I'm not sure what sparked it, but suddenly so many independent pattern brands are expanding their size charts. It's exciting to see the inclusivity + buzz around it all. Pattern grading involves grading up + down from a particular size. As the grading gets further + further away from the original size, it can become increasingly distorted. This process along with the fact that certain proportions + measurements (like bust, thigh + bicep circumferences) need to be taken into account...not to mention that every body is built differently...makes increasing the sizing of patterns a time consuming process. It's exciting that the independent sewing community is recognizing the value of enabling more + more people to exercise their creativity + to wear clothing that fits!

For our purposes here today, I'm going to set the parameters for standard/expected sizing at around 32-44 inch bust measurements. Many of us know that we cannot always expect even this much inclusivity, but what I'm looking for is an extended level of inclusivity. It's about time!

Anna Allen :: patterns sizes up to 22
Blueprints :: busts up to 50 inches
Cashmerette :: sizes 12-28
Closet Case :: sizes up to 20 + extending (take the survey)
Colette + Seamwork :: up to size 26
Deer & Doe :: French sizes up to 52
Elbe Textiles :: currently working to extend size range up to a 52 inch bust
Fancy Tiger :: sizes up to 20
Grainline :: currently working to extend up to size 30 (participate in their survey)
​Leisl + Co :: up to size 20
Helen's Closet :: currently includes sizes up to 22 :: working to extend up to size 30
​Made by Rae :: bust sizes up to 51 inches
Marilla Walker :: bust sizes up to 49 inches
Megan Nielsen :: newly updated patterns up to size 30
Muse :: up to 50 inch bust + D cup
Named :: up to size 18
Paper Theory :: up to size 20
P4P :: up to 54 inch bust
Sew House Seven :: up to size 20
Sew Liberated :: up to size 24
Schnittchen :: up to 53 1/2 inch bust
100 Acts of Sewing :: up to 50 inch bust
Sew DIY :: up to 51 inch bust
Wiksten :: the newest pattern includes sizing up to size 22

For lots more wonderful independent pattern designers (not exhaustive by any means)...many more of which may join these ranks in the future...this list. Also more plus sized mentions here.

Love, 
​Jane

This collection by Go Gently Nation is ticking all the boxes for me right now: beautiful colors, easy shapes, natural fibers + made in Los Angeles. There are lots of adorable, simple, matching pieces for littles (0-12 years) as well. I could be happy with not much more than these pieces including the sandals, shorts + a big straw hat all summer long.  :)

​All lovely photos from Go Gently Nation.

Love,
Jane

Jeans are one of the most worn items of clothing today. Almost everyone would like to have a pair of jeans that feels like home...comfortable and familiar. Lots of us would also like those jeans to make our butts look great. :) I won't say that the search for a perfect pair of jeans is easy, but at least it can start fair. 

First things first...do you or I really need another pair of jeans? We might want to take a look at refashioning, altering or mending a pair of jeans already in our possession. Swapping or thrifting are great options as well...because there are literal tons of great jeans out there already. The prices are amazing (like $7-$10 where we live), but a willingness to search is necessary. Thrift stores, flea markets, etsy + eBay are great places to find vintage denim. Find inspiration to see thrifted jeans as treasures by perusing Bliss + Mischief and B-sides. With a little ingenuity, almost any pair of jeans can be reworked into a masterpiece.

Each of the brands pictured above takes a different approach to ethical and/or fair practices. It would be amazing if every brand was committed to organic denim grown, manufactured + sewn locally...but many brands are being thoughtful, creative + innovative. There are various styles + sizes (plus + petites too) offered by most of the brands, so take your time and investigate. 

The super adventurous may even want to try making a pair of jeans. There are some great jeans sewing patterns, along with in-depth tutorials, out there. Closet Case, Megan Nielsen, Anna Allen, Merchant & Mills, and Named Clothing offer jeans patterns. Thread Theory makes some incredible men's patterns too. Use some USA grown, organic denim from Houston Textiles or Sally Fox for the ultimate fair pair of jeans.

Quick reference for the fair jeans listed here:

organic denim + fair wages ::
industry of nations :: organic cotton :: fair wages :: natural dyes :: unisex :: $
j.crew fair-trade collection :: organic denim made in italy :: fair-trade certified factory :: men's too :: $
kowtow :: fair-trade certified organic cotton :: SA8000 certified factory :: $$$
madewell fair-trade collection :: organic denim made in italy :: fair-trade certified factory ::$ 
monkee genes :: organic cotton :: living wages :: GOTS :: men's too :: uk based :: $
nudie :: organic cotton :: made in italy + tunisia :: fair wear foundation audits :: repairs :: resells :: recycling :: men too :: $$
patagonia :: 98% organic cotton :: fair-trade certified sewing :: men's too :: $
people tree :: organic cotton :: GOTS :: fairwear foundation audited :: UK based :: $
outerknown :: organic cotton made in italy :: sewn in "the world's leading sustainable denim factory" in Vietnam :: life-time guarantee (repair or replace) :: recycling :: men's too $

