Have you ever wondered where the fabrics for your favourite clothing items come from? At Pippa Studios, we take pride in our commitment to sustainability by sourcing our fabric secondhand or rescued from landfill. But how exactly do we do this?
Pictured: The fabrics in this stack are all vintage fabrics from various sources. Some were sourced online via Facebook; some in op shops and some from Etsy.
Why Secondhand Fabric?
Let's start out by talking about why we only use secondhand and rescued fabrics. Secondhand & rescued fabrics are a key part of our sustainability efforts. By using pre-owned or landfill-destined fabric, we reduce the demand for new materials, which helps to lower our environmental impact. We believe strongly in using what we already have available in new and exciting ways. It makes it a bit more challenging but way more fun! Plus every piece of pre-owned or vintage fabric tells a story and that story can be so impactful. It isn't just fabric, it's a legacy or even an heirloom to some.
Did you know that in 2020-2021 Australia produced approximately 860,000 tonnes of textile waste? About 30% of that (or almost 300,000 tonnes) was *just clothing*. You can read more about that here. We are here to reduce all of these statistics one piece of fabric at a time.
Where Do We Source Our Fabric?
We shop at many, MANY op shops, online marketplaces (including eBay, Etsy and Facebook), and other places such as businesses that rescue fabrics from landfill to re-sell to the public to find high-quality secondhand/rescued fabric. By purchasing fabric that has already been produced, we are able to give new life to materials that might otherwise end up in landfill. We've also received fabric from our local Buy Nothing group; from friends & family members who have a random woollen blanket or two to spare; school mums who did a bit of a de-stash and thought of me and from Facebook groups where people gift free things.
We also don't *only* buy fabric. We'll also use sleeping bags; a pair of curtains; quilts or even pillowcases and bed sheets that have beautiful prints. In fact, a lot of the fabric we purchase is sheets & blankets!
Pictured: This wool is not from a blanket but a woven piece of vintage wool purchased from an online seller via Facebook. The lining was from a single flat bedsheet and those glorious giant buttons were from another online seller on Etsy who sells rescued & vintage buttons. This super cool kid is dressed in entirely thrifted clothes too! Rad!
How Do We Ensure Quality?
When sourcing secondhand fabric in person, we carefully inspect each piece to ensure that it meets our quality standards. We look for fabrics that are in good condition and that will hold up well over time. This attention to detail allows us to create products that are not only sustainable but also durable and long-lasting. We don't just buy any fabric, either. We are fussy about the texture and composition and even more fussy about things like the patterns and colours (if you haven't noticed, colour is a big deal here!!).
When sourcing the fabric online, most of the same considerations are applied, however being online means that we also need to ensure we buy from reputable sellers and that we ask questions to ensure the fabric will meet the standards.
We do buy fabric with stains, holes, rips & tears. Why? Because, why waste it!? Almost all of the time we are able to rescue large amounts of fabric this way that otherwise would have been binned. It makes the whole process feel even better too especially with our woollen blankets as they won't always be used if there is a hole or two or a bunch of stains. We've cut around giant glue globs; teeny tiny holes; large chunks of missing fabric and more to get the best fabric for our clothes.
Pictured: This dress combines something super-vintage with something super-rad but much newer! The vintage green fabric was from a very well used flat sheet and the amazing blue check was thrifted from a local op shop! The two were made for each other, don't you think?!
Our Commitment to Sustainability
By sourcing our fabric this way, we are able to reduce our environmental impact and support a more circular economy. We believe that sustainability should be at the core of everything we do, and ensuring we use fabric sustainably is just one of the many ways we are working towards a more sustainable future. We even hoard our scraps in giant tubs because we don't want to send it to landfill!
Next time you purchase one of our products, know that it was made with care and a commitment to sustainability. Together, we can make a difference by choosing products that are not only stylish and well-made but also environmentally friendly.
Tarquin
xx