Interview with Kat from Kali Clothing
Cat tell the readers why using organic cotton is important to you when designing and why you think it’s important to be conscious of the fabrics we wear:
Using organic cotton is important to me because I wanted to figure out how to reduce my personal carbon footprint especially when building a clothing line. I realized that to live more sustainably we shouldn’t stop at being conscious of what we eat- we should also be conscious of what we wear. Conventional cotton farming takes a huge toll on our planet. Just to make a single t-shirt, a third of a pound of pesticides and other chemicals are used. We all wear t-shirts, now imagine the effect of these toxins as it absorbs in our bodies!
I think it’s important to be conscious of the fabrics we wear living in such a disposable culture that capitalizes on disposable fashion trends which have severe social and environmental impacts. Clothes we buy are so cheap and so cheaply made that even if they lasted more than a season, we wouldn’t care to wear them anyways. I believe it’s possible to change this! Fabrics used in the current eco-fashion trend are produced from sustainable resources such as organic cotton, bamboo, and hemp. These clothes are grown without the use of toxic chemical pesticides, fertilizers or genetic engineering, which means that thousands of pounds of chemicals are saved from contaminating the earth. These fabrics not only reduce pollution and our carbon footprint, but are all non-toxic, biodegradable and renewable!
You’re a petite woman yourself, ok, you’re taller then me at 5’5, but how do your t’s fit the petite woman?
All of our t-shirts are fitted so that they create a comfortable and sexy silhouette for petite women. They feature short fitted sleeves, a tapered torso with length that hits just at the waist. Our tank tops are fitted at top and have a slight a-line in the torso that looks great for petite women paired with a crop blazer and leggings or skinnies! As a petite woman, why settle for a t-shirt that looks like it belongs to your boyfriend?
What’s your favourite design, in your line or a custom piece that you did?
One of my favourite designs was for a couple custom pieces I made from reconstructing men’s formal wear. I took apart a men’s navy blazer and vest, fitted them for a more defined silhouette, then silk-screened a gold crown with Swarovski crystals on the front right chest and printed in gold the Kali Clothing crest design on the back. The pieces came out looking fabulous and had a sleek feminine feel.
Are there any celebs who you are hoping that will wear your designs in 2009?
In 2008, it was a definite thrill having Kat Von D wear the “Anatomy of a Heart” tank top for a few episodes in L.A Ink! This year I’d love to see the support of great, forward thinking women doing fantastic things for sustainable fashion like Stella McCartney and Katharine Hamnett wear a Kali original!
What can we expect to see from you and your line this year?
The new Spring/Summer ’09 line I’m currently working on is going to be my first collection where I’ve designed all patterns as well as the designs I silkscreen on them. I will be working with reclaimed cotton fabric clippings and polyester made from recycled plastic bottles to create a truly sustainable fabric from things that would otherwise be sitting atop a land fill. There will be basic pieces in the collection as well as a few classic pieces that can take you from day to night. Stay tuned!
I love the designs….and organic cotton feels SO nice!
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