Organic Cotton Wedding Dress
From LoveToKnow Organic
As people become concerned about the environment, many brides are looking for an organic cotton wedding dress. Joanne Mackin is a designer in the U.K. that creates beautiful wedding dresses at her home. Joanne took part in the Eco-Fashion Challenge, creating a prom dress that was both organic and Fair Trade.
Joanne's company is called Wholly Jo's. She creates custom wedding dresses, prom dresses and other items from organic cotton, peace silk (silk that is made in such a way that it does not harm the silk worm), and other eco-friendly fabrics. She will soon be offering a natural dying service.
LoveToKnow recently interviewed Joanne about her designs and her reasons for choosing organic fabrics.
Chatting with Joanne Mackin
LTK: What made you decide to specialize in organic cotton, peace silk, and other environmentally responsible fabrics?
JM: When my youngest child started school, I wanted a job that would fit around my family. I set up Wholly Jo’s making wedding dresses. I have always had a keen interest in the ethical side of things. I was buying fair trade in the 1980s! It was only natural that these fabrics should be my specialty, especially as at the time no one else was doing it. There is an awful lot of exploitation of the world people and resources and I aim to do my bit to reduce that.
LTK: What motivates you? Inspires you?
JM: Happy brides and happy workers. A fair and godly world. Chocolate! I want to see this world looking after its people and its resources in a responsible way. No exploitation. No poisoning of our world. I want a world I am proud to leave to my children. A big dream but I am trying to do my bit towards it.
LTK: Is there something that you have created that you are especially proud of?
JM: The latest one is usually my favorite one and the one I am most proud of.
Creating the Organic Dress
LTK: Where do you get your ideas for designs?
JM: The brides, wedding shows, magazines, nature, the past and just about every where. I won't make direct copies of other peoples work but am often inspired by them.
LTK: Are the fabrics different to work with? Is the drape of the fabric or the texture different in an organic cotton wedding dress?
JM: It's always nice to work with natural fabrics rather than synthetics, but other than that the fabrics are very similar. The only the exceptions are the peace silk which is beautiful, soft, and most unusual for a silk. They are all on the whole very easy to work with, but chiffon is always hard as it’s a slippy little customer.
LTK: Are the fabrics significantly more expensive?
JM: No. They are a little more expensive than their synthetic counterparts, but on a real level with the natural conventional fabrics.
LTK: Do you use organic embellishments and notions as well?
JM: Not often as these are virtually unobtainable, but I am still looking
LTK: How do you go about designing an organic cotton wedding dress? If a bride comes to you and is not sure of the design she wants, where do you start?
JM: It's very unusual for the bride not to know what she wants. It's often one of the reasons she has come to me, as she has been unable to find her dream dress. She will bring photos and clipping of things she likes and we will build a design from that. I have lots of stuff for the brides to look through to help too. I ask lots of questions and produce a drawing which we use to produce a toile (a mock up in cheap fabric). We alter and fit that, then make the final dress. We have been known to throw out initial ideas at the toile stage and start again but that’s unusual.
LTK: About how long does it take you to do a gown, from the first meeting with the client to delivery?
JM: Anything from three to 18 months. There is about forty hours work in the average dress and about five to twelve meetings. Some people start early some leave it until later.
LTK: With so much of the world's cotton coming out of Uzbekistan, an area that used both toxic chemicals and child labor, it is important to alot of people to know where their cotton comes from. Do you know the source of the organic cotton you use?
JM: The cotton I use comes from India via Wales. It's grown in the north of India and woven in the south of India and the companies involved as also dealing with organizations like Traidcraft.
LTK: Depending on the design, of course how much, on an average, can someone expect to pay for one of your gowns?
JM: I can not compete with the high streets wedding offerings at the likes of Debenhams, Monsoon etc but I compete quite well with the Bridal Boutique. A dress will range from about £500 to £1000 or so.
Joanne on Organic Weddings
LTK: Do you think that organic weddings are a growing trend?
JM: Yes and no. There will always be those whose wedding are a display of opulent wealth and blow the consequences. But there are a growing number of people who are ethically aware. They no longer drop their ethics for their wedding whether in a small or large way, depending on their budget and strength of feeling. I think the market will grow slowly.
LTK:Could someone from the United States get a gown from you?
JM: Not yet. I won’t do mail order as I can't supply the quality of fit if I don’t have access to the bride. I wouldn’t want any one to come all that way just to see me, that’s not ethical. If they come to London regularly I would certainly make them a dress. You might try to find someone in your area at Ethical Weddings.
LTK: You are in the UK. Do you know of any designers in the United States that are working with organic and environmentally responsible fabrics and materials?
JM: There are a few I believe but I don’t know any details.
LTK: Do you have any tips for couples planning an organic wedding?
JM: Decide what principles are important you. For example, a vegan might chose a polyester dress as no silk worms died making it. Another may pick the organic silk as the chemical usage is far lower. It's your choice. You also need to be able to compromise as not all things are possible yet. Then get out there and look, there are web sites that help and do your research.
Finding an Organic Cotton Wedding Dress
Although Joanne works exclusively in the United Kingdom, there are designers in the United States that are beginning to use organic cotton as well as other eco-friendly fabrics. You may also be able to find a local seamstress to make a dress for you from organic cotton you buy yourself.
If you wish to have an eco-friendly wedding, organic cotton is a great place to start.
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