organic or deadstock cotton + made in usa ::
agolde x amour vert :: organic + recycled denim :: made in usa :: $$
bliss + mischief :: deadstock cotton :: made in los angeles :: $$$
jesse kamm :: made in usa :: deadstock fabric :: $$$

organic cotton ::
eileen fisher :: organic cotton :: sustainable emphasis $$
prana :: 79% organic cotton :: sustainable emphasis $

made in north america ::
arturo :: made in canada :: alterations + repairs (one year) :: men's too $
bluer denim :: made in los angeles :: men's too $
b-sides :: made + milled in the usa :: also re-worked vintage collection ($$$) :: men's too $$
doen :: made in the usa $$
emerson fry :: made in nyc $$
​esby :: made in usa $$$
​father's daughter :: made in los angeles $$
gamine workwear :: deadstock cone mill denim :: made in the usa by a single seamstress $
good american :: made in los angeles :: sizes for everyone $
ilana kohn :: made in nyc  $$$
imogene + willie :: sewn in the usa $$
industry standard :: made in los angeles $
mother :: made in los angeles $$
prairie underground :: made in seattle (usa) $$
reformation :: made in los angeles $
renewal workshop :: reworked discards from the apparel industry $
the great :: made in the usa $$$
also: search "made in the usa" on Nordstrom

$ :: $150 + under
$$ :: $150-$250
$$$ :: $250 + over

This is just a sampling or fair denim, so search for "organic denim" or "Australian jeans" or whatever makes jeans fair to you...and then please let us know, if you find (or already know of) some fair jeans brands that you love!  This post will be linked toward the bottom of the ethical brands page for reference. Happy jeans hunting!

All photos via links.

Love,
Jane

When it comes to sleepwear, any old t-shirt will do. But sometimes it's nice to have a little something special to wear to bed...and around bed-ish times. It can be nice to have something a bit more covered up or presentable to wear when houseguests are about...or teenagers share the house...or when we are the houseguests...or just because. There are lots of places to find fair tees + elastic waisted bottoms that can be worn to bed, but here are a few brands putting some special care into more specifically pajama-type clothing:

coyuchi :: organic cotton :: GOTS certified
domi :: organic cotton :: GOTS certified
fair indigo :: organic cotton :: fairly made in peru
lacausa :: made in usa ​
la relaxed :: made in usa
maison du soir :: made in usa
pact :: organic cotton :: GOTS certified :: fair-trade factory
pansy :: organic cotton grown + made in usa
​richer poorer :: organic cotton :: made in usa

Pajamas could also be a wonderful beginner (or not so beginner) sewing project. Again, there are lots of ways to think about pajamas...a tee or tank with loose shorts or pants...or leggings...a robe or a sweatshirt or a sweater. We can sleep + lounge in whatever we choose, but here are a few indie patterns that would work well in this category.

Spring weather + spring collections are rolling in. Seeds are on my mind, rainbows play peek-a-boo (I received one of these little rainbow makers for my birthday) + new scents are in the air. A few of the things on my dreamy wishlist include fair-trade, organic cotton basics from Outerknown's new women's collection + a candle that transforms into a little plant pot (or whatever container) when the scent runs out. It's clear to see that I'm attracted to earthy tones + comfy, easy shapes this spring. Bring on the sunshine!

All lovely images via links.

Love,
Jane

Fair clothing can be traded, thrifted, made, bought...can be lovingly altered, repaired, refashioned...there are so many choices. When it comes to dresses, I love the option of taking the fabric from a thrifted dress that is maybe the wrong size + remaking it into a new dress. Dresses can easily be shortened in length or sleeve length...or even made from a top...with a little length added from different fabric.

Here, we're looking at two options for dresses. Fair brands (on the left) + sewn from independent pattern designers (on the right). I love that a sewist can appreciate the craftsmanship of a ready-made dress...and that anyone can learn to sew! No need to choose all or nothing, one way or the other.  ;)

I'm looking forward to dresses again this year. One piece dressing is my favorite. While layering over + under dresses is great...bare legs + plimsolls, sandals or bare feet are my favorite accessories for dresses...which makes dreaming the best option right now.  :)

​Last time in fair/make...jumpsuits. All lovely photos via links.

