Etsy's Handmade Blog
The Sustainability of Vintage Suits
Story by thistledownandfinch
Published on October 10, 2008 in Craftivism 		Photo by

akat

My husband and I both care deeply about the environment. He spends his days growing local organic produce which feeds our small Ontario town, and I spend mine de/reconstructing those beautiful old tweed and linen suits we all see in thrift stores, wish we had a use for, and inevitably leave on the rack. I take them home, take them apart, wash them, and upcycle them into lovely shoulder bags, wallets, and pouches. Those suits are so strong: some of them have been around since the 1970's, but they have so much life left in them!

akat2.jpg
My love of vintage fabric came from my grandmother. Growing up she would send me home with the most beautiful old dresses and blouses which she was no longer wearing. Then I would commandeer my mother's sewing machine, hole up in my bedroom, and make myself clothes: The ones that I wanted, the ones I couldn't find in stores. When I moved to Canada to attend university, I no longer had access to a sewing machine and the habit slumped off, until about a year ago. Upon graduating, I married a Canadian, and we now live mostly in Canada, where I run my online business. I borrowed my mother's machine again, let a friend offload a couple of vintage suits on me, and A)Kat was born.

akat3.jpg
In day-to-day life in our home, attempts to curb both waste and consumerism are ever-present. We opt for minimal packaging, re-use everything we can, repurpose and repair, and then finally, as the very last step, we recycle. This extends beyond our recycling bins and into our everyday lives — we make efforts to buy much of our clothing and furniture second-hand so as to keep our ecological footprint low by reducing the disposability of both our, and other's, consumer goods. Building bags and wallets for my shop out of men's suits rescued from the depths of closets and the circuit of Southern Ontarian thrift stores, then, was a natural choice.

akat4.jpg
I deconstruct the suits with my beloved rotary cutter along seams which allows for the largest swaths and least amount of waste, depending on intended uses and individual jackets. This was, at first, a bit more of an endeavor than I had imagined it would be. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find just how much reclaimable fabric is contained in a single jacket.

akat5.jpg
The existing curves and seams make the design process an intuitive one. Not only is the fabric long off the market, but the motion dictated by individual cuts contributes to making each piece unique.

akat6.jpg
These gorgeous suits are perhaps the most untouchable staple of thrift shops. The fabrics are beautiful — well made and sturdy after thirty years in circulation — but the jackets themselves are almost impossible to take home. From the time I was 15, I've eyed them, wishing just one would miraculously look good on a skinny 5'5" girl; no such luck. With the odds stacked against them, they're seemingly destined to join the ranks of the rest of the unwanted stock, run their circuits, and end up baled and shipped to developing countries which, due to the clothes-as-disposable-goods mentality of the West, no longer have textile industries of their own.

akat7.jpg
The exportation of our discarded clothing, as opposed to domestic re-use, contributes not only to dissolution of long-standing textile traditions in economically vulnerable cultures, but also to dependency situations which would take much longer to reverse than they did to establish. The transportation of these goods, by air, land, and sea, also creates copious greenhouse emissions which could be easily be reduced, were an effort made by each of us to step up and exercise restraint in our buying habits.

Supporting small-scale artisans, working in recycled materials, providing upcycled goods of high quality which will last longer than the season — these actions affect the local community, the country, and the continent. And further, our actions have ramifications which affect everyone: the whole world.

Further Resources:
UN Chronical: The Secrets of Used Clothes
Waste Couture:  Environmental Impact of the Clothing Industry

 Craftivism Section | Earth Tones Series | Read More About Upcycling

Tags akat, Canada, clothing, Craftivism, CRAFTIVISM, Earth Tones, Eco, environmentalism, Green, men's suits, Ontario, Recycle, recycling, secondhand clothes, suits, Sustainable, thrifting, Upcycle, upcyling
All articles in Craftivism
Related Items
This article was reported by:
thistledownandfinch
shop . profile . contact

75 comments     Login to add your own!

