Workshops, Animal Prints & Circular Fashion (the sky’s the limit…)
WELCOME to the new Sparklewear site! It’s very exciting this is now live, but this is only the start… Now I have to tell the world, right? Now I have to do the work on SEO, social media marketing, talking to VIPs and VI Companies… (psst GOOGLE even), yes? Well, if that’s what it takes, bring it on.
But most importantly, I want to share what’s in store for Sparklewear in the long run, or rather, my dreams, but who’s to say they won’t come true. THINK BIG.
So one day, using RECYCLED FABRICS for the screen printed range is on the cards. Also with CIRCULAR FASHION in mind, a LIFETIME GUARANTEE and RECYCLE-your-old-vest scheme, GET IT FIXED by us or TRADE it in, and I’m excited about the idea of a LEASING SCHEME for kids vests. WORKSHOPS to spice up or make your own reflective garment. GETTING PEOPLE INVOLVED and bringing more FUN to the drab subject of safety!
In the short term, I’m working on styles for all sorts of SHAPES and SIZES. There will also definitely be a LEOPARD PRINT vest (the retro-reflective fabric for it is already at the studio...). For the local supporters, a PORTY SKYLINE one has be in my head for some time. Early next year there are plans for a fundraiser project with my REFLECTIVE LEGGINGS. I’ve been promising that for a while and it’s time that other people’s legs can look funky and be safe at the same time too.
RECYCLED FABRICS
Using recycled material as the base fabric for my screen prints will make my venture better for the environment (and help me sleep better at night). I already use bright coloured textiles that are produced in the EU. But they are a poly-cotton made from new resources, difficult to recycle because of being mixed fibre. It’s been hard so far to source recycled fabric that’s economically viable to buy. But this is a rapidly expanding industry, and if our Sparklewear production increases then there’s no reason not to look into this further.
CIRCULAR FASHION
I love the idea of a lifetime guarantee and/or offering a mending and trade-in service to give Sparklewear items a longer life. The UK Fashion and Textile Association talks about sustainability as does the Institute of Positive Fashion. As the latter is very much about high-end design I’m not sure yet how this applies to mass produced every-day wear that has such a massive global impact on people and environment. However, things are happening. MUD jeans are an inspiring Dutch company I get my jeans from, who use a lease-your-jeans approach. They are great, check them out! Brexit has made it difficult to get deliveries to the UK at the moment. I pray this is temporary and that more UK based companies will emerge using similar working practices.
I recently met Blythe of Little Yellow Scribbles, another screen printer at my studio who is doing research into hiring clothes in kids fashion. As a mother of a 7-year-old, I know how reluctant parents can feel to splash out on something that may only fit for a year or two. And as an ethically minded person, how bad it makes you feel to buy cheap clothes made unsustainably, in sweat shops and that break after little wear. Leasing well made clothing for kids could be the answer to this?! Because, and I’m obviously biased here, but some of our kids vests are so lovely you’ll want them to last or make sure they get passed on.
WORKSHOPS
How do you bring things to the people? It’s not necessarily easy to do screen printing at a makers market or at a time limited session with primary school kids. But I do meet folk, and I already mentioned there are all sorts of creatives at Abbeymount Studios. Collaborations on, say printing techniques such as MIMEOGRAPHY (never heard of it? I hadn’t either but it’s SO COOL) would open up possibilities of workshops that are easy to set up. Check out Stampa Lo Fi That’s just one idea.
ANIMAL PRINT and LEGGINGS
The amazing Hello Reflectives in London make the best retro-reflective fabrics with the funnest patterns; leopard, snake skin, macaw, dragonfly, spiders web and many more, in all colours of the rainbow. Retro-reflective meaning that it reflects the light directly back to the light source (e.g. car headlights); it is like that bright silver tape you find on construction workers’ safety clothing.
I’ve been using their silver material for some time and have made a couple of prototype leggings for night- (or really any-) time cycling or running. It honestly makes me happy every time I put them on! So a vest with a leopard screen print combined with a panel of ultra reflective animal print fabric? Yes I think so!
AND FINALLY, A FUNDRAISER…
There is usually a shopping lull in January, so an incentive to TREAT YOURSELF to a FAB pair of LEGGINGS that also helps a charity might be a good way to further spread the word about Sparklewear? I’ll give 75% of the mark up to a not-quite-yet-decided charity.
WOAH, that’s a lot of plans. 2022 is looking busy already. They say you should write about 1000 words in your blogs posts for search engine optimisation etc. But honestly, is that really necessary? Enough said, I think I’ll stop here :-)
If you made it this far, thanks for reading; stay TUNED, stay SAFE, be SEEN and keep sparkling in 2022 and beyond…. …..