General Discussion

Cleita

(75,480 posts)

80. If you decide to start sewing again, you will be disappointed to find that the inferior

Sun May 5, 2013, 02:30 PM

May 2013

cloth available today is made in those overseas manufacturing places that are as bad as the clothing factories. You will have to spin your thread and weave your cloth first before you can be 100% sure about clothing not made by slave labor. It's sad but true.

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So my niece may never go shopping with me again [View all] dflprincess May 2013 OP

American Apparel. Made in downtown L.A. JaneyVee May 2013 #1

Unfortunately "made in america" is the only positive thing they have Lordquinton May 2013 #12

they only do knitware BainsBane May 2013 #17

They also sexually harass many of their employees... Agschmid May 2013 #118

Having grown up with sexual harrassment, and laws to deal with it, I'd rather fight that than be in freshwest May 2013 #139

good luck finding quality fabric Kali May 2013 #2

Yes, they're putting that damned plastic into EVERYTHING Warpy May 2013 #5

They're using bamboo a lot more lately. I have some bamboo socks and they're great. cui bono May 2013 #13

Bamboo is actually not that great for knitted stuff Warpy May 2013 #29

Bamboo is THE environmentally cool fabric ingredient these days.... Honeycombe8 May 2013 #67

The process of turning bamboo into fiber is not a gentle one Warpy May 2013 #89

That's too bad. I really like the socks. Very soft. n/t cui bono May 2013 #134

I like to dye it and card it into merino wool Warpy May 2013 #135

I just got a bunch of soft bamboo knit abelenkpe May 2013 #103

I believe there are some Mom & Pop stores in Oregon that have cotton... Left Coast2020 May 2013 #54

I cannot believe this has not been mentioned! zerosumgame0005 May 2013 #83

I'd seen the hemp clothing in stores, but not the OR clothing. Thanks. freshwest May 2013 #140

Shopping online makes it easier to find made-in-USA stuff. Brickbat May 2013 #3

So you didn't tell her about the building collapse in Bangladesh that killed malaise May 2013 #4

I did dflprincess May 2013 #7

Thrift stores have amazing stuff! tblue May 2013 #6

I find great stuff in the Goodwill with "made in USA" tags. mountain grammy May 2013 #11

For about $60, I just bought a whole wardrobe of easy-care wrinkle-free clothes to travel with. Nay May 2013 #92

+1- I shop at Goodwill LittleGirl May 2013 #95

We have at least 2 in our area that cater to young adult styles woodsprite May 2013 #64

I have bought loads of brand new items from them. GoCubsGo May 2013 #115

Yard sales, too! Le Taz Hot May 2013 #117

This message was self-deleted by its author guyton May 2013 #8

Thanks for that, gonna check out those jeans. freshwest May 2013 #24

I went to the site. Beacool May 2013 #128

For $98, she could make an A-line skirt, with lining, out of a fabric of *her* choice, winter is coming May 2013 #9

I was thinking the same thing... TreasonousBastard May 2013 #19

A-lines are relatively simple, and tend to last well because they're not skin-tight. winter is coming May 2013 #21

Well Aerows May 2013 #73

for that she could make a few A-line skirts from the fabric of choice :) azurnoir May 2013 #20

Depends on whether or not she wants a premium cotton, but yes. n/t winter is coming May 2013 #23

Do you honestly think this young woman will take up sewing pnwmom May 2013 #25

prolly not :) azurnoir May 2013 #41

I used to like to sew pnwmom May 2013 #44

I used to sew when I was younger and my kids were little azurnoir May 2013 #49

My machine got closed up during one of my extreme baby-proofing periods pnwmom May 2013 #59

I doubt she'll learn to sew even though our political views pretty much match dflprincess May 2013 #121

Yes, a seamstress at a clothing repair shop would do it for much less. freshwest May 2013 #26

How do you know a seamstress at a repair shop or laundry pnwmom May 2013 #30

If they aren't busy, and they usually aren't, they'll do it. freshwest May 2013 #32