Oct. 10, 2008 at 11:34 a.m. HomemadeZen

that is pretty cool! Keep it up!

Oct. 10, 2008 at 11:34 a.m. dogties

Awesome... Recycle, Reduce, Reuse!

Oct. 10, 2008 at 11:39 a.m. weirdwolf

Great article, fantastic designs!

Oct. 10, 2008 at 11:42 a.m. WingsDove

I applaud you for your dedication to sustainable products and finding and recycling the valuable in something used. This is wonderful example of repurposing. Yay!

Oct. 10, 2008 at 11:55 a.m. harvesttextiles

Wonderful article.

Oct. 10, 2008 at 11:59 a.m. vintageitville

Great article. I am always intigued with the fabulous woven materials of the past.

Oct. 10, 2008 at 12:01 p.m. houndmade

I love this idea. I have a pile of vintage clothing that I plan to create some collars out of.

Oct. 10, 2008 at 12:03 p.m. NicoAndMooMoo

Ahhh grandmothers, so wise and sweet. A hug to all the grandmothers in the world!

Oct. 10, 2008 at 12:07 p.m. ocbaby

Fabulous article and truly interesting. I'm also in Ontario and was happy to discover your shop!

Oct. 10, 2008 at 12:14 p.m. Hatdiva

Great idea! You check out acid dyes from www.dharmatrading.com you (though I am sure you can find a local source for such dyes) can dye your wool all kinds of colors! It's a great dye, mostly exhausting, the fiber absorbs the color and the water goes mostly clear. It's my choice of dye for wool.

You could rock the souts out in a vibrant orange, or red! I see patches...

Oct. 10, 2008 at 12:28 p.m. fatamerican

Wow, that's so great.
My friends and I tend to do a lot of second hand shopping too.
There are so many times I see something that isn't in my size or has some terrible questionable stain on it, and I walk on by. You have inspired me, Thanks!

Oct. 10, 2008 at 12:35 p.m. FluteTeacher

Thanks for reminding me to be aware of what I'm using...or wasting. Mindfulness of the environment is so important.

Oct. 10, 2008 at 12:45 p.m. jenniferdennispotter

Love this story. Thanks for the beautiful sewing room shots. Beautiful purses.

Oct. 10, 2008 at 12:52 p.m. tanisalexis

fabulous work! I am in love with your intuitive creative process. one of the most fun ways to work is letting the fabric bits "talk to you"
Hooray for recycled/reclaimed wool! :)

Oct. 10, 2008 at 1:18 p.m. elisasherejewelry

I love this story! So much fun and so symbolic to make new items out of old. Great work.

Oct. 10, 2008 at 1:47 p.m. karuski

This is an important issue, thank you reminding us. Vintage materials are often more durable than new ones, isn't this strange?!

Oct. 10, 2008 at 1:54 p.m. 19Moons

Yes wonderful story! The older fabrics have great durability and cool texture

Oct. 10, 2008 at 2:17 p.m. soetebi

Wonderful work! Keep it up!

Oct. 10, 2008 at 2:17 p.m. shopgoodgrace

Lovely, lovely story! And great pictures of your process... thank you for sharing.

Oct. 10, 2008 at 2:24 p.m. pattymara

yes, wonderful story, detailed and informative. I have six vintage wool jackets listed in my other shop, hildalama, for upcycling. But for me, as a seamstress since I was tiny, it is almost sacreligious to disassemble a garment. It just hurts my heart, knowing the time and effort to make it. But after reading in your story about the destiny of thrift store items, I may be more bold in taking apart these lovely old garments. thanks!

Oct. 10, 2008 at 2:50 p.m. bread

I completely obsess over waste in the fabric industry.
I happen to work for a Canadian one right now and have convinced my manager to let me collect all the samples that they cut a little and then throw out.Im sitting at my desk right now with bags and heaps of jersey and cut up coats.I use them in my own creations but also try to find other people in my community who could use the fabric.
I hardly ever buy new garments anymore,opting for hand me downs or thrift store finds.
I am so glad there are more people like me out there than I thought,because I often get frustrated by my friends and colleagues who seem to waste everything.thanks for writing this!

