history & organizations to know

We aren't usually taught to think about how and where the clothes we wear come from, who crocheted the blankets on our couches, who embroidered the tableclothes we eat on, but what if we started? As our view of the future of fashion and textiles changes, we have to look to the past. Not only to appreciate and reuse the fabrics from generations before, but to consider how these pieces have been interwoven in culture, in race, in war and almost every aspect of history. Below is a very narrow look into the history of our textiles. If you have any specific resources you think more people should see, please reach out! We'll gladly add them:)

history lessons

  • Stain magazine

    Revibe, a sustainable upcycling clothing brand, has a magazine called Stain that has some interesting articles if you want to read more about up-cycling, it's impact on culture and it's history in fashion.

    read more 

  • The Fabrics of Civilization

    "Did you know that the microbial theory of disease starts with silkworm farming? That the origins of computing have something to do with the algorithmic nature of weaving? That double-entry bookkeeping and modern finance are creatures of the textile trade?". This is merely the introduction to this amazing interview with Virginia Prostel, author of The Fabrics of Civilization: How Textiles Made the World.

    read here!! 

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organizations to support

  • Fabscrap

    Fabscrap is a Brooklyn and Philly based nonprofit that is rethinking textile waste and recycling. They collect and sort fabric scraps and unused fabric to either recycle into insulation and more or to sell back for reuse!

    Read more 

  • Upstitch

    Upstitch is a nonprofit based in Albany, NY that focuses on taking used yarn and fabric and recirculating them into the community at an affordable price. They donate materials to local schools and food pantries and they participate in the Stitching Exchange to build community through sewing and embroidery.

    read more 

  • The Free Store Project

    The free project is based all around NYC and provides a dignified shopping experience for those in need. Everything is free and no one is turned away. Participants are encouraged to give back to the store if they are able.

    read more! 

  • Black Women Stitch

    Founded in 2017 by Lisa Woolfork, Black Women Stitch is a sewing community and podcast centering black women. The crafting and sewing world heavily centers whiteness

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