. I’m in total control over the process- I create the patterns and handle construction. Because my pieces will never go into production (they are all one of a kind, made by me), there is no middle man for production. I’ve always considered my jackets to be like paintings- I wouldn’t pay someone else to create the pattern or construct the garment because the outcome would not be my own work. I think my fine art background may inform this perspective.”

Second question, Where do you typically buy your fabric and do you have a single supplier or multiple?

Her reply, “When I purchase fabrics for my jackets, my goal is typically to purchase fabrics that other designers don’t have access to. I tend to shop at outlets for limited quantity, vintage or end of selection finds. I shop vintage stores and estate sales to collect unique textiles. I had been purchasing fashion fabrics wholesale through Timeless Treasures, a New York based textile company. After seeing the same prints sold through other online retailers, I decided I wanted to make a total shift to one of a kind, limited run textiles and combinations.”

My final question was, what does being a “small batch brand” mean to you?

“Being a small batch brand to me means creating pieces in a personal way. Production facilities will produce the garments regardless of whether or not they think the pieces will sell in the market today. There is no accountability for the production of so many things that people insist on making despite their design quality or function. The average designer does not draft their own patterns, sew their own garments or really understand much about the process outside of selecting colors and fabrics. Having the cash to produce 12 of something doesn’t necessarily mean that the world needed 12 of those dresses or leggings. 12 garments in a small batch production is still 12 garments worth of non-biodegradable material, time and space. There is so much ‘stuff’ or material already existing in warehouses and cluttered homes across America. Slow, small batch fashion to me means using what we’ve already irresponsibly produced too much of and consolidating it into new, wearable and exciting pieces that are well made and built to last. Small batch to me means that people will wait, and be willing to wait, because what they’re getting is made in response to a direct demand. There are no warehouses full of stuff- just busy hands responding to online orders and limited runs of one of a kind products.”

After corresponding with Bianca I got a really good feeling about Clothes Horse Clothing and the direction it was headed. One thing is perfectly clear, this is a person who genuinely loves material and prides herself on the uniqueness of her shop. I completely respect the ideology of the small business. The idea that what we make doesn’t have to be brand new. Value can come in a genuine love and care for something, whether that something is a dress, bowl, rug, chair, etc. In a world where seemingly everything has been mass produced small businesses like Bianca’s bring a breath of fresh air.

If you’d like to see more of Bianca’s work you can check out her Instagram @clotheshorseclothing. Runaway photo credit goes to Myke Yeager.

With the rise of fast fashion, Linda Cabot Design is a breath of fresh air. All the elements of a single product are carefully considered, from certified organic cotton to recyclable paper packaging.  They utilize digital printing with 100% biodegradable inks that showcase portions of Linda’s original paintings and are printed in small batches to reduce waste. Every piece is handcrafted in Massachusetts by local artisans who make a living wage in their craft all the while continuing traditional needle art methods.

After getting some house-keeping stuff out of the way Tania, Linda and I jumped right into discussing her company.

Do you find that there is a shift in understanding the importance of organic textiles in our society?

Linda quickly responds with “No!” followed by all of our abrupt laughter. She continues to compare the organic food industry to the organic textile industry, “People get it obviously with organic food” and suggests that it’s 20 years ahead of the organic textile industry in regard to public awareness and industry practice.  Parents often have no trouble paying a bit more for organic cotton materials for their baby’s bedding and clothing, all the while ignoring the fact that they could be incorporating more sustainable fabric for themselves. It begs the question as to why not incorporate organic materials towards household needs for bedding, home upholstery, and tabletop fabric accessories. Linda wants to make this her mission, to bring the principles of sustainability and eco-friendliness to home decor and hopes to one day make her pieces accessible to a wider variety of incomes The process of shifting the public awareness about the importance of organic textiles in our society is slow, and Linda believes that over time, “People will become more aware especially of what conventional cotton is doing not only to the environment but to all the millions of conventional cotton farmers who are continually exposed to both pesticides and insecticides.”

