It’s a good question really as there are already a lot of options on the market for cotton thread and fabric. The easy answer is I wanted to use organic cotton thread for the sewing I do at home for not only my sewing machine but also for my overlocker /serger and couldn’t find what I wanted in Australia. I found a few websites overseas selling exactly what I was after but once you look at the postage and exchange rate it made it unaffordable and not convenient – so I started looking for options of sourcing and bringing it to Australia myself.
The products I found to be the most interesting all mentioned being GOTS certified so I did a lot of research on GOTS and knew I wanted to begin with focusing on bringing in cotton thread that was 100% GOTS certified. The thread I stock is by Scanfil and is 100% GOTS certified and dyed to standard 100 by OEKO-TEX®.
On the website I have a page dedicated to “What is GOTS and why is it important” (https://www.sewforgood.com.au/pages/gots) so won’t go into it too much but basically it leads the way in organic certification in the textile world.
As well as being GOTS Certified and better for the environment, I genuinely believe the cotton is amazing and is all I use at home now. Being able to use it for overlocking is fantastic. It feels better on your skin and won’t melt when ironing the seams like polyester does.
I could have sourced a small amount of thread for my own use but was inspired to start my website and business by companies such as A.BCH (https://abch.world) which was founded by Courtney Holm this year. A.BCH also has a strong focus on GOTS certified materials and I love what Courtney has done and her goal to shake up the fashion industry. If I’m not wearing clothes I’ve made myself I’m more than likely in one of her T-shirts.
My goal is simple; to have us all who make our own clothes think the same way as Courtney and make a conscious choice in the fabric and thread we use. Not to go for the cheapest or bargain option but to think about what we buy. Sure we’re making our own clothes so we don’t have to worry about them being made in a sweatshop but where was the fabric and thread made and by who? What is it made of? Are we making as small an impact as possible to world?
I’m a small business so adding new colours and items slowly and hope to have fabric early next year also. I’m not here to compete with a company such as A.BCH but add to the positive change they're making.
Thanks for reading and supporting - Bec