Oct. 10, 2008 at 3:26 p.m. LazyTcrochet

Great article. I just got permission to reuse an old pair of wool pants that I've been waiting for my husband to relinquish! I promised him a cycling cap and the rest is mine.

Oct. 10, 2008 at 4 p.m. autumnsarrival

I have a dream of a sewing machine- I am taking any for free if anyone has one to spare. :) How CUTE is that little hedghog? Great article- I love reading other people's stories! Very cool things she makes, too!

Oct. 10, 2008 at 4:05 p.m. ConstantGalore

great!

Oct. 10, 2008 at 4:25 p.m. kimbydee

My mother in law works at a thrift store so 90% of my clothing is from thrift. I love it and have helped her in the past. I always want to cringe thinking of things that are thrown away. Lovely fabrics that might have a tear or stain and also winter garments that people bring with them when they move here (Florida) and realize they won't use enough to keep. I've found so many great ideas for recycling these items that find their way into the local landfill. I love all the ways we can make a difference, even if it's a lot of little things that add up.
Keep up the good work!

Oct. 10, 2008 at 4:31 p.m. mamafamilias

School kids learn the Reduce Reuse Recycle. mantra but so many people seem to forget the first 2. The other wonderful part of reuse is the absence of sweatshops in the creative process. This makes me want to deconstrusct a sweater and start crocheting.

Oct. 10, 2008 at 5:17 p.m. thimbleworks

I'm always cheered to hear how people are using creativity to live a more sustainable life. My Grandpa was a great example to me of living the Reduce Reuse Recycle lifestyle, though he didn't do it on purpose, it was just that he'd lived through the Great Depression and learned that you never waste anything, ever.
With the economy going the way it is, maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to remember some of the lessons of that older generation.

Oct. 10, 2008 at 5:25 p.m. miscusi

Beautifully put. You've really articulated the reasons for reusing vintage materials very eloquently.

Oct. 10, 2008 at 5:50 p.m. TashaHussey

Beautiful work, love the fact that you recycle.

Oct. 10, 2008 at 6:10 p.m. SweetWolf

I always look at the suits at the thrift store with longing...the fabrics are great! I love to look at them and always think about how there are too many to ever all be sold. I love using reclaimed fabrics in my work. And I am particularly addicted to men's ties.
Great article!

Oct. 10, 2008 at 6:22 p.m. racheljasmine

Thank you for your dedication to reducing waste! Your art is inspiring and I truly applaud your efforts! Keep up the good work and thank you for sharing your article!

Oct. 10, 2008 at 6:45 p.m. FruitOfMyHands

A woman after my own heart. I love recycling clothes. Your stuff is lovely and thanks for the pictures.

Oct. 10, 2008 at 6:59 p.m. Peaceloveanduknity

I love the inspiration to repurpose in new & creative ways

Oct. 10, 2008 at 7:06 p.m. GothBarbie

You'll be happy to know there is an AMAZING mens suit designer in NYC that we had remake a vintage suit for my husband for our wedding last year.

sinner-saint.com is his website and he makes awesome
beautiful reconstructed suits with amazing beautiful details!
we couldn't have been happier with how our wedding suit turned out!
i highly recommend him for any fella who needs to be extra fancy and original!

Oct. 10, 2008 at 10:15 p.m. simpledream2

Your story hits so close to home. I too buy thrift not only to wear but to add to my fabric stash. I have found the most interesting vintage fabrics to use in my shop. The abi23 quilt, just sold, was full of fabric that I recycled and my two recent postings were made from brown corduroy that my son, Ian, cut from a pair of thrift store pants, to make himself shorts; the lining is from a vintage thrift shirt I bought for the beautiful warm print. I save all the cut offs and recycle them into more projects. I really appreciated your story and will encourage others to read it and enjoy recycling themselves.
Lisa :)

Oct. 10, 2008 at 10:35 p.m. OceanGrrl

i just wish more people felt this way. your article is amazing and your bags and accessories are impressive. i have the same beliefs about our wasteful ways which i why i scour local thrift shops for these unwanted gems.

