If the world could be made up of more Suay shops, our outlook would be a whole lot brighter. Even though we’re not there just yet, we at least have a guiding light model with the Los Angeles-based community-driven space dedicated to upcycling with a splash of activism.
Their authentic approach makes earth a priority - not consumerism - which is a rarity in retail.
So, why are we giving a shout-out to a local shop?
We want to shed light and pay tribute to a diamond in the ruff, the little engine that could going up against the H&M’s of the world. We know it takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and uphill battles, and we appreciate those working to break the mold.
Fast fashion produces more CO2 emissions than flight and maritime combined!
It’s a harmful industry that can slip under the radar for some because we get caught up in style, trends, and lower prices. But we forget all that comes at a cost to our environment, the workers in poor conditions, and our economy.
We discard 92 million tons of clothes-related waste each year!
So, change must be made, and the select few taking on the challenge must be discussed.
Enter Suay, “Suay is a 100% vertical sewing and production shop founded in 2017. Suay products are created from a combination of post-consumer waste, deadstock, and domestically, organically grown fibers. Operating out of a 5,000 sq. ft sew shop and retail space in Northeast L.A., Suay is cultivating a new workforce of textile recyclers within the garment industry with a team of thirty employees dedicated to eradicating the massive amount of destructive waste from the fashion industry. In 2019, Suay diverted over 500,000 lbs of garments from landfills, as their positive environmental impact continues to grow year by year.”
Among their dedication to pushing back against fast fashion, they’re also a very community-driven endeavor. Events are created monthly, including a community dye bath where they offer custom dips to over-dye your clothes with colors changing monthly, as well as textile donations and repair and alteration programs.
Suay has given us this opportunity to discuss this topic, but we would love to hear from you about other retail stores you know breaking the mold. Let’s continue this conversation and continue to provide exposure.
BONUS: At the beginning of this year, on the Launchleft podcast, episode 136, we discuss Suay here.
To learn more about:
dye baths
textile recycling program
Repairs
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