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Slow Fashion October 2017 - New

October 24, 2017 Maria Valles
Rove Handmade

I have been trying over the last few years to reduce the amount of things, especially new things, that I buy. Living in Iceland, it’s not all that hard for me to forgo clothes shopping for months at a time, mainly because things are just so expensive here. On the other hand, given that Icelanders ranked 8th out of 37 countries in Europe in terms of volume consumption per capita last year, it’s safe to say that Icelanders love to shop, and it’s as difficult here as anywhere to avoid the idea that consumption equals happiness.

One of things I’m working on the hardest is to think more carefully about what I’m buying - not just where it came from, but whether I really need it in the first place. Where I can, I try to buy from sustainable brands, but the truth is, that’s not always easy or within my budget. For some of us, it’s difficult to avoid fast fashion entirely for exactly those reasons. The fact is that I still buy mass-produced clothing from time to time (usually on sale), though much less often and, more important, less overall. I limit purchases to items that I know will last and that I’ll wear for much longer than a season or two, and I use basically the same rules as I do for buying second-hand: I have to have space for it, it has to fit well, and it has to be well-made, no matter where I’m buying from. I don’t feel too bad about having a good few “fast-fashion” items in my closet that I’ve had for years and that still serve me well. I’d love to replace them with more sustainable options one day, but as long as they’re still wearable, I don’t see the need.

And that’s essentially what slow fashion means to me, I think - it’s not just about buying from sustainable brands or small-batch designers and makers or natural, ethically sourced materials - it’s also about critically assessing our needs and wants, buying less and making the things we already have last longer.

Since this week's Slow Fashion October prompt is where, I'll close with a few of my favourite slow fashion sources:

  • I recently became obsessed with KowTow, a sustainable brand from New Zealand that's available here in Iceland at Org Reykjavik, a great source for sustainable clothing and accessories brands.
  • Farmers Market is a favourite Icelandic slow fashion label, as is Doppelganger Collection.
  • Aftur (which means again in Icelandic), makes innovative deconstructed designs from upcycled materials.
  • I discovered Toronto brand Hoi Bo two summers ago and am still in love with the linen shift I bought from their Distillery District shop.
  • For new fibre, I really only buy Icelandic wool - a local, natural and sustainable resource. Ístex is the biggest manufacturer (for where to buy online, check out my FAQ page), but there are several smaller brands by designers, spinners and dyers - among them Helene Magnusson, Einrúm and Hespa - that are definitely worth checking out.

Most of these are local to me, of course, but if you're inspired to spend less on clothes, you could use the savings to come visit Iceland and check them out for yourself ;)

Tags slow fashion october, new
← Slow Fashion October 2017 - CareGrannies CAL →

   Hello and welcome! I’m Maria Valles, a designer-maker from Canada who has called Reykjavík, Iceland home for the better part of the last decade, developing a lasting love affair with Icelandic wool, known as  lopi . Endlessly inspired by my surroundings and the wool that is grown and produced here, I am the head and hands behind Rove Handmade. 

 

Hello and welcome! I’m Maria Valles, a designer-maker from Canada who has called Reykjavík, Iceland home for the better part of the last decade, developing a lasting love affair with Icelandic wool, known as lopi. Endlessly inspired by my surroundings and the wool that is grown and produced here, I am the head and hands behind Rove Handmade. 



INSTAGRAM

Finished! Still needs blocking and smoothing out the tassels, but basically done. I used 4 balls of #einrum E+2 Icelandic wool and silk blend from my stash, a 4mm hook and basic (US) dc, changing colours when I felt like it without too much planning 😉. It’s so satisfying to use up stash yarn, isn’t it?⠀
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In other news, I recently discovered how to add alt text (image descriptions that can be parsed by screen readers, e.g., for people with visual impairments) to my Instagram posts, so I’m slowly but surely going back to add those in. (To do this, tap the “...” icon at the top of any post, select “Edit”, and then tap “Add Alt Text” in the bottom right-hand corner of the image. Enter a description of the image and tap “Done”.)
Random stripes. Just mindless enough to keep my hands and brain busy while I’m still laid up and immobile. Loving this Icelandic wool and mulberry silk yarn from #einrum 👌🏽
Best laid plans... Crossing everything off all the lists to just rest, heal, and figure out how to navigate the first half of 2019 on crutches. Any tips would be appreciated 🙏🏽
I’m not a knitter, but I am a designer/maker in the fibre space and have spent the last days reading, rereading, and reflecting on the discussion going on in my feed about race, privilege and representation. 
I hesitated in posting about this - first because I was afraid of detracting from other voices, and then because I struggled to find adequate words. Many of the stories shared over the past week reflect my own experiences - as a first-generation Canadian of mixed racial and cultural heritage and a non-white immigrant in Iceland - and have been expressed so much better than I could have done. 
Hardest has been the recognition that even as a POC, I’m not exempt from privilege or ignorance or immune to making assumptions without questioning why or how they came to be. (It’s because of this realization that I’ve changed the name of one of my patterns, from the Hexa Kimono Cardigan to the Hexa Granny Cardigan. I regret the error and that it took me so long to correct it.) Thank you to all who’ve opened themselves up in this very public space to share their perspectives. It’s not easy. It’s exhausting. It takes a toll. And they shouldn’t need to do it in the first place.

If you haven’t been following these conversations, I recommend that you start here and simply read and listen:

@thecolormustard
@su.krita
@astitchtowear
@frannemade
@little_kotos_closet
Since it’s my 19th annual 30th birthday tomorrow 😉, I’m celebrating with 30% off in my Ravelry and Etsy shops from 00:00 GMT to 23:59 GMT Jan 7, 2019 (midnight tonight until midnight tomorrow GMT). No code needed 😉
This is how I've spent much of the holiday - couch, duvet, cat, rest. It's been a tough year and I'm looking forward to the fresh start a new year always brings, and the renewed focus and energy that comes with it. Thank you to everyone who bought, made, promoted, or liked a pattern of mine or supported me on Making Things this year - I am so appreciative and working on more for you in 2019 🙏🏾 #happynewyear #goodbye2018hello2019
It’s the start of Xmas holidays, daylight is returning at last, and I’m looking forward to spending the week in full relax-and-recharge mode. However you’re spending the week (or any week, really) I hope it’s filled with peace and love and joy. And pom poms, of course 😉😊🎄
There’s still plenty of time to whip up some #lavawristwarmers for someone special on your list 😉 Pattern on Ravelry and Etsy #moderncrochet #handmade #léttlopi
#citycowl is a quick and simple one-skein project, great for gift-giving (or keeping!). Pattern available on Making Things, Ravelry, and Etsy ;)
#handmadegift, #moderncrochet #alafosslopi

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