DIY Pressing hams – Scrap busting project!

Posted on 5. March 20265. March 2026 by solveig

DIY Pressing hams – Scrap busting project!

Are you looking for a way to get rid of fabric scraps? Don't throw them in the trash, they can be useful in other ways. Here's a free tutorial on how to make your own pressing tools with leftover fabric as filling – even the smallest pieces!

Cut out the pattern pieces from larger scraps of fabric – here I used a wool and linen fabric I had left over, but you can also use cotton. Just make sure you use something that can withstand high heat!

I have created a sewing pattern that you can print on A4 or use with a projector, but you can also draw your own with the desired shape and size.

Download free pattern ↓

Find leftovers and offcuts, I collect everything, so there was a lot to take from here!

Use natural fibers – cotton, linen, etc. They usually withstand high heat, and your pressing ham is more likely to last a long time and withstand ironing at all settings.

If you have larger pieces, you can cut them up or use a cutting wheel and a mat to make smaller strips. The smaller the pieces, the easier it is to stuff them into the pillow and get a compact filling.

Place the two pattern pieces on top of each other right sides together and sew along the edge with a 1 cm seam allowance. Leave a 5-10 cm opening in the seam. Then turn the piece right side out.

STOP, STOP, STOP

Stuff as many pieces of fabric as you and your hands can handle inside the little pillow, the more the better. When you're happy, stuff some more!

Make sure to distribute the filling nside the pillow in order to get a nice and even pressing surface.

Now you can close up the opening in the seam!

Use a strong thread, and sew the hole together with, for example, a ladder stitch.

READY!

Good press pads have been on my wish list for a long time, while my waste basket has continued to grown – I finally got myself a pressing ham and a sleeve/seam roll and got rid of some fabric waste at the same time!

A quick and satisfying project that I highly recommend. These two pressing hams (or baguette and bread as I think they look more like) took me a total of an hour to make!

Please tag @indigoindigo.no if you make your own!

Remnant skirt

Posted on 17. December 202431. July 2025 by solveig

Remnant skirt

Do you have several nice fabrics that you would like to use for a garment, but you don't have enough of them left? How about combining them into a skirt? Here's the instructions for the patchwork skirt I made from remnants!

The skirt is made with a Zero Waste pattern as a starting point, constructed from three rectangles – the waistband and two tiers of skirt. The two tiers of the skirt are composed of several squares of different fabrics that are patched together.

What you need

Waistband 140 x 10 cm
Upper tier 140 x 25 cm or 2 pieces 75 x 25 cm if your adding inseam pockets
Lower tier 240 x 60 cm

25 mm Elastic band – I used 70 cm

Optional – 4 pieces of approximately 30 x 20 cm for pockets

I let the amount of fabric I had determine the width of the tiers in my skirt, so that I could make the most use out of the fabric I had. But you can easily adjust both the height and width of the tiers to your taste and to adapt to your own size. Calculate between 1.5 and 2 times more width on the bottom tier to get enough gathering.

Instructions

1

The first thing you need to do is pick out fabric remnants that match!

Choose fabrics that are roughly the same weight and not too thick. I used Japanese crepe in two colors, a silk nep, linen and linen blend. I chose to stick to dark colors for this skirt, but to mix and match green, black and blue together – these are some of the colors I wear the most, so I thought the skirt would go with several different tops that I already have.

2

Now you need to choose a layout for your skirt!

There are two ways to go about this – Sew all the pieces together to make one large piece of fabric and then cut out your pattern pieces. This is best if you have a lot of small pieces. If you have several large pieces, pick out pieces of fabric for each pattern piece and sew them together. I did the latter and based my layout choice on the size of the fabric pieces to make the most of the fabric I had.

When sewing fabric pieces together, it is a good idea to start by sewing one direction first, pressing the pieces apart and then sewing the next direction. For example, if you have two small pieces that need to be sewn together with a larger piece, start with the smallest ones first.

