Who Will Save The Slow-Furnishing Industry?

With a fast-furnishing trend influencing consumer purchase of cheaply made and inexpensively priced home fittings, a demand for a more eco-sustainable, value-driven way of decorating our homes simmers on the back burner, awaiting its (re)turn to the forefront again. Enter the scrappers, grassroots DIY’ers, experienced artisans, seasoned wood-crafters, and novices of slow-furnishing in the making.

Like fast-fashion, fast-furnishing offers seemingly fashionable furniture that is quickly produced using cheap materials. Often times it is manufactured overseas where exploited workers from underprivileged countries are paid pennies to produce, and the price tags left hanging once stateside offer a great look at a great price, along with a guilt-free disposable mentality.  What more could a style conscious consumer on a budget want, right?

The Four ‘R’s of Eco-Friendly Upholstering

eco-friendly upholstering

 

When we consider some of the eco-friendly upholstering terms used by craftsmen in the field , there are certain ones that have served our planet long before the  Go Green Movement began. Just as they have served us then, they continue to serve us now and into the future. If we let them. From RE-purposing and RE-finishing to RE-upholstering and RE-storation, at  J&O-Summerdale Fabrics we are always finding old and new ways to make use of some of such life saving options when it comes to fabric textiles and furnishings. Below are the top four  ‘R’s’ of  Eco-Friendly Upholstering defined. We know they will surely continue to gain popularity on the tongue and use over time.  After all, Mother Earth is depending on it.

Go Green Gina: Make Your Sewing Room Greener, Happier & Healthier!

go green gina, jandofabrics, ecofriendly, organic fabric, go green, green living, green sewing, sewingFor many of us, the idea of ‘going green’ and playing a vital part in helping to save Mother Earth from resource depletion and over consumption, is more than just a passing fancy. J&O Fabric store is doing our part by bringing in more and more organic fabrics.  As each day ushers in new devastating information pertaining to the effects of global warming, pollution in our air and waters, cancers in our food supply, and the long term effects of genetically modified textile crops such as our beloved cotton, more and more of us are raising our awareness to the fragile balance and co-dependency of man and nature, and are taking steps both big and small to ensure our survival and that of future generations. One such step that we can take as seamstresses, tailors, crafters, and designers, is to make our sewing environments more eco-friendly. With the running of our machines and the burning of the midnight oil (lights) to get our projects done sometimes, the amount of energy we use in the course of a day, a week, a month, adds up. When considering that the leading cause of our eco-system breakdown is still the burning of coal to generate electricity, we owe it to Mother Nature to do our part, one change at a time.

Go Green Gina: Ecologically Friendly Fashions by Gary Harvey.

30 copies of the ‘Financial Times’ folded and attached to a corset to create a ballerina inspired ‘tulle’ dress…

37 black logo tees cut up and hand stitched to create a long draped sheaf dress with corset waist and bustle…

42 pairs of Levi 501’s in various shades of indigo cut up and reconstructed to create  a tiered ball gown with a corset waist…

These are just a few of the utterly creative, eco-friendly couture dresses designed and created by artist Gary Harvey. Recycling everything from laundry bags and Hawaiian shirts to rain coats and wedding dresses, this socially conscience fashion forward designer has found purpose in what  is slowly developing into an ethical fashion revolution.