It’s no secret that we love Coats threads: they’re strong, smooth and are of high quality for their use in manufacturing workrooms across the world. But did you know that we also love Coats for their stance on sustainability? It’s not the sort of thing you hear about every day, but traditionally textiles and fashion have been some of the most wasteful and carbon-heavy industries on the planet, particularly in the modern world of fast-fashion and high-volume international transportation.
Recently, sustainability has become a core focus for many brands across the fashion industry and retailers like ourselves. We try to work with like-minded brands who also value this mindset of sustainability. So we were thrilled when Coats Threads announced on February 8 that they have committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, a goal that is at the highest level of ambition on climate under the Science-Based Target initiative (SBTi).
This week, Coats are holding their inaugural Sustainability Week from Friday 5 to Friday 12 March, and we’ve been participating in online discussions about the science-based emissions reduction targets that they are implementing. This Saturday (GMT Friday 12pm) we have an online panel focussed on “Targeting Circularity”, about the challenges to sustainability faced by industry and innovations to combat those challenges. You can find Coats’ February 8 press release here, and if you’d like to be involved in the discussions during Coats Sustainability week, you can sign up here.
With this topic of Sustainability in mind, we have felt encouraged to share with you a few of our own sustainable business practices. As of last year, we have started shifting towards working with more local suppliers. In turn, this is allowing us to have a more ethical and sustainable approach to our business. We are far from perfect but we are actively working towards making The Sewing Depot as sustainable and long-lasting as possible. So please read below, some of the small changes we have made to better ourselves in this area.
Creating products more locally:
One major change that we have made is manufacturing our own Set Squares locally, here in Petone. We have put a lot of research into these products and we are constantly thinking of ways in which we can create more sustainable options. For example, we engrave the measurements on the set squares rather than just printing them, so that they can’t be rubbed away. We are working on a few other products as we speak, so keep an eye out for these later in the year.
Encouraging conscious buying, upcycling and machine care:
One of our main goals is for our customers to get the most out of their sewing machine purchases. With this in mind, we are making more effort this year to hold lessons and workshops on basic machine cleaning and maintenance, as well as best practice when it comes to using and storing your machine. We are also actively involved in the movement to reclaim lost skills in hand-making, up-cycling and repair, especially when it comes to extending the lives of the garments we wear. We regularly talk to customers about mending everything from school uniforms and work jeans to hiking packs and sleeping bags - by reusing and up-cycling the things we have we can avoid more textiles ending up in a landfill.
Improvements from Global Suppliers:
Singer has replaced their printed sewing machine manuals with digital versions, which not only cuts down on paper consumption but also mean their documents are more accessible through any device. Brother monitor their environmental impact via their “Brother Earth” Environmental Management System (EMS). Other brands such as Siser, who make heat-transfer vinyl, and Kylie and the Machine, creators of beautiful boutique garment labels, adhere to the strict requirements of OEKO-TEX® 100 certification, as does DMC in the creation of its Happy Cotton Special Amigurumi Yarn.
Packaging:
When it comes to our online store, we try to reuse and recycle our packaging wherever possible. We are consistently researching and looking into more earth-friendly alternatives for our packaging as we are aware that we still use a fair amount of plastic. One major change that has saved a lot of waste is providing email receipts rather than printed ones, and this seems to have a very positive response from our customer base. We also use compostable and recyclable bags for all of our online orders.
Sustainable products:
Like the Coats Dual Duty 120 and 75 that we currently stock, Dual Duty EcoVerde is a premium quality core-spun thread that combines a high tenacity polyester filament core with a cotton wrap, giving it the excellent wash-down characteristics that make it perfect for both denim-wear and quilting. But unlike the regular Dual Duty threads, the core of the Dual Duty Ecoverde is made of 100% recycled polyester filament, and the outer wrap is made from cotton certified by the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI).
We are keen to know if our customers would like to see products like these added to our range. In the case of Dual Duty, the EcoVerde does cost more to produce and thus comes with a higher price tag than the regular version, but if it’s a product that you would consider buying we would love to hear from you.
Please fill out this registration form if you are interested in knowing more about this sustainable thread range. We hope to have samples available in the next few weeks.
Feel free to contact us, with any questions you may have about our Coats range or about our sustainable practices.