INTERVIEW #108 RECLAIM CREATIVE
Based in: Knoxville, Tennesse, US
Founded in: 2020
Founded by: Allie Chamberlain
Stores: shipping worldwide & stockists across the US
Price range: $30-525
Instagram: @reclaim.creative
Hello Allie & Reclaim Creative, welcome to A Sustainable Closet! Tell us about your story and why you started your colourful yet beautiful brand?
In 2016 I (Allie) watched The True Cost documentary for the very first time, exposing me to the chronic environmental & social problems created by the fast fashion industry. I began understanding waste, consumption, and sustainability at a massive and overwhelming scale, which led me to want to change my consumption habits and make a difference in the world. After an architectural thesis project exploring identity, I founded Reclaim Creative - with a focus on repurposing quilts en route to the landfill via rag houses. We now source vintage textiles from textile waste processing centres, and repurpose them into beautiful works of art for the body and the home!
Your designs and patchwork are stunning, how did you learn to do this?
I come from a lineage of women who have always been quilting and sewing! A Lot of what we do was discovered through learning from those that came before us (namely my grandparents), a lot of asking questions, trial & error along with an educational background in design!
How and where are the products produced, where do you source the material from?
We source all of our materials from rag houses and sew all of our works in our Knoxville, TN textile studio!
Where on the planet are your customers based?
The majority of our customers are all around the US, but we have a growing number of international customers as well! Because most of our business is e-commerce, we don't have a hyper-specific demographic of customers!
Where do you find inspiration?
I (Allie) mostly find inspiration through architecture, conversations with new communities, a solo day in a new city, or simply riding my bike around town. I have been learning that inspiration comes as I rest, take care of myself and learn from others! When we are creatively energized, we take overlooked fabrics & textiles, and see the beautiful potential in each of them!
What have been and are the major challenges of starting Reclaim Creative and may we ask if this is your full-time job?
Reclaim Creative is my full-time job and we also have a second part-time employee - Jamie! Some of the major challenges for us have been educating others on what a price point looks like for sustainable clothing, and also sustainably navigating both the extremely busy seasons of business along with the slower ones.
What have been and are the largest gains?
The largest gain from owning Reclaim Creative has been relationships, connections, and conversations that keep us going! Being able to have in-depth conversations about sustainability in fashion, how making our clothes can be impactful, and simply hearing kind words from customers has changed my life more than I ever thought possible! But on the financial side, being able to run my dream business as a full-time job is something I never thought would be attainable at 25!
What do you think needs to change in the fashion industry to make it more sustainable?
Short answer - everything. But realistically when we look at massive issues through the lens of "everything needs to change," it is extremely daunting. The way we like to approach discussing the necessary changes in the fashion industry is one step at a time, one decision at a time, and one conversation at a time! This process begins with the understanding that if each of us simply stops buying, the industry will shift. So I think the largest change to be made is overconsumption. When we start consuming less, we stop demanding brands to produce more, which forces fast fashion brands to rethink their process - if we can start there, and then demand better pay and treatment for garment workers, sustainable treatment of the planet, and so forth - the industry changes one small step at a time!
What's up next, do you have anything fun to share with our readers?
We have so many fun things in the works for this year! Some new patterns, tutorials, collaborations & events! You'll just have to follow along to find out the details!