I sewed the pieces together with an overlocker, but you can also sew with a zigzag stitch along the edges of the pieces first and then sew them together with a straight stitch. This will avoid loose threads on the inside and the pieces unraveling.

3

Optional – Slit pockets

Once you have your pattern pieces ready you can start sewing the pockets. You can use an inseam pocket pattern you have lying around or simply draw one out from the palm of your hand. I used the pocket pattern from the Trail Trouser.

Sew with an overlock or zigzag along the pocket curve first. Place the pockets right sides together over the skirt pieces, edge to edge with the top. Secure with a straight stitch and finish with an overlock or zigzag. Press the pockets outwards, stay stitching is optional.

Place the skirt pieces on top of each other right sides together so that the pockets align. Sew a seam along the entire pocket curve all the way onto the skirt, turn and continue the seam along the side seam of the skirt. Repeat for both sides.

Press the pockets onto what will become the front of your skirt, pin or sew them along the top of the skirt. The skirt is then ready for the waistband.

4

Fold the waistband in half vertically, right sides together, so that the short sides meet and the waistband form a cylinder, sew the short sides together with a straight stitch. Overlock or zigzag stitch around one of the raw edges.

Place the waistband right sides together over the skirt so that the edge of the waistband that you haven't overlocked meets the top of the skirt. Sew a straight stitch all the way around. Press the seam allowance upwards. Then press the waistband over itself, wrong sides together. Sew a straight stitch 1 cm in from the folded edge. Place the elastic between the two layers of the waistband right up against the seam you just made. Now you will sew a seam below the elastic that goes through the skirt and one layer of waistband. Sew from the right side in the gutter between the waistband and the skirt, making sure not to sew through the elastic.

5

Now you can make the gathers on the lower skirt tier.

Start by folding the skirt over itself so that the short sides meet. Sew the short sides together so that the skirt forms a cylinder. Sew two rows of basting stitches 1 cm apart, 1 cm down from the top of the skirt section.

Hold on to the two ends of the upper thread and pull the fabric to gather it. Distribute the gathers evenly around the entire skirt so that the circumference of the skirt is the same as the upper tier.

Place the skirt right sides together on top of the top tier so that the gathered edge meets the bottom of the top tier of the skirt. Sew a straight seam all the way around the skirt circumference and finish with an overlock or zigzag stitch.

6

Now all that remains is the planning!

Feel free to try the skirt on first and adjust the height of the cast-on to the desired length of the skirt. I overlocked along the entire circumference and folded a single 3 cm fold for the cast-on which I secured with a straight stitch. You can also fold a double fold and secure with an edge stitch.

Tip!

If you opt for pockets, you have to choose a back and front of your skirt. If you skip pockets, you can turn the skirt around and change the look as you like!

We hope you would like to sew the skirt and tag @indigoindigo.no If you share it on Instagram – feel free to use the tag #IIRemnantSkirt!

Who made your fabrics?

Posted on 22. September 202322. September 2023 by solveig

Who made your fabrics?

Do you know where the fabrics you sew your clothes in come from, and why it's so important to know? We take a closer look at textile production and talk about our supply chain.

Who Made My Fabric?

The campaign "Who Made My Clothes" was started by the organization Fashion Revolution in the wake of the Rana Plaza collapse that occurred in Bangladesh in 2013. The campaign was to shine a light on the global clothing industry's value chain and make it more open and ethically responsible, and help create better working conditions for textile workers.

Fashion Revolution has recently expanded its work with the "Who Made My Fabric" campaign to ensure even greater transparency and accountability in the clothing and textile industry.

Why is this so important?

