Fashion Sense: This New York Designer Has Sustainability Tips You Can Use, by Bonnie Jean Feldkamp

I enjoy crafting and sewing, but lately I’ve become hyperaware of the waste produced to sustain this hobby. When I walk into a craft and fabric store, I feel like I could pick up the entire store and dump it directly into a landfill. It’s mostly plastic — yes, even the fabric — and it likely won’t get recycled. But I love to craft and sew. I make PJ pants and homemade ornaments for my family for Christmas. Plus, having a creative hobby is good for my mental health.

That’s why when I learned that New York fashion designer Anna Molinari is committed to sustainability, I had to talk to her. She was recently named one of Forbes’ “30 Under 30” in Art & Style.

Molinari learned to sew after watching the reality Television series “Project Runway.” She was 8 years old, and her parents encouraged her to use the things they already had around the house for her projects. She sewed with old tapestry fabrics her mom had and random thrift store fabrics and old clothes. Little did she know it would set the foundation for her future in upcycling.

In college, Molinari learned how horrible the fashion industry is for the environment. She said, “I made the conscious decision that if I’m gonna pursue this as my career, I’m not gonna harm the environment while doing it.”

But sustainable fashion seems like an oxymoron. Edward Humes writes in his book “Total Garbage” that “Heat trapping pollutants generated by fashion production account for nearly 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.”

But Molinari was determined to make sustainability a core philosophy in all of her designs. She only uses secondhand materials or things that already exist in the world — such as single-use plastic and soda can tabs — for her Instinct Brand fashion line. Her designs have been worn by Kelly Fox, the host of E!’s “OMG Fashun,” and pop star Katy Perry has even requested designs from her.

“We don’t need new clothes,” Molinari stresses. “We need new ways to do clothes.”

Molinari is leading the way with her fashion. Her creations serve as commentary on waste and our disposable economy. Her gowns made of recycled soda tabs and corsets made from discarded Bubble Wrap are gorgeous and admirable. However, most Americans aren’t wearing cutting-edge or avant-garde fashion straight from the runway.

I asked Molinari: What can hobbyists like me learn from her approach?

First off, if you like to craft and sew, eBay and Etsy are your friends. “I find everything on there,” she said. “It takes some patience and some sifting, but you can really find anything you need resale.” She also recommends websites such as Poshmark and Fab Scrap to buy resale fashion and fabric. Reselling and reusing items that won’t get recycled will radically reduce the environmental impact that manufacturing and transporting goods takes.

What about those little remnants and fabric scraps you always have left after sewing? I never know what to do with those. “One of the easiest crafts for someone who knows how to sew is to make a pillow,” Molinari said, “And I always think about just using the scraps to stuff a pillow.”

If you just cut those pieces up small, Molinari said you can literally use it to stuff any craft that requires it — quilted blankets, a stuffed animal, really anything. It’s much better than buying polyfill, which is just “straight up plastic,” she said.

For more upcycling tips and to see more of Molinari’s work, follow her on Instagram @instinct.brand or @annamo.1

Julia Fox wears a 100% recycled plastic look for her show called “OMG Fashun.” Photo courtesy of Anna Molinari

Fashion designer Anna Molinari prioritizes sustainability in her work. Photo courtesy of Anna Molinari

Do you know anyone who’s doing cool things to make the world a better place? I want to know. Send me an email at [email protected]. Check out Bonnie’s weekly YouTube videos at https://www.youtube.com/bonniejeanfeldkamp. To find out more about Bonnie Jean Feldkamp and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: at Unsplash