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My Favorite Color is Green
Using sustainable and organic fabrics in my designs, as well as recycled items, has been a natural progression for me. As my artistic and technical skills have improved, so has my commitment to approaching my craft in a holistic, environmentally responsible way.
Growing up in rural Appalachia, my parents immersed my brother and I in the outdoors; we played, and occasionally did our chores, and they gardened, built, farmed and tended all the plants and animals that would delight and nourish us. This careful consideration of how the land needed to be cared for continued as I grew to an adult, and one thing that has always stuck with me is my father telling me that he truly strives to leave the land he owns in as good or better shape than when he arrived. Kind of like the golden rule for the environment.
I try to incorporate that idea into my life as much as possible. It is a huge task. Sifting through all the information about what constitutes “natural” and “organic” fibers and processes is exciting and eye-opening. I am poking about on the edges of a huge new mass of information and action that I hope is going to spill over into all facets of our lives. Organic, sustainable and fair-trade are words now common in our food lexicon, and becoming more so in areas like building materials, home furnishings, and ahem, clothing.
And you thought it was just a dress!
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