Lead image courtesy of Mary Tucker.

The most eco-friendly clothing is what you already own

By Mary Tucker — Volunteer contributor, Resilient Roseville member

Roseville residents recently had the opportunity to learn about repairing and repurposing distressed clothing. We met at the Ramsey County Library-Roseville on a Sunday afternoon for a workshop about reusing, mending and upcycling clothing sponsored by Resilient Roseville, a grass-roots sustainability organization.

Mending the clothing you love is nothing new. However, it has become a very important skill in the last two decades. With the rise of fast fashion, tons of clothing now ends up in landfills. In 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated that 17 million tons of textiles were thrown away annually. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency estimates our state alone accounts for 134,000 tons per year.  

Spring cleaning is about to start. As you look at your closet, you might think “Is this wearable, even though I don’t want it?” If so, you can sell it locally or online. Donating it is another alternative to throwing it out. There are many area charities, thrift shops and online buy-nothing groups. Clothing swaps are yet another option where you can trade your old clothes for something new.

If you like the piece but it’s not wearable, can it be mended?  Or could it be resized, modified or upcycled and repurposed into something completely different?  

Sewing by hand is an easy place to start. With a basic mending kit, much like your mother’s sewing box, you can repair or repurpose many things. Needles and thread, pins and a measuring tape are the basics. Add a stash of various leftover fabric for patches and you’re all set. 

If the task requires a sewing machine and an experienced mender, check out the Fix-it Clinics listed at the end of this article. There are many in the metro area. All have volunteers who can help with textile repair. Want to learn how to use a sewing machine? There are classes available through local school districts. Local libraries may also offer drop-in sewing circles. If you have a sewing machine but could use help, these clinics and circles are great places to get ideas.

After the prepared talk portion of the mending workshop, everyone gathered around to ask questions about their own projects. Most guests brought a distressed item with them, hoping to get ideas for recycling something they owned. The presenters also displayed and discussed many examples of their own mending and upcycling, including sweater mending, replacing elastic, various visible and invisible methods of patching holes in pants, repurposing denim or old curtains and replacing closures.

As presenter and Fix-It Clinic volunteer Manya Harsch said, “Mending is about making something reusable, not perfect. You learn as you go. You don’t have to mend everything, but learning and gaining skills increases your options.” 

Resilient Roseville sincerely thanks our menders for their time and enthusiastic ideas, Harsch, who volunteers at both Ramsey and Hennepin County Fix-It Clinics as well as MN Tool Library Fix-In Events and Ms. Judy Palapala, retired teacher and seamstress for 50 years.

Please find Resilient Roseville on Facebook and find when your next local Fix-It Clinic is below!

Fix-It Clinics | Anoka County | Next Event: Saturday, April 4, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Springbrook Nature Center, 100 85th Avenue NE, Fridley (last items accepted at 12:30 p.m.)

Carver County / A Better Society | Next Event: Saturday, May 30, noon – 4 p.m., A Better Society, 1453 Park Road, Chanhassen

Dakota County | Next Event: ​Saturday, March 21, 11 a.m.–2 p.m., Dakota Lodge, 1200 Stassen Lane, West St. Paul ​ (​Spanish interpreter will be onsite.)

Hennepin County | Next Event: Saturday, April 11, noon – 4 p.m., St. Louis Park Rec Center, 3700 Monterey Drive, St. Louis Park (last items accepted at 3:30 p.m.)

Ramsey County | Next Event: Saturday, March 28, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Silverwood Park Visitor Center Great Hall, 2500 County Road E., St. Anthony (last items accepted at 12:30 p.m.)

Rice County | No event scheduled. Bookmark this page for updates!Washington County | Next Event: Saturday, May 2, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Wildwood Library, 763 Stillwater Road, Mahtomedi