Anna's Green Threds | Personal Brand
Anna's Green Threds | Personal Brand
A few years ago, back in 2020, I was struck by the unbelievable truth of fashion while watching the shocking documentary “The True Cost”. This film exposed the dire need for change within the fashion industry – a need that extends to both us and the planet. Despite its often-missed reputation as frivolous and negligible, the fashion industry exists as one of the most global, labor-dependent, water-intensive, carbon-intensive, and environmentally-destructing industries.
Since that pivotal moment, I’ve been driven to investigate how to reshape both my own and my generation’s relationship with clothing through creating my multimedia brand Anna’s Green Threds. Within my brand, I join together two closely linked sustainable threads: tangible, eco-conscious, secondhand threads – the various textiles that are central to my closet and upcycling projects – with metaphorical threads of conversation – the written and spoken dialogues I share with my growing community.
By fundamentally rethinking how we grant value to the items in our closets, and to begin to think about how our clothes were made, who made them, and the paths they've traveled to reach us – we can uncover the truth behind the clothing we all wear. This, in turn, will inspire a new generation to demand fair working conditions for garment workers, advocate for environmentally-conscious business practices that combat overproduction and safeguard water sources, and ultimately strive for a more fair future for fashion, our planet, and all of its inhabitants at large.
Through my brand, I share how I learned to thrift, how I learned to sew on my own, how I learned to love what I already own, how I ultimately learned to wear my values more – and how my community can, too.
Years after setting onto this journey, I've grown Anna's Green Threds into a prominent sustainable fashion brand on UMass Amherst's campus during my time in college, initiated my own podcast Sust Fash Talk stemming from AGT, and joined forces with like-minded creators enthusiastic about amplifying my brand and it's mission: to encourage the reimagining of our relationships with what we wear.
Branded mirror for Upcycled UMass Apparel Sale
Traveling whilst studying abroad at the University of the Arts: London College of Fashion
First picking up a sewing machine for me was jumping right into a thrift-flip: transforming something that's already lived a life in someone else's world (closet) and is brought new purpose and a new life. Without the intention of altering it, I found this sleeveless button-down at a thrift store but down the line never found myself grabbing for it in my wardrobe. I knew it needed a revamp to fit my style, so I took on the challenge and gave sewing my first go! With the help of amazing sewists on Youtube...
Fashion Wizardry on Youtube quickly became my sewing go-to teacher for her easy-to-follow tutorials and good humor. Finishing this project, and putting on something I made that's mindful of the planet, wonky seams and all, was genuinely electrifying – and immediately I was in love with upcycling.
Here is Fashion Wizardry's Youtube Tutorial I followed.
After gaining some confidence after that first project, I tried totally winging the next few – applying basic techniques I learned in just that one tutorial.
It can be daunting at first hearing that in every project you will always be facing something that's new, but reframing that into excitement is pivotal in learning how to sew (and anything, right?).
Improvising is a lot of fun, but seeking more structure in my sewing endeavors, I started leaning into youtube tutorials – especially those with free access to corresponding sewing patterns.
bucket hat from old denim and corduroy jeans
following this tutorial & free pattern by the Essentials Club
milkmaid top from a friend's old pants with a corset back,
following this tutorial by Fashion Wizardry
Then after exploring both winging it and following a tutorial step-by-step, I started seeking projects solely for what seemed exciting to create and to add to my closet. Drawing inspiration from other upcycling creators, I improvised my first pair of pants using secondhand sweatshirts that were on their way out of some friends' closets – therefore, in need of a revival.
colorblock sweatpants from 3 secondhand sweatshirts
From there, I was set on making a corset – a piece I had been eager to bring into my wardrobe for it's versatility and classic, regal, feminine sillhouette: my favorite qualities in a piece! Once I created my first one, it became one of my favorite projects, consistently choosing thrifted drapes and table cloths with damask prints to turn into intricate garments to wear.