“Can I take this?” I asked in a meek voice knowing full well that they are going to say NO.

I am 18 and a very meek 18 year old. I am new to the world of work and this is my first job.

My job is to supervise a line of seamstresses who make clothes for United Colors of Benetton which would be shipped to US and Europe.

To put it simply I just started work at a fast fashion factory.

Fast Fashion is not a term or a concept I am familiar with. My passion for sewing, dressmaking and fashion design has led to me this job.

I am planning to study fashion and start my own boutique. But this isn’t a possibility right now, as there are Universities or Technical colleges offering this as a course. So I decide to learn on the job.

My job is to manage the women who make the one of many parts that make up a garment. Like collars or cuffs or pockets – each of these would have a separate line of seamstresses and a line supervisor like me.

I am told I am not allowed in the cutting room where they cut the garments. Not sure why. All I can see is that the design master and the fabric cutters are treated like demi-gods.

I love this room. I want to be here all day, not because I want to cut. I can’t handle one of those large power cutting blades. Looks scary to say the least.

I love this room as it is a room with treasures I want.

As I step into the room, I can hear the sound of the sharp blade whirring, the swish of the fabrics being cut and the thump of the fabric waste as it falls to the floor unceremoniously.

Whirrrr…..swish…swish….whirrrr…. thump!

This goes on for a while. I stand there looking at the floor with love. I want this “fallen” waste. The scrap fabrics on the floor.

I want to make something with it. But I am told I cannot have it for legal reasons. The brand cannot have you wearing the print before it is sold in its stores. Copyright protection, their stock and business model safety and whatever else.

But it doesn’t make sense to me.

A young man collects the scraps. He is most definitely low paid and at the bottom of the pecking order. With sweat dripping down his face, I see him forcefully shoving the waste into large baskets.

My heart breaks a little as I see them rough handling my beautiful fabrics.

“Take it to the dumping room, now!” shouts the cutter.

And off it goes.

I am still standing there, but feeling helpless.

All I can think of is “Useful fabric became useless in a second” and I am told will go to rot (or not) in a landfill.

Rage!!!

Quiet rage, because I am meek!

Confused.

Frustrated.

Speechless.

There was no way for me to save those fabrics.

30 years on, I am using that rage to fuel me towards a waste free society.

Now, I zealously

• mend
• repair
• repurpose

and save every scrap of fabric.

I am passionate about teaching you to mend, repurpose, upcycle your clothing. Every item of clothing repaired means less goes to landfill. It makes a big difference.

I couldn’t save those fabrics, and I felt helpless. I want to make sure you don’t feel helpless. I want to help you save what you have and get more joy (& value) out of it.

What we own is worth more than what we could buy.

Please take a deep breath here, please and release that tongue from the roof of your mouth.

Have you ever felt helpless as a child / young adult that you have now overcome?

PS: Second hand September is coming up. A month long celebration of our used clothing. Send me a message if you want to organise a mending event for it. – Contact Us

If you want to learn to sew or mend, book a private class