Love, 
Jane

Sometimes just knowing they are there is like a little wink to ourselves...even though they are buried under layer after layer on these cold days. A few comfy, beautiful, fair intimates today:

Arq :: organic stretch cotton :: made in the USA :: environmentally friendly dyes

State :: organic cotton/spandex blend :: made in thomson, georgia :: hand-painted

The Nude Label :: organic cotton/elastane :: made locally in valencia, spain :: back closure bra

Pansy :: organic cotton grown in texas + milled in north carolina :: rubber/cotton elastic made in south carolina :: sewn in san leandro, california :: non-toxic dyes 

Lots more fair intimates here (in varying degrees). All beautiful photos via links.

Love,
Jane

This arctic blast has me thinking about "warm". Merino wool is one of the materials that is truly up to the task. What an amazing symbiotic connection wool offers sheep + shearer...each benefits from the other.

My search for a wooly layer that needn't look perpetually sporty brought me to Duckworth. It can be hard to find a 100% wool piece of clothing, so this top (pictured) is ticking a lot of boxes for me. The merino wool comes from sheep on the Helle Ranch in Dillon, Montana (pictured above). The spinning, knitting + dying happens in the Carolinas and the sewing is done in the USA...making this top completely American grown + made. They call this carefully orchestrated connection "sheep to shelf".

Wool socks are my footwear of choice during these cold months. There is nothing to kick off before pulling my feet up under a cozy blanket...or before sliding into some waterproof wellies. Wool socks with a more heavy duty sole keep my feet as warm as slippers. Darn Tough makes wool (blend) socks in Vermont + guarantees them for life! What a long-lasting connection this fosters between the hands that make these socks + the feet that wear them.

Of course another great way to keep cozy is to knit a woolen layer or two. It can be a lovely adventure searching for local wool, to meet the farmer/spinner/dyer + to hear the stories the materials hold. Connection grows deeper with each slow rhythmic stitch.

Keep warm + connected, friends...wooly + otherwise!

All lovely photos via links.

Love,
Jane

Thought I'd share a little correspondence I had this week. I really like the fact that Feelgoodz made flip flops with natural, sustainably sourced rubber + fair-trade labor. Last summer, I purchased some of their leather + rubber sandals...but received a pair of their vegan "leather" sandals instead. When I let them know about the mistake, they said to keep or donate the mistake pair...no need to mail them back. I decided to wear them, because I liked the fit + they needed to get worn. I'm not so happy about their end of life, however. Vegan "leather" is plastic.

As I began to look ahead at the year to come + at my simple wardrobe as a whole, I wondered if Feelgoodz would offer new leather styles. Their website currently shows only vegan options, so I sent this email of encouragement:

Hello- I just wanted to let you know that I am hoping you will bring your leather sandals back this year! I love the fair-trade values your company adheres too. The leather + rubber elements complement that so well for me, because they are natural + biodegradable! Thank you for being a rare, fair footwear option!

This was the response I received:

Thanks for contacting Feelgoodz! We will not be selling leather anytime soon. We have decided to stay with our Vegan Leather option because it is what is best for the environment. We will be dropping some new colors/styles this Spring so keep your eyes peeled!

And this was my response in return:

Thank you so much for your response. I know that some people feel that vegan "leather" is better for the environment. I just don't personally understand it. The oil derived material is plastic that will be around forever. It will contribute to ocean plastics + will break down into that plastic soup that ends up in the guts of sea life + eventually us. It would be better environmentally to simply stick with the natural rubber flip flops.

I know that all of the readers here do not agree with me about the use of leather, and I very much respect the values that inform this conviction. My point in sharing this is not that we need to agree...or even to share an update on a brand. It is that we have voices + the responsibility to share them. I believe that my emails have a better chance of making a difference than my silence (+ simply opting out of buying vegan "leather").

Whatever your opinion, let those companies know.

Love,
Jane

Dazey LA is all about embracing sisterhood, strength, beauty, diversity + positive vibes. (Watch this!) This latest collection is also about collaboration...as each of these designs was submitted by an artist in the Dazey community! And...all of the tees (+ lots of the other Dazey pieces) are made from 100% certified organic cotton in Los Angeles! 

It really stinks when tees stamped with empowering messages for women are made by women who are most definitely not experiencing any of that empowerment in a country like Bangladesh. At the same time, American garment workers often need further rights + increased pay as well. One of my hopes when buying American made garments is that designers keep a closer eye on their factories (especially when garments like these are both designed + made in Los Angeles) + that the garment workers' children are receiving benefits that come from living in this country...like clean water + education. There is clearly more work to be done + more justice to be won!

This summer, I bought this tee (it came along in my backpack too). I'm not much of one for shouting at people with the words on my clothes, but I thought these were worthy words.  :) I've worn it a ton + love it. So...if there ever comes a time when you need a new tee ...Dazey LA can be found on our ethical brands list.  :)

For 10% off use code :: DAZEY-FAIRDARE10 
​(I would earn a small commission too, if this code is used. Thank you so much!)

All gorgeous photos via Dazey LA.
​
Love,
Jane