Have you ever had to locate a new eco-supplier and found it difficult to do so?  Are they more plentiful in this day and age?

Linda admits that finding and sourcing from a good eco-supplier can be hard and goes on to mention that sourcing something as small as organic linen or organic cotton ribbon used for packaging has its issues. Locating the right color and amount she needs is nearly impossible and has resorted to cutting the ribbon herself. She states that the main problem with eco-suppliers is that their price points and securing a fair price in which she can make a profit. She adds, “Organic cotton is more expensive than conventional cotton so finding excellent organic cotton at a good price point can be tough.”

With our researching and studying up on organic fiber, Tania asks if Linda has considered hemp since it will be legal to grow now back in the state. 

“Yes, I love Hemp!” Linda mentions that her company is coming out with hemp backing for pillows for their incoming Fall line. Tania comments about her research on hemp and the discovery of a 50/50 wool blend that prevents wool itch. Linda points out that there has been a 50/50 blend of hemp and Tencel, pulp fiber from a eucalyptus tree, that has a silky feel to it. It’s still relatively early to forecast which materials will be best for her company, but there is hope.

What would you like to see in 5 years that you currently don’t do or have regarding your sustainable production processes?

Linda has been working towards bringing the message that a luxury item can be a beautiful product and be sustainable. She goes on to say, “So that people if they do have values about environmental activism or sustainability that they can also buy products that beautifully enhance their homes,  items that are healthy for their home, the environment, and for the farmers that are producing a lot of these fibers.” The integration of thoughtful and sustainable design is an ongoing goal for Linda’s company combined with the education of their responsible sourcing and production practices. Linda indicates that Patagonia is essentially the holy grail of sustainable companies. She appreciates their multi-tiered approach to educating their consumers of the responsible sourcing and production practices and sees their methodology as a goal. She declared, “I think it’s important for companies to be responsible producers” and for them to be transparent with every aspect of their sourcing. The guarantee of organic cotton, Global Organic Textiles Standard (GOTS) certification is needed, though expensive.  Linda goes on to explain the GOTS process, “Making sure that people get fair labor, fair wages, there are no children involved, no trafficking, and the workday hours are fair.”  Global Organic Textile Standard International Working Group goes to the spots along the sourcing line verifying that all those qualifications are adequate plus making sure that organic measures are throughout the supply chain.

What would you say your company’s weaknesses are? Where are there opportunities to grow? What are some threats to your company?

Weakness: Cost, Linda admits that she wants her products to appeal to more than the top 1% who can afford to spend a little extra on an organic cloth napkin. She is trying to get the cost down on her goods to appeal to a broader spectrum of people. This is especially the case with her pricing of napkins, in which there is barely any profit made from them. Linda proceeds by asking “How can I get prices down with different sourcing or printers, even if it’s not organic cotton is there an alternative ?”

Opportunity: Linda comments on what an exciting time it is for organic textiles, “to be at the forefront of all this and I think it’s just a matter of time, 5-10 years this industry is going to take off!”

Threat: She acknowledges her frustration with the publics unfamiliarity around the difference between conventional “natural” cotton and organic. Conventional cotton is one of the dirtiest and most toxic crops because of its large use of pesticides, extreme water usage, and contaminated water runoff.  In terms of organic cotton, “if you use the word natural, the people think it’s good for you or good for the environment it’s the farthest from the truth.” She makes it clear that the lack of education around true organic fibers and the misunderstanding of them is a problem. That confusion paired with consumers not valuing responsible sourcing practice or their impact is a threat to her company.

Continuing into the research part of this project, Tania and I will address Linda’s “issue” of material/sourcing cost and discuss consumer education. We will do further research on other fabric for the company’s products, looking into sources for hemp and Tencel blends. Finally, we will look into how to educate their consumer about the values of ethical and responsible sourcing.