Custom Sewn Fashion at Silver Needle & Thread

Let's Talk Sustainability Recently, I served on a Sustainability Panel hosted by Fashion Group International North Florida.  The panel consisted of a member from the Florida EPA Division, a Beauty expert, a Blogger and me. I love having the opportunity to talk with like minded movers and shakers, who have a genuine passion, drive and concern for what our future holds in the mist of a toxic chemical saturated society of over consumption and waste.  Needless to say the house was full and we went way over the time, but no one cared.

Silks, Brocades, Charmeuse Oh My! Silk Brocade Pretty in Pink Robe The Studio is buzzing with all things luxurious.  It's the season as Spring is in the air.  Clients are becoming more sophisticated in their taste and style for natural fibre garments and we could not be more delighted. What is Silk Brocade? The fabric dates by to the Middle Ages and is known to be the fabric of the Noble and Wealthy.  Brocade   is richly decorative  shuttle-woven fabric , often made in colored silks   and with or without  silver   and  gold   threads.  It's beauty is unrivaled.   It can be used to make everything from robes to dresses,  kimonos, jackets, pants and skirts.  It's also widely used in upholstery and furniture. The fabric is typically woven on a draw loom . It is a supplementary weft  technique; the ornamental brocading is produced by a supplementary, non-structural, weft in addition to the standard weft that holds the warp  threads toge

Add A Bit of Color to Your Fall Wardrobe With the fast approach of Fall we've been busy at the sewing machine creating some jewels to transition our style.  We chose organic cotton, some beautiful linens from around the world, a gorgeous merino heathered wool jersey and an interesting blend of recycled hemp and organic cotton.  These pieces are easily interchangeable with pieces currently in our wardrobe and offer some interesting looks you'll love.  When you start to think mix and match you can see just how functional and complementary these pieces are. Of course you know that custom sewing your clothes ensures a perfect fit every time and you get to choose the colors that are right for you.  Finding the right dressmaker to design and hand sew your clothes is a liberating experience to be cherished. Statistics reveal that Americans wear only 20% of the clothes hanging in our closets 80% of the time which means 80% of the clothes (fast fashion) we buy are

Most people equate sustainable fashion with outrageous prices, poor style, limited color palette, muted tones and the phrase, "what the hell is that." Sustainable fashion isn't what you think it is..... Silver Needle & Thread is an affiliate of CATA Consumers Against Toxic Apparel .  CATA is an organization working to increase awareness about the dangerous practices employed by  the fashion industry that affect human health and the environment.   CATA offers the solutions, provides education, identify toxic chemicals in your clothes, share research and data connecting those toxic chemicals to chronic illness and disease, collaborate with companies working to improve the industry and connect consumers with companies offering stylish, safe, toxic chemical free clothing.   When you custom sew your wardrobe you have complete freedom to create whatever you want. Silver Needle & Thread services include design, custom sewing-made to measure, image consult

We hope you enjoy this collage of photos of our official spokesperson, Elizabeth Tran wearing organic clothing as she fulfills her duties under her titles as US Miss Earth Eco and Miss Earth Florida.   To learn more about CATA Consumers Against Toxic Apparel please visit:  http://cataorganicclothing.blogspot.com. Silver Needle & Thread is a CATA Affiliate Company and Part of The Solution for clean, healthy, safe and toxic free clothing.   

Oftentimes, doing what we love and  feel our purpose is can lead to amazing discoveries of personal growth and opportunity. Please allow me to explain.  As a professional dressmaker and fashion designer I have the pleasure of working with individuals and small business owners from around the country and now world.  Recently, I  was contacted by First Nations, Cherokee Bear Clan Indian member Blue Eagle about creating a special project from Quebec, Canada.  Blue Eagle is of French Canadian, Pawnee, Algonquin and Abenakis decent, he's also a well respected Shaman, vocal artist and businessman.  He read one of my articles about organic and sustainable fashion and decided I could help with his project of creating a very special garment, authentic to Indian dress, symbolic and of the earth.  I must admit upon speaking with him and understanding the requirements I was a bit leary if I could provide the service, but I wanted to try.  The job hit close to home.  My race in our soci

  Everything in our closets matter in important ways  most can never imagine. This is the message we want to get across to those touring the Sustainable Wellness Home every month.  Our goal is to create awareness and educate consumers about how our clothes affect many aspects of our lives, our health and the environment. As a CATA Consumers Against Toxic Apparel affiliate much of our custom organic garments and small batch manufactured items can be viewed in the home.  As a professional dressmaker and custom wardrobe designer we can show an array of organic fibres in our clothing to those visiting the home, educating them about raw fibres, the variety, quality and why it matters. One of our major services include closet sweeps/audits where we address every aspect and component of a closet to include storing, fixture units, hangers, pest control, garment cleaning, organization and presentation.  We stress the importance of seeking sustainable ways to address yo