MY STORY
I am Emma and this journey began during the 2020 Covid pandemic when my eldest daughter wanted to learn how to sew. With no experience through trial and error we learnt the basics. I discovered a love for sewing and a desire to create clothes for my daughters that were unique and stylish, just like them!
I decided to turn this passion into a business and The Handmade Skirt Company was born. I started out by setting up an online shop selling skirts for women and children and when lockdown restrictions allowed attended local craft fairs. I now sell through my website and still regularly attend craft fairs.
I love creating items with care for people who want quality clothing which has been produced in an ethical and sustainable way.
ETHOS
Care and attention to detail is so important to me and this is what I feel makes each item special. Every stage of the process is done by hand, and this slow fashion approach also helps prolong the life of the garment.
The business has evolved to incorporate repurposed vintage fabrics, and this clothing range is very special to me. I love taking a piece of fabric which has been sitting unused and unloved in a cupboard and with a change of use creating a beautiful individual piece of heirloom clothing which is not only a sustainable fashion choice but also a unique one. Creating pieces of clothing from unused fabrics and turning them into something that is once again appreciated and hopefully cherished for years brings me great joy.
Wanting to reduce my fabric waste I upcycle the smaller off cuts from the clothes to create hair accessories and other items utilising all but the tiniest scraps, helping me to create minimal waste.
VALUES
Quality fabrics are very important. Everything I make uses 100 percent premium cotton and linen or repurposed vintage fabrics and I hand select all of them. The new fabrics I use are mostly soft needlecord and colourful floral prints. With the vintage fabrics it is very important to check for any marks or defects and carefully consider what the fabric can best be used for and how best to place the pattern pieces. I use anything from tea towels and curtains to duvet covers and tablecloths.
I have self-drafted all the patterns for the skirts, dresses and tops creating comfortable, practical and easy to wear clothes which also look beautiful.
Fabrics are all pre-washed, hand cut, sewn and finished by me at my home in rural Northumberland. My studio space is a corner of my spare bedroom and although small I have everything close by. The dining table often doubles as a cutting surface for larger pieces, however!
SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
The packaging I use is all sustainably sourced and recyclable. Wrapped in tissue paper and secured with twine I then post in either a cardboard box or recyclable mailing bag.
