“I Sew”

“I Sew”

by Cristina Deptual

Shannon Ashford, founder of clothing company Tom Foolery, describes herself simply.

‘My name is Shannon Ashford, and I sew.’

Ashford learned to sew as a young girl, from a neighbor who taught her. She woke up in the morning before school to create unique outfits to wear, and put together prom dresses for her friends (which they actually wore!).

When asked why she sews and why she launched a clothing company, Ashford, again, has a pithy, perky answer.

I make clothes for the same reason I drink whiskey and never wear shoes- it makes me happy. I started Tom Foolery to create problem-solving designs and to make people’s lives better.

The models on the company’s webpage reflect that joyful aesthetic. Although there are a few conventionally modeled pictures and some runway photos, many women skateboard, climb rocks and rope, blow bubbles, and giggle in their rompers.

Tom Foolery started with the simple idea of creating rompers that allow women to use the ladies room without sitting on a drafty stall clutching their naked chest with a jumpsuit around their ankles while frantically tracking passers by in the crack next to the door. The solution was this: an open, overlapping side seam with a drop down seat.

According to Ashford, ‘[Tom Foolery] began simply- one woman, one sewing machine, a limited knowledge of pattern making, and a hankering to create clothing with integrity.’

Part of their idea of integrity is a commitment to environmental responsibility.

They use eco-friendly fabrics, one made from recycled plastic bottles and the other from responsibly sourced eucalyptus tencel colored with natural dyes.

From textiles to labor, our goal is to leave our planet and our people better than we found them.

During Covid, they are temporarily between suppliers, so they are using sustainably produced double gauze. They hope they can find a new supplier soon.

In addition to the ecological sustainability focus, Ashford and Tom Foolery also strongly believe in giving back. They support scholarships for young women to attend Heri Sewing College in Malindi, Kenya and are working to set up a sewing business to employ those women once they graduate.

Tom Foolery shares a bit about some of the women who have received scholarships on their website. Each of them models a jumpsuit they designed and crafted.

Also, for the past two years, Tom Foolery has partnered with Thread International, a nonprofit that has created thousands of jobs around the world for people in need.

We’re using] their jersey made from 50% cotton and 50% recycled plastic bottles collected in Port Au Prince, Haiti. We are very proud and excited to be working with them.

Tom Foolery is currently working to set up recycling centers and sewing shops in developing countries all around the world.

Our vision is to create completely closed loops from bottle or plant to finished garment all in the same city. It is going to take time but we are confident we will get there.

And they are currently working with Groceries Apparel in Los Angeles, near their homebase, to manufacture their first largescale run of jumpsuits. Groceries Apparel shares their environmental and social justice concerns.

When asked why she chose the jumpsuit as their main product, Shannon had a ready answer.

I chose jumpsuits because I truly believe they are the perfect manifestation of the energy and adventure of a tomboy packaged as a classy lady.

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