At Rana Plaza, thousands of people worked sewing clothes for Western countries for very little money. Over 1,100 of them died and more than twice as many were injured when the building collapsed. This accident could have been avoided, as the management was aware of the poor condition of the building, but pushed the workers to continue working to reach "deadline". Textile workers in Bangladesh and other disadvantaged countries have a lot of competition for the jobs, and Western countries that have their textiles produced there push prices down so that wages are very low. We who trade textiles and clothing do not want to contribute to creating these poor working conditions, but when we do not know where it is produced it is difficult to avoid. By demanding that clothing brands and suppliers make their supply chains public, we can gain more insight into production and make it more difficult to run the textile industry unethically.

What can I do?

To contribute to the campaigns, you can ask clothing brands, textile stores and manufacturers where they get their goods from - where the clothes are produced, where the fabrics are produced and where the fibers are grown. All these links should be traceable, but there is still little information available.

Where do our fabrics come from?

In a sustainable textile industry, it is not only important which materials a fabric or garment is made of, we also have a social responsibility. One of the most important things for us when we select fabrics for Indigo is to know how the fabric is produced. In the best case, we find fabrics that have a completely open production line from fiber to finished fabric - then we know where, for example, the cotton is grown and spun, and who has woven the fabric and possibly dyed it.

It is not always so easy to trace, and often the labeling on textiles can be misleading. It is often just "the finisher" who stands as producer, but it is not necessarily these who have woven the fabric. The fabric may be woven in one place, dyed in another and washed or given another form of finishing in a final place, and then this is often listed as the origin of the fabric. Our goal is to be able to trace the entire production line of all the textiles we sell, be open about this, and in that way be able to contribute to making the clothing industry more ethically responsible and sustainable.

We buy as much fabric as we can directly from the country of origin when possible, in order to reduce transport emissions. Since we are a small shop, it is not always possible due to the scale in which the manufacturers often sell, so we have to go through a supplier. Below you can see an overview of where our fabrics travel before they reach you.

Our supply chain

India (Handwoven Fabrics) – Direct. Here we get fabrics from an Indian supplier who works directly with the weavers and can trace the fabrics right down to each worker. The cotton is also grown locally.

The Netherlands (Woven wool) – Direct. We have just brought in wool fabric and wadding that is locally produced and traceable all the way back to the sheep!

Lithuania (Flax) – Indirect via England, but also somewhat direct, and here the aim is to get more directly from the producer who uses locally grown flax.

Turkey (GOTS certified organic cotton) – Indirect, via the Netherlands, Switzerland or England. Turkey is one of the largest producers of certified organic cotton, and with a factory and plantation in the same country, the fabrics are as short-hauled as you can get cotton in Europe.

Japan (Indigo-dyed and other Japanese fabrics) - Direct. When we are looking for something very special, we usually find it in Japan. They have long textile and craft traditions, and produce textiles of high quality. We have a real sense of the style of clothing and the textiles that come from there, they often have a special texture or finish, and colors that are hard to find elsewhere. The cotton is usually grown in India, while the silk is produced locally (in the fabrics we have, recycled silk is used).

China (Hamp) – Indirect via the Netherlands. We are very fond of hemp textiles, and China has long traditions with the plant as a medicinal herb and still grows hemp locally, also for textile production.

Finland (Knitted wool) – Direct. The wool they use is Argentinian and is spun in Italy.

Source: fashionrevolution.org

Zero Waste Skirt

Posted on 27. August 202320. June 2025 by solveig

Zero Waste Skirt

Super simple skirt that you sew in no time, but which still gives a lot of expression in terms of style! The skirt is sporty and versatile, very easy to make and requires little material.

The design is inspired by technical hiking clothing with a nod to the 90s. It can be styled with everything from a simple, sporty singlet to an oversized men's shirt, and goes just as well with sneakers as with strappy sandals.

My inspiration (From top left: Aoi Project, @jessealexandra, Snow Peak, @paigeroguski)

What you need

150 x 100 cm fabric – Light weight fabric such as poplin is perfect!

90 cm and 150 cm elastic cord

3 cord stoppers

The skirt fits size a XS-XL. I have let the width of the roll of fabric determine the circumference of the skirt, but you can easily make a wider skirt by joining fabric.

