'It just seemed like a no-brainer': Meet the women who make their own clothes

In bedrooms, kitchens, and shared workshops across Ireland, sewing machines are humming again, as a quiet rebellion against fast fashion. Sarah Finnan speaks to three women about the power of making your own clothes 

Seamstress Joanna O'Dowd encourages people to make their own clothes. Picture: Larry Cummins

Despite growing awareness of the damage our overconsumption causes, our shopping habits remain largely unchanged.

On social media, influencer culture keeps the cycle going with haul videos containing more clothes than any one person realistically needs, urging us to buy whatever they’re peddling before it sells out. Last year, ultra-fast-fashion behemoth Shein reported that over €21bn in sales was handled by its Irish companies — a figure that is indicative of a wider issue.