Oct. 10, 2008 at 11:29 p.m. karinapotestio

Great article, thanks for including my verde tunic!!

Oct. 10, 2008 at 11:30 p.m. robogirl116

wonderful products! great work with the wallet.

Oct. 11, 2008 at 1:44 a.m. loganshop

♥

Oct. 11, 2008 at 1:53 a.m. rubee55

This is really a great article! I wish the world outside Etsy could be inspired by it as well!

Oct. 11, 2008 at 2:43 a.m. SalmonStreetStudio

Great!
(and Karina Potestio does fine work, what a great choice along with the cute/cool hedgehog : )

Oct. 11, 2008 at 3:26 a.m. Rockalicious

Great article!

Oct. 11, 2008 at 5:29 a.m. buddhanature

Wow! I really felt happy while reading this! I wonder what part of Ontario you are in? I was living in the upper Ottawa Valley region near Pembroke and Killaloe for a while and it was beautiful! (especially the people!) I am originally from a suburb of Toronto, but now I live in the beautiful Pemberton Valley in B.C.! (It's so gorgeous out here!) My partner and I also work in organic farming. I love the wallets and bags you're making with the re-newed tweed suits! Recently I've been starting to felt old wool sweaters and re-use them that way in my hats! Eco-concious crafting is the best! Anyways, I'm off to check out thistledownandfinch's shop.

LHG :shop:
LHG :blog:

Oct. 11, 2008 at 7:46 a.m. HeartOfWool

Awesome article! So many people don't understand the International economic impact on textile waste. It's amazing to see pictures of women in Africa wearing Calvin Kline and Banana Republic while shunning the traditional fabrics made by family and friends.

Reuse! Reuse!

Oct. 11, 2008 at 8:14 a.m. VintageEye

My mind is constantly amazed and my spirit bouyed
by the inventivness, creativity, cleverness
and thriftiness (my own personal fave being a
long time cheapskate) of my fellow Etsians!

Oct. 11, 2008 at 8:21 a.m. AngelaSpots

I've always loved your items. We should all take pointers from you.

Oct. 11, 2008 at 8:48 a.m. hongkongwillie

reuse the have to be for the furture. to look at a object for many uses. hong kong willie born green

Oct. 11, 2008 at 2:52 p.m. clubviv

i love your stuff

Oct. 11, 2008 at 4:23 p.m. 3rdlife

What a wonderful article, it was really a pleasure to read!

(and thanks for putting in my reclaimed fabric cuff.)

Oct. 11, 2008 at 4:40 p.m. erinys

What a great article! You make a very intelligent case for maximizing the use of every resource. Past generations practiced these principals from necessity, but modern society has come to believe that "new is better". May we all do our part to relieve the strain that we place on our planet and learn to fully use each resource that we are fortunate enough to be a steward of. I too practice my art using recycled fibers.

Oct. 11, 2008 at 8:02 p.m. MadeByMarta

I love your wallets! Thanks for the article. :]

Oct. 11, 2008 at 9:18 p.m. JoyandWhimsy

I love this article and it's so nice that she has a supportive husband who believes in reusing/recycling like her.

Oct. 12, 2008 at 12:43 a.m. kasanika

Great article, you are such an inspiration!

Oct. 12, 2008 at 8:42 a.m. lovesnoam

wonderful article! enjoyed reading.

Oct. 12, 2008 at 9:31 a.m. CuriosityKilled

Amazing! What a great article. Thanks so much for including my purse in the featured items. xx

Oct. 12, 2008 at 12:14 p.m. thirdhanddesigns

Great article! I love hearing about the sustainable practices of fellow upcyclers. Thank you for including my Rustic Beauty Dress!

