Sustainable fashion is all about a mindset shift
By Olivia Koepp
SAMARA The Curator
amra Michael seeks to be a conduit for those who are interested in sustainable and slow fashion.
Through her business and passions, she created a name for herself: Samra the Curator – creating an environment teaching individuals how to invest in themselves through clothing and accessories.
Her work is expanded to more than simply fashion. It, “is an affordable cross section between sustainability, (circularity) and adornment,” said Michael. Michael finds extending and giving new life to different pieces is an important sustainable lifestyle.
Michael explains that fast fashion takes up to 90% of the fashion market because of the fast-paced economy. The reason? Fashion trends and affordable shopping. “If there is a design that (a company) sees as popular, (the company) can recreate that design in house and get these new products into (their) store in the next two weeks,” Michael said.
When consumers know what fast fashion and sustainable fashion look like, they are more intentional shoppers, Michael said. “Everything from J Crew, Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, all our typical chain stores are typically fast fashion.”
Identifying slow fashion can be as simple as finding and “tracking that supply chain. Additionally, all the workers who are working on this piece of clothing are being paid a living wage,” she added.
“Once you pay everyone in that supply chain a living wage, the price goes way, way up,” said Michael.
Being intentional in fashion purchases is about learning to have a mindset shift. “I’m trying to teach people that it’s really not as hard as it seems…,” said Michael. Once a mindset shift happens, the time and effort it takes to thrift, source sustainable clothes, create a wish list or mood board does not seem as daunting.
“If you took it back 100 years, people were wearing clothes for the long haul. They were not wearing a piece twice and then throwing it away,” she says.
MEND with Martha Ellen
earning to upcycle and sew was vital for Martha Ellen Gunn. Gunn fell in love with the technique, and with pushing the boundaries of sewing. She learned at a young age how to sew stitch, hem a dress and fix a pair of jeans. She never thought her love of sewing would turn into MEND with Martha Ellen.
“I’ve always liked clothes, and I’ve always liked fashion, but I never considered myself fashionable. I find more pleasure in the technique and the quality (of sewing),” said Gunn. It is important that the clothing she works with lasts its full life. Her business began very organically through word-of-mouth referrals and support from her business community.
“I think sewing is a lost art that not many people know how to do,” said Gunn. She did not realize that few people knew how to hem a pair of pants or take in the waistline of a dress. As she gained more business traction, she was able to hone in on what materials and sewing styles she wanted to work with.
“I love denim repair, I love upcycling (and) I love altering. I especially love clothes that you invest in that are good quality,” said Gunn. She explains the problem with modern sizes is that articles of clothing are made from a pattern, mass produced to fit as many bodies as possible. That is why investing in pieces with the intention to last years and bringing them to individuals like Gunn supports a sustainable lifestyle.
Gunn believes clothing should not sit in a closet but should be worn and given new life with the intention to be worn. “(I love to) work on clothes that you’re going to wear every single day that are going to make you feel good every single day,” said Gunn.
“I love being able to give new life to an article of clothing that you might have thought was passed its prime,” she said. MEND with Martha marries the technical aspect of tailoring and altering with the creative aspects of embroidery and art.
MK Quinlan Vintage Shop
intage fashion has always been MK Quinlan’s priority. Her dream of owning a vintage store started out as trunk shows and pop-up stores across the Southeast. When she moved back to Birmingham, that dream turned into the MK Quinlan Vintage Clothing store. Initially she carried vintage evening gowns but as the business grew, her inventory expanded to vintage denim, blazers adn day-wear options.
“One of the reasons I got into vintage in the first place is because it felt like a really fun creative outlet for me. I was always inspired by the designs from the past. And as I got more interested in it, I began to understand the difference in quality (in) vintage garments,” said Quinlan.
While living in Charleston, South Carolina, Quinlan began doing pop-ups and trunk shows. “It worked out really well because I was able to test-drive the business through trunk shows (and) through pop-ups,” said Quinlan.
Quinlan honed her skills so she could understand the quality of vintage garments. Particularly garments produced before the 1970’s compared to modern day garments. “Through my collecting of vintage, I really started to understand the difference in manufacturing, and what makes vintage pieces great and where we sort of lost our way in the manufacturing process,” said Quinlan.
“I like to stick to materials that are high quality and that I know don’t have as big an impact on the environment,” said Quinlan. The clothing in her shop was carefully selected through asking questions of suppliers and manufacturers and Quinlan’s eye for well-made garments.
Doing their due diligence to ensure everything within the store is well-made, sustainable and vintage – asking questions is vital. “We try to ask ourselves new questions when we bring in a new line: are they easy and fun to work with? Do we like them? How and why are they sustainable? Would anyone wear this?” said Quinlan.
Quinlan also knows only wearing vintage or thrifted clothing items is not sustainable for everyone. “It would be really difficult only wear vintage or thrifted garments. What we try to do is offer sensible new options with vintage because that is the way people dress…that’s what makes up our closets as well,” said Quinlan.
“I would so much rather, if you are on a tight budget to buy less. Buy better,” she said.
Quinlan emphasizes when you spend more on your clothes you are more likely to spend more time caring for them, thus ensuring it lasts.