But if the materials aren't made in the USA, then it's like many of the products pnwmom May 2013 #35

I gave solutions on the micro scale with artisan fabric, not the macro. EOM. freshwest May 2013 #36

Artisan fabric? And that's cheap? n/t pnwmom May 2013 #37

I buy at thrift stores mostly. Sorry I said anything. Good night. *EOM* n/t freshwest May 2013 #43

Just an anecdote ... REP May 2013 #125

Most quality fabrics for the US market are made in Italy, Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic or politicat May 2013 #52

Yep. Manifestor_of_Light May 2013 #56

Silk buttonhole twist still exists... politicat May 2013 #62

Thanks. That's good to know. pnwmom May 2013 #60

I know this is slightly off topic, still relevant. sheshe2 May 2013 #69

Good news, then. No need to give up on anything, thanks, Sheshe! freshwest May 2013 #79

Agreed. Ednahilda May 2013 #110

how do you know they won't? zerosumgame0005 May 2013 #85

I'm doubtful, based on personal experience. And if you think I just "beat up" pnwmom May 2013 #97

detail your "personal experience" in this regard please zerosumgame0005 May 2013 #111

Nice knowing you. pnwmom May 2013 #113

First she'd have to buy a sewing machine and take lessons pnwmom May 2013 #58

Sh3 could make a skirt for a lot less than $98 with quality fabric. Honeycombe8 May 2013 #68

She ccould get her quality fabric at a thrift store in the form of a woman's 1X size skirt. And Nay May 2013 #94

Just can't take you anywhere, can she? NBachers May 2013 #10

You "followed her around the store, ranting" at her? Nye Bevan May 2013 #14

I know I wouldn't... pipi_k May 2013 #109

She's used to that behavior from me dflprincess May 2013 #122

$98 for a skirt? Lordquinton May 2013 #15

I hear ya. I get on my friends' nerves trying to get them to be more eco-friendly. cui bono May 2013 #16

Truthfully, an American-made skirt will be close to $250 BainsBane May 2013 #18

It will cost maybe $10 more to make in the USA n2doc May 2013 #71

perhaps it's that BainsBane May 2013 #74

Hickey freeman in Rochester NY... Agschmid May 2013 #120

unfortunately, that doesn't factor in the economy of scale... and the same item costing more than 3X bettyellen May 2013 #75

something I learned from a friend long ago about making clothes azurnoir May 2013 #22

Not everyone likes to sew. Your solution works well for you but I doubt the niece would appreciate pnwmom May 2013 #27

sorry it was just a suggestion azurnoir May 2013 #39

I think that would be a great place for it. It just seemed to me pnwmom May 2013 #42

You seem to think that sewing can only be learned when one is young. jeff47 May 2013 #116

That is NOT at all what I meant. This has nothing to do with anyone's age. pnwmom May 2013 #129

As I said above, she is used to this from me dflprincess May 2013 #123

Glad to hear this. You had mentioned in your OP pnwmom May 2013 #130

I do most of my shopping at Goodwill or St Vincent DePauls Nika May 2013 #102

For those who are pushing the idea that this niece should learn to sew -- pnwmom May 2013 #28

I looked for fabric to make curtains in Joann's Fabric store... peace13 May 2013 #53

Learn pattern drafting. Manifestor_of_Light May 2013 #31

How do you choose a sewing machine? BainsBane May 2013 #33

I've got old all-steel Singers. Manifestor_of_Light May 2013 #55

I have that same Slant-o-Matic curlyred May 2013 #78

My mom had the Slant-O-Matic dflprincess May 2013 #124

I don't have the cabinet. Manifestor_of_Light May 2013 #131

yard sales are great for old machines. get a really basic old singer or kenmore bettyellen May 2013 #76