Instructions

1

Fold the fabric in half so that the short sides meet. Sew the short sides together so that you get a cylinder, this seam can be sewn with a French seam.

2

Fold the skirt in half, wrong sides together, so that the top and bottom meet and press the folded edge. Sew a seam 2 cm in from the folded edge so that you get a fold in the middle of the skirt. (Tip: If you make the fold into a channel and place it higher up on the skirt, you can add an elastic cord inside the channel and use the skirt as a strapless dress!)

3

Press a 3 cm hem at the top of the skirt and a 2 cm hem at the bottom of the skirt.

4

Mark the centre front of the skirt at the top, and mark the centre of each side of the skirt at the bottom.

5

Sew a buttonhole on each of the marks you have made in the sides and two buttonholes next to each other at the top of the skirt - this will be the holes which you thread the cords at the end.

6

Once the buttonholes are sewn, you can sew the pattern to the bottom and top of the skirt – At the top, sew two seams, one to secure the pattern and one 2 cm above, so that you have a channel for the cord and 1 cm of "ruched edge" at the top.

7

Now you can thread the cords - The shortest cord should be at the top and first be threaded through both holes in the cord stopper, then through the channel and tied. The second string is threaded through both holes of the cord stopper, through half the channel so that you thread cord stopper number two at the next buttonhole, then complete the threading of the channel and finally tie the cord. Distribute the cord knots some distance away from the cord stoppers and hide them inside the channels.

Finito – The skirt is finished! If you want pockets on the skirt, you can add pockets on the outside as I have done. Or you can move the seam that I have placed in the center back to the side, and add a side seam on the opposite side, then the skirt can have pockets on the sides.

Want to make the skirt?

We've put together a sewing kit with everything you need to make an identical skirt to the one shown here. In the kit, you get organic poplin fabric in olive green, organic cotton thread, elastic cord in natural rubber and cord stoppers made from recycled fishing nets from Japan.

We hope you would like to sew the skirt and tag @indigoindigo.no if you share it on Instagram!

10 good reasons to use linen

Posted on 25. April 202315. May 2024 by solveig

10 good reasons
to use linen

1. Growing flax is good for the climate and the environment

Cultivation of flax proves to have a positive effect on biodiversity. The flax plant can be grown even in poor soil with little nutritients and helps to retain CO2 in the soil, as much as 3.7 tonnes per hectare.

2. The flax plant is one of the most sustainable plant fibers to grow

Flax is a renewable resource and it is a fast-growing plant where the whole plant can be used. The plant needs very little water, often rainwater is sufficient. The flax plant is also generally resistant to pests and diseases, so little or no pesticides are required.

3. Linen is biologically degradable

As long as the fabrics are untreated and undyed, or dyed with environmentally friendly substances, linen can be safely broken down in nature.

4. Linen is very durable

Linen has a high tensile strength, even stronger when wet, and withstands more wear and tear than, for example, cotton. This makes linen very hard-wearing and durable, and that linen clothing and interior textiles are often inherited.

5. Linen only gets better with age

As linen clothes are worn, the fibers will become softer, and the clothes will also get less wrinkled. This means that linen only gets better over the years.

6. Linen has good temperature-regulating properties

Linen is highly breathable and quick-drying, which means that linen clothes stay cool on hot days and warm on cold days.

7. Linen is naturally antibacterial

Linen has antibacterial properties and will therefore stay fresh longer and can often just be aired out rather than washed, and can be washed at lower temperatures.

8. Linen is hypoallergenic

Linen does not generate fluff, and is great for asthmatics and allergy sufferers. Due to its antibacterial and temperature-regulating properties, linen is also good for atopics and those with sensitive skin. A great choice for allergy-friendly bedding.

9. Linen absorbs a lot of moisture and at the same time is very quick drying

This makes linen the best choice for towels and cloths, as they have good absorbent properties and at the same time do not become acidic as quickly as cotton towels.

