Oaxaca—A Mecca For Slow Artisanal Fashion
Yes, It's been a while. I've been diligently working on exciting upgrades for Imbued! In fact, the good news is that Imbued has been making huge strides in the Slow Fashion Movement.
Let me bring you up to speed.
My 12 year old daughter and I arrived at Oaxaca International Airport late this past October 30th. We landed with no return tickets to determine when we were leaving.
We came to Oaxaca so that I could pursue launching Imbued’s next collection. An apparel collection that was put on a 2-year pandemic hold.
During that time of extended incubation incredible options started to present themselves. All leading to Oaxaca being a perfect fit for the sourcing and sewing for Imbued’s next collection.
Oaxaca (officially Oaxaca de Juárez) is a rare gem and the capital of Mexico’s most culturally and geographically diverse states.
It is a woven mix of traditional culture alive and thriving along with modern cutting-edge trends. From its culinary artistry to textile innovations, to stunningly revitalized architectural design and décor. All imbued with relics of the past and novel touches of the future.
I’ve found more inspiration in Oaxaca than I can explain and more possibilities to sustain and grow my small fashion brand in a conscious way.
As a slow fashion maker with specific, hard to come across criteria for producing apparel:
Ethical human relationships
Zero toxic chemicals
No plastic use
Responsible water usage
Lifecycle of garment
Low carbon footprint
Finding the right fit has been limiting. Fortunately, in Oaxaca after 5 years of searching, I found what I have been looking for.
I found Santa Margarita, a seamstress that works from her home, not in an industrial factory. Her 2 children leisurely come and go from her sew studio giving their mom hugs and kisses.
Margarita’s sister-in-law, her assistant in production, share both work and laughs together while sewing.
And true to Imbued’s standards, I’m able to pay Margarita a respectable living wage for production.
The handwoven, ecological fibers I found in Oaxaca come from native, organic cotton sourced from small farm collectives.
These ethical partnerships help maintain village life and prevent families from being split apart to find work in cities.
And Imbued’s textile colorants are derived from sustainably harvested botanical dyes that perpetuate artisanal traditions and steer clear of toxic chemicals.
But as the story goes, with the highs there have been some lows.
My Oaxacan slow fashion experience has had bumps in the road from language barriers, missed flights, stolen cell phone, to errors in business decisions.
But all of these moments have been important contributions to Imbued’s main mission which is to inspire conscious consumerism and free-spirited creativity.
Because even if taking action seems difficult and the outcome seems impossible, why not start somewhere because you never know what extraordinary possibilities await.
It starts by making one conscious choice at a time. New collection available soon. May you be inspired!