Did you know that continually buying new clothes is bad for the environment?
Recent studies show that the fashion industry has been producing a huge carbon footprint for decades, and most methods of creating garments are far from sustainable. Thankfully, if you want your own wardrobe to be a lot more environmentally friendly, there are a few things you can do. For starters, it is much better to buy secondhand and vintage pieces that have been worn before. As well as that, you might want to start making your own clothing.
Worried that you will turn out to be a terrible seamstress? That won’t be the case if you follow these five steps!
Invest In A Sewing Machine
First of all, it is really important to invest in a sewing machine. If you can’t afford one, you could stick to using a needle and thread in the traditional way, but this will take a lot longer. Using a sewing machine will speed things up for you, and you can also have peace of mind knowing that the stitches will be neat and tight. It’s worth having a few practices on your machine before you start making clothes so that you know what you are doing.
Find A Beginner’s Pattern
Once you are confident with your sewing machine, you need to find a pattern for a piece of clothing. You’ll be able to find these online or in your nearest craft shop. It’s important that you look for a beginner’s pattern as this will be simple to follow and there won’t be any complicated stitches to do. Once you start to develop more skills with your machine, you can build up to some intermediate patterns.
Buy Your Fabric
When it comes to the type of fabric that you use for your clothes, you might want to start off with plain cotton fabric. This will be easier for you to cut as you won’t have to worry about spoiling any patterns or prints. You simply have to measure out the piece that you need, and can cut it straight away. Cotton is a very versatile material too, and can be used for a wide range of garments.