10. Flax cultivation safeguards long craft traditions

Flax is one of the oldest fibers to be used in textiles and has a long history both in Europe, Africa and Asia. By continuing to choose linen for clothing and interior textiles, we are safeguarding long textile traditions.

Why is linen so exclusive?

Flax is not grown on the same scale as, for example, cotton, and is most common in Europe, where about 85% is grown in France and Belgium. The price of raw materials and labor is more expensive than in, for example, Asia where cotton is grown.

In addition, the cultivation of flax from cultivation to spinning and weaving is very time-consuming and requires a lot of manual work.

Do you want to learn more about flax cultivation?

Watch a video about how linen is made →

Fabrics in 100% linen:

Aoi Project

Posted on 1. March 202322. September 2023 by solveig

Aoi Project

The fabric shop and compendium Indigo Indigo was iniciated through an other projects evoloution – Aoi Project.

Aoi, which was originally launched in 2018 as a sustainable clothing brand, had a period of reflection in 2022 which resulted in the development of Indigo Indigo. How could Aoi Project contribute more to a sustainable fashion industry?Could Aoi Project do things in a different way than a traditional clothing brand? What else could Aoi Project offer their customers to encourage to a more sustainable lifestyle?

Solveig worked as a photographer and stylist assistant, and had after a few years in the fashion business gained more insight at it's affect on the environment. The interest in more sustainable clothing and accessories was continously growing, and the search for more environmentally friendly and ethically responsible options became more and more immersive. It was not easy.

With an inherited Elna sewing machine, Solveig began sewing her own clothes. The search for sustainable fabrics was not straight forward either, but the feeling of having more control over what the clothes were made of and where they were made was better than buying them in the shops.

With an entrepreneurial mind and an insatiable desire to create, the inevitable happened - In the summer of 2018, the Aoi Project was launched.

Aoi Project was really just supposed to be a branding project for the design studio of Solveig and her husband, a portfolio project to show what the design studio could offer in terms of branding and photography. But it would turn out that Aoi would steal all the attention and it was the design studio that evaporated.

The first clothing collection was launched the summer of 2019 – after another year behind the sewing machine and of fabric research.

SS19

AW19

2020-2022

Aoi sold made-to-order garments and accessories internationally and also accuired stockists – in South Korea, Japan and Great Britain.

Aoi was published in More This – Sustainable and Ethical Brand Directory and Considered Magazine.

The collections of 2021 and 22 were focused around the use of vintage textiles in combination with the sustainable fabrics.

SS21

AW21

SS22

What else could Aoi Project offer their customers to encourage to a more sustainable lifestyle?

Solveig was now working full-time with Aoi Project, and felt she had more to give. The goal for Aoi was never to become the next big fashion brand, or to sell the most clothes possible. It was to offer a more sustainable alternative in the fashion industry, and to help engage more people to a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. What could Aoi offer their customer group to support this?

The idea of offering the textiles by the meter was born - Why keep that value to yourself, when so many out there could benefit from it. Solveig reflected back on the year she started sewing clothes for herself and how much she wished it was easier to find more sustainable fabrics and accessories. Being able to offer this to other home sewists seemed very valuable.

At the same time, it would make the Aoi Project even more transparent - the customers could learn even more about the textiles they where used to seeing in the collections, and they could also be bought by the metre. And the patterns that had been designed for Aoi collections over the years could be published, which would then allow the customers to sew their own Aoi clothes at home.

Indigo Indigo opened in the summer of 2022.

This would also become the platform to share more information about textile production, materials and environmentally friendly alternatives - To contribute to increased engagement around sustainability in the fashion industry.