Oct. 12, 2008 at 2:22 p.m. MyKangaroo

Wonderful!

Oct. 12, 2008 at 4:07 p.m. RebeccasArtCloset

I just Love Recycling! Love your items! :)

Oct. 12, 2008 at 5:20 p.m. Darklingsboutique

Fantastic! I love your items and ideas!

Oct. 12, 2008 at 9:43 p.m. dragonhouseofyuen

Thank you for the great poignant article.
I also reuse, repair, reinvent and recycle in everything!! even my staples and used cling film get recycled! I have been darning my sock soles for nearly 20 years now because decent socks are hard to come by in todays wasteful society. I also can't buy a decent, quality pair of socks in the high street for less than the price of a new car! ....I also make new socks out of the legging part of old socks... shall I go on?
anyway - I agree with everything you have said - I just love the old vintage wools too and have spent a long time gazing and drooling at them aswell! lovely to look at your wallets and bags!
thanks again!

Oct. 12, 2008 at 9:46 p.m. dragonhouseofyuen

oh, I forgot to say on the sock front - I just can't bear to throw out a pair of socks just because a hole has appeared in the bottom and the rest of it still has years of use.
(Probably the tight Scot in me too?)

Oct. 14, 2008 at 12:52 p.m. annamatrona

so inspiring, recycling textiles is the way to go. it saves energy and promotes creativity!

Oct. 14, 2008 at 4:46 p.m. ElementsbyJulie

Way to reduce, reuse and recycle..while making meaningful, beautiful and useful items!

Oct. 18, 2008 at 10:34 p.m. CraftyAllSorts

Awesome! Recycling ruleZ! :)

Nov. 4, 2008 at 3:37 a.m. BluCille

I love fall and winter fabrics!

Nov. 5, 2008 at 8:59 a.m. MerfolkGallery

Wonderful pieces, such an inspiring, sweet story. Create on!

Nov. 12, 2008 at 4:43 p.m. JenSport

I love working with reclaimed clothing especially old suits. Nice finds.

Nov. 20, 2008 at 9:27 p.m. ReThread

What your doing is great! I've worked in a business called baabaazuzu recycling wool clothing for nine years now. The more we can reuse the less gets waisted. On my own time,I'm finding ways to work with salvaged cotton.
Go Recyclers!

Nov. 21, 2008 at 3:49 a.m. jennyandlucille

Love your product and your mindset. Have always looked for ways to reuse and recycle beautiful old clothing. Nice to see a kindred spirit!

Nov. 21, 2008 at 11:17 p.m. katsinthebelfry

this was the first time i clicked the 'craftivism' button, & yours was the first article i read - it must have been meant to be: i too am 'kat', & i too love repurposing vintage fabric.
your items are beautiful - thanks for sharing.

Nov. 22, 2008 at 8:49 a.m. amiescardshoppe

wow, thats awesome. I love how you made a bag with those scraps. keep up the good work! :)

Nov. 23, 2008 at 1:16 p.m. tremundo

love to see other artisans who are deconstructing and rebuilding beautiful items too!!

Dec. 4, 2008 at 12:31 p.m. MiniatureRhino

i very much like these ideals, thank you for sharing

Dec. 21, 2008 at 12:29 p.m. PoppysGarden

If more people thought like this we can reduce that nasty disease called consumerism !
Your article should be compulsory reading ! All the best to you and yours x

Dec. 28, 2008 at 12:03 p.m. MyWisteriaCottage

I too look for ways to use and reuse fabric and any thing else. I upcycle fabric on my site and sew cloth flowers and make aprons and grocery bags all from stuff that would likely end up in a land fill somewhere. I appreciate any addional uses that my co-etsy businesses can talk about. As such I love this article and good luck. By the way I buy my veggies from an organic farm locally. I love it and can't wait till spring to get good food.

Previous Page | Next Page