Sewing teacher, Sustainability coach, Capsule wardrobe consultant Hello, and thank you for visiting. My name is Marlena (Lena) Allen. Many know me as Marla.
I've been sewing pretty much my entire life, but now I want to share with you my story toward sustainability. Sustainability... what does it even mean? I had no idea. But I kept hearing about it everywhere! One day I woke up and thought, Perhaps I should start recycling. Then I considered composting and wasted many days researching ways to compost. I became acutely aware of the massive waste on ou
r planet, and felt compelled to do something about it. I asked myself, What if I made permanent products to replace single-use items? And then, What if I made them from upcycled and repurposed materials? And I made them. And I now use them every single day. When I discovered this thing called "zero waste" living, I loved the idea, but it felt like a LOT of pressure. With as much self-love as I could muster, I practiced zero waste living as best I could. Once I figured out that this lifestyle is rarely a final destination, but more of an ever-evolving path, the pressure lifted and it became fun. Now I was on a roll! I brought sustainability into my sewing business. I use vintage fabrics and end-of-bolt fabrics from fashion houses whenever possible. When I design clothes for clients, I ask them to rummage through my plethora of baskets stuffed full of fabric, hoping they will discover one they love. And when they do, they feel good about engaging in sustainability by helping to alleviate the planet of textile waste. Making my mission less about what I can do single-handedly, and more about sharing the delight of my clients' discoveries of sustainability, no matter how small, I now have a brand new passion. Driven by the joyfulness of those learning about sustainability, I strive to create a ripple effect by teaching all my sewing secrets to anyone who wants to know--young or old, male, female, or other. And by providing coaching services on setting personal goals around incorporating sustainability, such as capsule wardrobes, clothing repair and upcycling, minimalism, and embracing slow fashion, to name a few. Thank you!
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