Today, we are working hard on a new Aoi collection, which will also be published as sewing patterns on Indigo Indigo - and we have never been so excited about a collection!

aoiproject.no

Sustainability in the textile industry

Posted on 8. February 202322. September 2023 by solveig

Sustainability in the textile industry

The textile industry is one of the world's most polluting and ethically irresponsible industries. In fact, the fourth on the list of the most environmentally damaging industries. We account for 8 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. We accounts for 8 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.

In recent years, we have seen a major change in the fashion industry with a greater focus on sustainable textiles. This change is an improvement, but far from a solution. The biggest problem in the textile industry is overproduction, so producing with other types of materials is not necessarily the solution.

The problem with sustainable textiles

When a clothing brand chooses to focus on the use of sustainable textiles, such as organic cotton, the consumer gets the impression that they are making a good choice when buying a garment from them. In principle, it is better to choose the garment in organic cotton rather than the garment in conventional cotton - the problem doesn't lie with the garment itself, but with the clothing brand.

Unfortunately, there are many clothing brands that don't really know where the materials they use come from, and where and how the garments are produced - this takes place through many stages over which the clothing brand doesn't always have control. Which means that the garment can be produced in conventional cotton, but still be labeled as organic, or the cotton can be organic, but the garment is of poor quality. In this situation, it is useful to know what the certifications mean - if the garment is GOTS certified you can be a little more certain about which material has been used and what the production conditions have been like. But many clothing brands can hide behind these certifications.

The clothing brand can still carry out environmentally harmful overproduction, just using an initially environmentally friendly material. Because even if 1000 garments produced in organic cotton are less harmful to the environment than 1000 garments in conventional cotton, they are still 1000 garments. These 1000 garments must be produced – cotton must be grown, spun and woven, perhaps bleached and dyed, materials must be transported, the garments must be cut and assembled, transported again, used and washed, and finally thrown away. All these steps are responsible for their own environmental impact, no matter which material is used - the material only accounts for a fraction of the responsibility.

The fact that we as consumers get the impression that we are making a better choice by buying a garment produced in an environmentally friendly material may mean that the threshold for buying it is lower. We may feel that the clothing brand is responsible for the environment and that we are doing a good deed by choosing to shop with them. This is part of what we call Greenwashing.

What can we do to contribute to a more sustainable textile industry?

The most important thing we can do is to reduce our consumption – this will, over time, ensure that less is produced.

By spending more time in advance of a new purchase, and carefully considering what you buy, you can reduce the chance of buying something you won't keep. At the same time, you reduce the chance of having to buy new clothes often, and you avoid having to throw clothes away often.

Second-hand shopping is clearly a good option. By buying used clothes, you avoid clothes being thrown away and you do not contribute to the production of new clothes. But the second-hand market is also flooded with poor quality garments that are not durable enough to last long. So you must be aware that what you buy new must be carefully thought out, even if you have the option of reselling it on the second-hand market if it turned out not to be the right garment after all. The fact that you can donate clothes you no longer want is not a great solution, as it is only a small fraction of clothes that are sold by thrift stores, donated, or recycled - the sad thing is that most of the clothes end up on landfill in developing countries where they remain for years to pollute.

Avoid impulse purchases - it is easy to be influenced by trends and Hype

These are phenomena in the fashion industry that often pass faster than they started - we barely had time to fall in love with a garment before we got tired of it. A Hype is an illusion that makes us believe that a garment is much more important to own than it is, and makes us shop irrationally. The hyped garment is often made in limited edition, and we have to act quickly to get our hands on it, so we don't have time to think carefully about the choice before we have clicked the buy button. Trends and hypes make us shop more than we need, and we like to buy clothes based on what our role models are wearing - not based on what we need.

Focus on ownership and durability

When buying a garment, new or used, it should be about finding a garment that you will love and wear for a long time, a garment that you will need now and next year, and preferably for several years. Wish list is a good tool - if you suddenly have a piece of clothing in mind that you feel you must have, put it on a wish list and give it some time, if it is still on your wish list next month or next year, there is a greater chance that it will be something you will use a lot and have for a long time.