Lehman Bros. had the non-electric ones like my aunt had. Electric ones always spooked me, LOL. freshwest May 2013 #137

oh goodness, then stay away from industrials! those machines will zip your finger under the needle bettyellen May 2013 #141

Oh, no, I won't be sewing. She was never a professional, but sews like one. freshwest May 2013 #143

Why? The fabric there will most likely be foreign. pnwmom May 2013 #38

The main complaint is about poor labor conditions jeff47 May 2013 #119

Fair Indigo has a good selection of cute, youthful, Made in USA clothing. Starry Messenger May 2013 #34

From the description of the $98 dollar A-line skirt, pnwmom May 2013 #40

Why not? Starry Messenger May 2013 #46

She mentioned the material and the price. pnwmom May 2013 #57

LOL. I had plenty more suggestions than that. Starry Messenger May 2013 #107

Thanks for the info, Starry! freshwest May 2013 #45

You're welcome freshwest! Starry Messenger May 2013 #48

I'm grateful to no longer have the pressure to have stylish clothing for work, etc. freshwest May 2013 #51

Freshwest, are you my twin sister? I do the very same thing. I retired last September (thank Nay May 2013 #96

Whoa! Trip to Europe, my twin! When I travel in the USA, everything is in a backpack. All carry-on. freshwest May 2013 #99

another twin! pipi_k May 2013 #106

Yes, I too dress like I did when I was a teen. Felt great then, feels great now! To the end! freshwest May 2013 #108

Don't miss this post for Made in USA stuff... Triana May 2013 #47

awesome! lovemydog May 2013 #88

Thanks, that is a great thread! I wonder if it should go in the Labor group, too? freshwest May 2013 #138

I'd start with Craigslist and go for custom. politicat May 2013 #50

www.allamericanclothing.com SummerSnow May 2013 #61

Check out Etsy. I have people make everything from clothes to... Walk away May 2013 #63

Katie's Mercantile eShirl May 2013 #65

It's like trying to buy dog toys made in the USA. Pert near impossible. Honeycombe8 May 2013 #66

K&R! sheshe2 May 2013 #70

Whenever I find myself "cornered" Shankapotomus May 2013 #72

I sew about 20 hours per week but not people clothes truegrit44 May 2013 #77

If you decide to start sewing again, you will be disappointed to find that the inferior Cleita May 2013 #80

design your own fabric or buy from hundreds of designs.... madrchsod May 2013 #133

there are clothes made in america Liberal_in_LA May 2013 #81

Not a bad idea. If my sewing machine worked, I'd be sewing my own clothing now and 1monster May 2013 #82

Here are a couple of links A Little Weird May 2013 #84

flags shireen May 2013 #86

k & r lovemydog May 2013 #87

I think that that's the exact opposite of ethical consumership! Donald Ian Rankin May 2013 #90

You could try this. MsPithy May 2013 #91

Only products and services in USA Milliesmom May 2013 #93

Post removed Post removed May 2013 #98

That's unnecessary. NYC_SKP May 2013 #101

Lots of interesting advice and anecdotes in this thread. I wanted to buy Stardust May 2013 #100

Make stuff out of pieced up second hand clothes. nt patrice May 2013 #104

Soft-hemp and organic cotton blend made in the USA A-line skirts Samantha May 2013 #105

Hear hear! MNBrewer May 2013 #112

Just watched the documentary 'Detropia' on Netflix, about Detroit... radhika May 2013 #114

Deva Lifewear is US-made REP May 2013 #126

A gentle suggestion: offer to pony up the extra cost to help her buy American mainer May 2013 #127

Excellent idea. I may use that in the future. nt okaawhatever May 2013 #136

dam you are old...checking the seams and hem... madrchsod May 2013 #132

I've had similar experiences speaking to the owners of the corporations that use & propagate them.nt raouldukelives May 2013 #142

Even when the label says "Made in USA" it is doubtful. mykpart May 2013 #144

Sweatshops in the Marianas use Made In USA HereSince1628 May 2013 #145