As mentioned in a previous post, Sally Hyland from SallySaid was kind enough to answer a few questions regarding sustainable fashion, and the joys of using second-hand fabrics.
What has influenced your decision to use recycled materials in your designs?
Ethical reasons played a large part in my decision to use mainly recycled materials. It is very important to me that the materials I use are environmentally sourced. While there are ethically manufactured fabrics on the market, for the most part, they are very expensive. I like to keep the cost of my pieces as low as possible, so recycled fabrics seemed like the best way to go.
Fashion is constantly evolving and I think we have a tendency to dispose of items, replacing them with something new, a lot more quickly than we really should be. Using vintage fabrics is a great way to put some of these old items to use again – giving them a second life. If there are already beautiful fabrics out there, why not put them to use again?
What are the benefits of making your own clothing and using vintage / recycled materials?
The main reason I like to make my own clothes is because it is fun! I think that creating something that you can actually put to use is a very rewarding experience. It is also a lot cheaper than buying new clothes. There are a lot of benefits in using recycled fabrics. Personally, I really enjoy sourcing the materials. I love looking through op-shops, garage sales and market stalls, hunting for pretty pre-loved fabrics. There are also a lot of really great designs out there. It is such a treat to find some beautiful old fabric and think about what kind of design you could use it in.
In your opinion, what should the terms 'green' and 'sustainable' represent?
For me, both of these terms represent the fact that great care has been taken to ensure that an item’s creation has caused as little environmental damage as possible – be it through the use of recycled fabrics or materials that have been produced in an environmentally friendly way. These are both quite subjective terms which everyone will have a different interpretahtion of, but I think an overall respect and consciousness of the environment is key.
