The Path to Sustainability by senzatempofashion

THE PATH TO SUSTAINABILITY

Maximizing the utility of your wardrobe senzatempofashion.com | @senzatempostyle

REINVENTION, REPAIR Sustainability isn’t about buying a garment made with a list of “sustainable” adjectives — playing Buzzword Bingo. It’s about buying a garment and wearing it repeatedly — and for many years. It’s about, maximizing the use of what you buy through reuse. Buying a quality garment helps ensure a long life, but with a little care and creativity you can help extend the life of most any garment. Through repair and repurposing, any item can be revived and reused to be more “sustainable”. This book is meant to be a quick reference guide to inspire you to tackle the most common reasons garments are disposed of instead of being reused.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SENZA TEMPO’S APPROACH TO SUSTAINABILITY

REPURPOSE, REUSE General alteration tips Adjusting darts Re- tting an oversized shirt Reinvention and Revival by changing the neckline or sleeves Repurposing an old dress into a skirt Revival through buttons and trims Repairing accidental damage Prolonging life through care & care toolkit Additional Resources

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SIMPLE ALTERATIONS Removing darts or shortening them will loosen the fit of a garment as you can see below. The left side has the full dart in tact.

Higher dart = more streamlined fit A good seamstress can help you figure out how to move, change or add the darts on a garment to best suit your shape. Before you buy a garment, look at the seams. They not only tell you about the quality, but how much it can be altered. Most Senza Tempo garments can be let out 1-1.5 inches due to generous seam allowances. senzatempofashion.com | @senzatempostyle

QUICK FIXES FOR A MORE FLATTERING FIT Darts give a garment shape. Adding them to a garment like an oversized men’s shirt give it shape.

Darts were added to work with the original pleats

Original pleat

Dart added

Takes out volume from what was a very oversized shirt

Another idea to take in an oversized shirt is to add gathers along the side like Uma Thurman’s white shirt in Pulp Fiction (note: the pants she wore weren’t long enough and they were on a tight budget so the costume designer cropped them by simply cutting them off another great way to update an old item)

Changes don’t have to be dramatic, sometimes something it’s as simple as changing the shape of the neckline.

REINVENTION

Never be afraid to take something apart to revive a style, though. Alexander McQueen once said — It’s only clothes!

Changing the sleeve length, removing the sleeve or changing the shape of the sleeve to something like the photo to the left can all revive an old style. Dior, Kent State Museum Collection

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REPURPOSE Many dresses can be broken up into their separate pattern pieces.

A skirt is likely to be worn more frequently and in more situations than a strapless dress. This simple alteration gives an occasion dress a new life as a skirt which can be worn more frequently.

REVIVAL Adding a border or trim around to the hem, cuff made or inside of a collar can instantly transform the look of a garment. Lace, ruffles, ribbon can all be purchased from local craft stores like Joann or Michaels.

VINTAGE INSPIRED REVIVAL

Senza Tempo sells custom removable collars inspired by 60’s haute couture which trickled down to home sewers. This simple “accessory” helped change the look of a dress enabling longer wear. senzatempofashion.com @senzatempostyle

These can that can be temporarily (hand) sewn into dresses or blazers for easy removal. A variety of detachable collars or cuffs can found on Etsy.

REINVENT

Adding decorative buttons to pockets or the cuffs for embellishment customizes an otherwise simple garment.

Swapping out plain buttons for something more decorative like these mother of pearl is a cheap and easy way to revive an old garment.

REPAIR Damage that isn’t on a seam Embroidery, sewing a patch or even using fabric paint can all be used to to mask the damage can all help salvage a garment and customize it. Faded items While it can be hard to find a professional to do this for you Rit Dye kits are an at home option. Tattered Hems Cutting off pants or jeans when you don’t mind an unfinished look. Many brands charge extra to achieve this look. It’s an excellent way to “save” old pants or shorts whose hems have become tattered. You can also make them cropped or the truly vintage way to salvage a pair of jeans or sweats is to make them shorts. Bleach Stains Fabric paint or embroidery are the easiest at home solutions if you can’t find a professional to reweave a fabric. senzatempofashion.com | @senzatempostyle senzatempofashion.com | @senzatempostyle

TOP PROBLEMS According to research the following issues are the top problems that prompt people to dispose of their clothing: ✴ Pilling ✴ Color fading/discoloration ✴ Fabric breakdown ✴ Accidental damage ✴ Holes ✴ Loss of dimensional stability/shape

A longer-lasting wardrobe starts with buying better quality garments, but better care can help extend the life of any garment you buy. Most of the damage to our clothing comes from the type of detergent we use, how something is washed and the dryer. Pilling, color fading and discoloration, fabric breakdown and a loss of dimensional stability can be in part addressed or prevented with a little extra care.

CARE TIPS A cold water wash on a delicate cycle and simply hanging items to dry (or using the air cycle) is much gentler on clothing. Wash like with like — not only when it comes to colors. For example, don’t wash towels or jeans with more delicate fabrics, jersey or knits. Pilling and general wear and tear can come from fabrics rubbing up against each other in the wash. For items prone to pilling, like micromodal and other jerseys, washing them inside out on a delicate cycle in a mesh bag with an enzyme or gentle detergent like Dirty Labs can help prevent this from happening. Use a pillowcase on top of delicates when ironing to protect any delicate fabric.

You can nd a more comprehensive list of CARE TIPS on our website and on social media >

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CARE TOOLKIT Detergent for delicates (e.g.,The Laundress) Detergent formulated to prevent color fading & pilling (e.g., Dirty Labs) The Laundress Wash & Stain Bar for travel emergencies The Laundress Stain Solution White Vinegar Castille Soap Wrinkle-release spray Large mesh bags — to protect items prone to pilling and other delicates during wash Padded hangers — keep them wrinkle free without causing tension or stretching clothing

VINEGAR — A LONG LASTING WARDROBE’S BEST FRIEND ✓ White vinegar is one of the most versatile products in your care toolkit and absolutely essential. ✓ A vinegar soak helps remove yellowing in silk and other fabrics. Use it when you are rinsing silks to remove any residue soap leaves behind help restore silk’s luster. ✓ Adding it to your regular laundry cycle helps remove detergent or fabric softener build up — you’ll notice that your towels will feel more absorbent when you do this. And it removes smells and odors. ✓ Use in place of detergent when items aren’t terribly soiled. ✓ Many detergents today are very harsh, vinegar is often all you need. senzatempofashion.com | @senzatempostyle

READING & RESOURCES The History & Reuse During WWII, both Europe and the US faced rations on wool, silk and cotton. Women were encouraged to appliqué over holes, remodel and repair their old clothing as part of their patriotic duty to help win the war. Read more >

Books on wartime fashion

Make Do & Mend Fashion on the Ration Dressed for War Why Reuse is Better than Resale or Recycling Spring Cleaning Your Closet in Four Steps You Can’t Greenwash Quality senzatempofashion.com | @senzatempostyle

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” — Teddy Roosevelt