How Are These Clothes Made?
ALL the fabric we use is post-consumer. Bags and bales of cast-off t-shirts, cashmere & lambswool sweaters and other second-hand textiles arrive at the Elisabethan studio. The team culls and low-impact launders what Elisabethan can use, then donates what’s left to local thrift stores. White t-shirts & sweaters are dyed to increase the availability of the yummiest, most-desired colors. The team hand-cuts each piece from Delehaunty’s original patterns, then combine (by deciding EACH cut piece that will go in a garment), stitch and finish with appliqués and other accents. Phew! Fabulous, one-of-a-kind, eco-friendly garments are born.
Who makes these clothes?
We love our team, let us introduce you…
Designer/recycler Elisabeth Delehaunty leads a small but hearty team of cutters, combiners and stitchers. Rooting among mountains of forgotten things, Elisabeth unearths treasure — past fabric gems awaiting rediscovery. An obsession for finding these “experienced textiles” compliments her desire not to add any more “new stuff” to the world. It’s the challenge to create something NEW that isn’t MORE. In 1996, the obsession joined forces with her background, a B.A. in Art from Dartmouth College, as well as a series of jobs costuming for theatre — and Elisabethan was born. Now the studio works year-round to create the line of clothing and accessories in rural Western Colorado.
Kathryn Griest has been sewing since childhood but it’s just in the last few years (after becoming a mom) that she focused her skills on designing & creating homemade stuffed animals & clothing. Her love of the ocean inspired her to first create dolphins, narwhals, stingrays, and even octopuses. Now she helps create Elisabethan garments and makes magical upcycled stuffed animals for her side project Ruby & Fin.
Approved for People and Planet
Some of our favorite t-shirts come from TSdesigns, a sustainable company in North Carolina that graciously sends us their damaged t-shirts which otherwise would go to waste. We buy in bulk from several local thrift stores, and also work with a fourth generation ragman in Portland, OR, to keep the supply of t-shirts & textiles flowing. We’re always interested in tapping into new sources for our raw materials.
Elisabethan is a proud member of Green America. Check them out!
Press
