Perfection is impossible, but transparency is important.

My goal is to help you reduce waste, while being conscious of my own.

The textile and garment industries are responsible for an incredible amount of waste.

While Cruelty-Free Stitchery is microscopic in the grand scheme of things, being a very small home-based business - I'm dedicated to being a part of the desperately-needed change.

(And dedicated to the vision that we will not be small forever!)

Here are some recent changes I've made.

1. Mesh Bags are now (almost) 100% cotton! (August 2022)

Previously, the mesh washing bags for my Cotton Rounds were poly mesh, with nylon cord for the drawstring. After lots of searching, I found a nice 100% organic cotton mesh fabric that works perfectly for our mesh bags. Then I replaced the nylon cord with thick cotton cord.

The thread and product tag are cotton as well, which only leaves the plastic cord stopper.

I chose to leave the cord stoppers as-is, in lieu of a metal or recycled plastic one due to cost, as well as durability. These cord stoppers are high quality, strong plastic. and sourced from a small business. They will outlive the bag itself, so if you need a new bag - save your old cord stopper, and leave a note at checkout and I'll send one without a stopper.

2. For NonPaper products (Cotton Rounds, Cloth Wipes, and NonPaper Towels) - I have switched from polyester thread to 100% tencel cellulose thread. (May 2022)

This means all new NonPaper products will be completely biodegradable and free of synthetic materials.

(As of opening this site, all of those products sold here will have the new thread. Currently the only thread colors available are my signature lilac purple and black.)

Spork Pouches and Straw Pouches may have remaining stock with the old thread.

Most other product types are made with 100% cotton thread. 

[Addendum July 2024 - The upcycled collection. These products are made from secondhand, commercially-produced clothing and linens, which are 99.9% guaranteed to be sewn with polyester thread due to cost and durability. (And less lint and wear on the sewing machines). Instead of undoing the stitching and wasting it, I leave as many original seams as possible.

I believe the best option to be able to color-match thread, retain durability, and reduce cost - is to use polyester thread as well. The tencel cellulose thread is a very good alternative, but it is simply too expensive to stock more than a few colors that I may only need a small amount of. Cotton thread is not as strong, and will degrade faster, especially in the case of a heavier, more frequently-washed item like an apron. 

If it's any consolation, most of my poly thread spools are secondhand as well!]

3. Cloth Wipes got a little bigger! (April 2022)

Previously, Cloth Wipes measured approximately 8x6". As with all products, this size was chosen specifically to maximize the usage of fabric and reduce waste.

Now, thanks to a more efficient cutting system, the size has increased to 8x6.5".

Doesn't seem like much, just an extra half-inch, but that adds up to 48-96 square inches of fabric *per pack* of Cloth Wipes (depending on 1-ply or 2-ply).

This extra fabric was used to make the assorted packs of Cotton Rounds, but still generated some waste, and was inefficient as the pieces were uneven.

Improvements to be made.

I source plant-based and organic materials whenever possible, both from an availability and affordability standpoint.

Here are some products that don't quite hit the mark yet - and what I'm doing about it.

Straw and Spork Pouches. As mentioned above, some stock remains with the old polyester thread. These are being phased out, and new stock will be made with the new thread.

Straw Pouches. They are made with a PUL (polyurethane) coated lining. The lining is made from organic cotton and is certified food-safe. It is manufactured in the USA with no toxic solvents. The problem is that it is not biodegradable, but this is a trade-off for being manufactured with low environmental impact, and it is the best (possibly the only) option for sustainable waterproof material.

Cotton Flannel. NonPaper products - Cotton Rounds, Cloth Wipes, and NonPaper Towels. They are made with conventional (not organic) cotton. This is a difficult trade-off for affordability. Not only are the kinds of prints and colors I offer simply not available in organic cotton, the very very small amount of options that are available are at least 10x the price, no exaggeration, even with bulk discount. I have decided to continue using this material to keep NonPaper as affordable as possible.

What I'm proud of.

Sometimes, I find a great solution right away!

1. Packaging. Since Cruelty-Free Stitchery opened its virtual doors in 2016, I have used EcoEnclose mailers and shipping labels. It was, and still is, important to use only paper materials that are recycled and recyclable. The amount of plastic waste that comes from eCommerce orders is just unfathomable, and I don't want to contribute to that.

I never use any plastic tape or poly bags. Most of my orders fit in just one of two sizes of paper mailers! Large orders will ship in a reused box with paper tape, and any extra space is filled with reused packing paper.

Even the shipping labels are recyclable. Conventional labels and stickers come on a silicone-coated release liner, but not these! (P.S. my stickers are also silicone-free!)

My packing slips and business card are merged into one 4x6" piece of recycled cardstock. So your order comes with a mailer, the product, and one recyclable card. No fluff and no extras to throw away.

2. Scrunchies. If I could measure exactly how close my products could get to "zero waste" - scrunchies would be the closest. The outer material is cotton and digitally-printed, which uses less (almost no) water and chemicals. The pieces can be cut with 100% of the printed fabric being used - the only waste is the selvedge (the outside, unprinted edge). I use that as impromptu string, or chop it up into stuffing.

The elastic is purely natural plant-based rubber and organic cotton, and the thread is 100% cotton that comes on a cardboard spool (versus plastic like most others).

And not only is the elastic biodegradable - it is incredibly durable. I made the first batch in July 2020, and used the same scrunchie (at least 5 days a week, usually 7) until it finally gave up around July 2024. 

3. Bamboo Sporks. Despite the changes to the thread used to make the pouches, the sporks themselves were a great find. I source them from Bambu. They are USDA-certified organic, and made ethically in partnership with small family-owned workshops.

 

Why don't you use or sell XYZ?

A lot of "sustainable" products aren't so sustainable at all! (Hello greenwashing!)

Other things either don't fit with my ethics or mission, or aren't feasible at the current stage.

1. "Compostable" mailers, bioplastics, etc. You've probably seen them - those "Hey I'm Compostable!" mailers, or bioplastic bags that are supposed to be compostable. These items are a huge problem, and a prime example of greenwashing. These materials are only compostable in industrial facilities - not your backyard, and certainly not in landfills. Only a handful of such facilities exist in the U.S. And since they are not actually plastic, they will also contaminate the recycling stream if not disposed of properly. These items also create a higher carbon footprint when produced, as compared to actual plastic. This is a pretty easy choice for me, and it's a HARD pass.

2. Wool dryer balls, silk/satin scrunchies, etc. We're a vegan-founded business, and will not use or profit from animal products. Even if they come from a mom and pop farm where animals are "not abused." Yes, sheep need to be shorn of their wool, but I support animal sanctuaries who use their sheep's wool as bedding for other animals, or let birds and other wildlife use it for their nests. While silk is not vegan, most other satin technically is - but it's made from polyester. If I find a plant-based material that is similar - absolutely! (Sneaky note from July 2024, stay tuned on this ;) )

3. Bowl cozies, quilts, embroidery, clothing, etc. I am often asked to make other home-sewn items, especially because of my commitment to less waste. It is for this exact reason I've been hesitant to accept these requests. It is much easier to reduce our waste with a whole batch of something, than for just one item. 

With the launch of the upcycled aprons in June 2024, I've found a middle ground - using existing materials instead of buying new. 

So expect lots more upcycled products in the future!

 

For any questions about sustainability - feel free to contact us!