Sustainability

What are your sustainability policies?

Glad you asked!

Scrap Fabric

I try to utilize scrap fabric whenever possible instead of purchasing new fabric. Scrap fabric is obtained in a few ways: it's leftover from another sewing project, it's purchased off a scrap or remanent rack from a local store, or it's donated to me in the form of other peoples' leftover fabric or discarded clothes.  Sometimes old clothes that have a stain or a tear and cannot be donated to a thrift store, but I can cut those parts out and still upcycle the fabric instead of sending it into a landfill. All fabric is washed before sewing.

New Fabric

If I need to purchase new fabric for a project, I purchase the fabric locally to support my community and stores in Durham, NC.

Super Small Fabric

When sewing with scraps, I still produce super small scraps of my own. Instead of throwing these in the garbage, I save these scraps. When my "scrap bin" gets too full, I sew cat beds for animal shelters and pet pantries and use the tiny scraps as stuffing! This is agreat way to give back to the feline community and ensures that I'm not producing more waste in an effort to rescue the world from waste. :) I also use these scraps as stuffing for dolls when appropriate.

Ethical Felt

All of my cats have felt details. There are ethical and humane issues in the wool felt world that I don't want to contribute to, and polyester felt is not sustainable nor eco-friendly. So I'm transitioning entirely to a bamboo/rayon mix felt. It's cruelty-free, sustainable, biodegradable, and looks and feels like regular felt, without the guilt. I'm currently still using up my polyester stash as I transition.

Sustainable Stuffing for Dolls

Polyfil isn't made in a sustainable way and doesn't biodegrade, so I looked high and low for a natural fiber that's as close to an Earth-positive, health-conscious and eco-friendly choice as I can find. I choose to stuff all of my dolls with cotton (unless otherwise stated - sometimes I still use fabric scraps if the doll fabric allows, or if I'm donated Poly-fil!). Cotton is sustainable, hypoallergenic, and biodegradable. It has a great feel that's slightly hefty and squishy at the same time.

*Note: Pillow Friends are usually stuffed with poly-fil instead of cotton because it's lighter for shipping so I can make larger pillows

Art Prints

Art prints are printed on matte Fuji photographic paper directly from Bay Photo, my green certified photography lab. Their green certification award recognizes them "for exceeding environmental regulatory requirements, preventing pollution, and conserving natural resources."