love
impact
slow fashion
What is Gracie Jean
Gracie Jean is an exploration of sustainability in the context of a micro-fashion business.
Each month I experiment with an aspect of sustainable fashion while making a garment for someone I love.
This month’s exploration is around transparency within supply chains.
This month’s garment is being made for myself.
Exploration
Natural Fibres
Exploration of sourcing natural fibres ethically and sustainably in Australia. Exploring the quality, transparency and traceability of natural fibres in the deadstock setting nand in terms of zips, threads and hardware for garments.
Every month I will be exploring the ethics and sustainability of natural fibres in regards to certifications, content and traceability while also implementing the aim to use 100% natural materials in my garments.
Biodegradable
Exploration of the biodegradability of the fabrics I want to utilise in my designs, testing how long they take to biodegrade, if ever, and recording any problems or challenges I have along the way. Considering dyes and chemicals and their impact on biodegradability.
Every month I will be exploring if biodegradability is possible with the fabrics and materials I will be using with an aim for the natural materials to be 100% biodegradable, trims, threads, zips and all.
In addition to finding end of life solutions for any parts that cannot biodegrade.
Waste
Exploration of the waste created during the production process in addition to pre and post consumer waste. Exploring alternative options to mass manufactured meterage through deadstock and other avenues, utilising offcuts from other companies to make garments and accessories.
In addition collecting all waste created from the cutting, toiling and production of my garments to make accessories and garments with. With waste based accessories being a gift for members of the highest tier of the Fashion Matters with Grace Patreon page.
Every single piece of fabric that I can’t use in the final garments will be repurposed or saved to be repurposed in the future, no fabric will be discarded.
Workers Wellbeing
Being a small maker, it is easy to overwork, not take breaks and neglect physical and mental wellbeing. I have made it a priority to focus on taking adequate breaks during production, focusing on self care activities and putting wellbeing at the forefront of the production process along with creating quality garments.
Each month I will be keeping a log of my hours worked in addition to the breaks and time outside I am taking while in the production process to ensure sustainability within the physical and mental aspect of my production and exploration.
Deadstock
Exploration of deadstock in terms of transparency and traceability, what is the best way to go about transparency, suppliers who have traceability standards.
Traceability and transparency in zips, threads and hardware for garments.
Every month I will exploring new aspects of deadstock fabrics while also only utilising deadstock fabric in my garments.
Transparency/Traceability
Exploring how transparency and traceability works within a fashion supply chain. Exploring all the parts of a supply chain you can track and more importantly the ones that you can’t.
Traceability will be explored for all fabrics, notions, threads and trims.
Each month I will be attempting to track the supply chain of my materials used and get the most information about the traceability as possible.
Social Purpose
The purpose of Gracie Jean is to inform and show the process of my explorations in a digital landscape. It being a platform for other businesses and individuals to use as a guide into becoming more sustainable one step at a time.
In addition to the beautiful garments, the Fashion Matters with Grace podcast is an adjacent platform educating about sustainable and ethical fashion in a fun and uplifting way and creating a community around it, further highlighting the social purpose of education, community, and positive impact around sustainability.
Each month I will be dedicating a podcast episode to my explorations around sustainability including my goals, challenges, and outcomes of the exploration.
Heirloom
Gracie Jean garments are exclusively made custom by me for someone that I love. These garments implement the principles of slow fashion, recognising and celebrating craftsmanship and that are made in timeless, classic styles to be loved, cherished and last a lifetime.
I will be making one garment a month for someone that I love and cherish.
This months garment is made by me for me.
Sustainable by Design
Exploring new ways to implement sustainability into the design process, utilising my scraps to make other garments or accessories to accompany the garments, considering and evaluating each part of the design process prior to creating to ensure that sustainability and end of life is being considered at each step.
Each month I will assess my level of waste, ability to transform this into something meaningful and testing myself in terms of designing and creating sustainably in terms of designs, materials, sourcing and production.
Locally made
Exploration of locally made businesses, how other businesses create garments in Melbourne and Australia and the costs associated as opposed to offshore manufacturing.
All Gracie Jean garments are made custom for those that I love by me in my Melbourne apartment studio.
Each month I will explore a new facet of locally made fashion through material sourcing, labour, accreditations and costs.
Lifetime Repairs
As my garments are made for those I love and are made to last a lifetime, I will encourage those that I make garments for to come to me with any concerns with the garments, any repairs that need to be made for size, general wear and tear or any problems with the garment.
Each month I will check in with those who I have made a garment for to ensure the quality and longevity of the garments I am creating.
Tag waste
All care tags will be made via a QR code to ensure no unnecessary printing is undertaken to produce care tags.
I will be experimenting with the best method of QR code creation to ensure the care labels are easily accessible, legible and high quality
Fashion Matters
This will be an episode of my podcast dedicated to my inspiration, design process, sustainability and transparency!
Out now!
Each month I do a podcast episode talking about my exploration of the month and who I made the garment for.