Do your research before buying

Say, for example, you want an oversized linen shirt - it's a classic and timeless garment that's not based on a trend, and you've had it on your wish list since last summer. You are convinced that this will be a good purchase and added it to the shopping cart in the online store you just received a newsletter from with a discount code that applies to all shirts. The shirt is made of linen, which is a sustainable material, so it's an environmentally friendly choice to buy the shirt regardless of where you buy it? Check whether the online store provides information about where the shirt is made and where the material comes from. Growing, spinning and weaving linen is a time-consuming process, and a lot of linen is grown in Europe, which is a more expensive part of the world to buy textiles from than, for example, Asia - linen is thus an expensive material, which is reflected in the price of a linen shirt compared to a cotton shirt. It is also time-consuming to make a shirt versus, for example, a t-shirt – all of us who've sewn a shirt ourselves or haven't dared to venture into know this. So if the shirt costs just NOK 500, you might ask yourself if it is actually an environmentally friendly choice to buy that particular one?

If it's a garment you plan to own and wear for years to come, time after time, is it necessary to spend as little money as possible on it?

Those who have the finances to buy clothing items with a slightly higher price tag also have the opportunity to make even better choices - choices that have an even less environmental impact. Cheap clothes are one of the reasons for overpurchasing, it is so easy for us to buy much more clothes than we need when it costs us so little. Choosing to spend more money on the shirt is not really that expensive if you think you will wear it several times per month for several years to come. Price per use is lower for something you wear often and have for a long time than something with a lower price tag which you use a handful of times and then sell on or throw away. And if you actually have the finances for the more expensive garment, but still don't feel it's worth the investment, then maybe it's not a garment you really wanted after all? so still fancy?

Independent shops and clothing brands

Is the garment on your wish list available in a local store? Shopping at an independent, local store rather than a commercial online store that's part of a large chain, supports the self-employed, can reduce contributions to the transport industry (which is above the textile industry on the list of most environmentally damaging industries), and avoid supporting the big chains that promote overproduction and overconsumption.

An oversized linen shirt is also something that doesn't have to be difficult to find at smaller clothing brands. An independent clothing brand will often have a more sustainable way of running a store - with lower production, more control over the production stages, more focus on ethical responsibility and choice of materials. This often also means that the clothing brand is more transparent with its customers about where the clothes are produced and where the materials come from. The clothes are often of better quality and are made to last a long time, which helps to prevent you from buying the same linen shirt again next year. It also often gives a different feeling of ownership to buy clothes from clothing brands that are more transparent. For example – knowing that the garment is made from linen grown and woven by a family business in Lithuania, designed by a Norwegian designer with lots of time and consideration, and then sewn in an ethically run factory in Portugal, or even by the designer her/himself - that gives the garment a completely different story and meaning. You get a relationship and an ownership of the garment and a bit of this history, you know who is left with the money you paid for the garment, and you like to think about this when you take it out to wear it. The threshold may be higher to buy such garments, but it may also be higher to get rid of them again.

By choosing to buy a carefully thought-out garment from an independent clothing brand, preferably from a local shop, you can help support a more sustainable textile industry.

Is it better to sew your own clothes?

You may be sitting now and thinking that this doesn't concern you much since you don't buy clothes, you sew your own clothes. But is it really better to sew clothes yourself?

The same conclusion as what you have read so far also applies here - the very best thing we can do is to reduce our consumption.

If you consider the same tips and advice when starting a new sewing project as when purchasing a new garment, you contribute to a more sustainable textile industry. Home sewists are also part of this industry. The fashion industry and the textile industry are one in the same - if we sew the clothes ourselves, we remove some of the production links, but we still contribute to the production of textiles. We can choose more or less environmentally friendly textiles that we know a lot or little about regarding where they are grown and produced.

Think carefully about your sewing projects before embarking on them. Our sewing projects can be just as influenced by trends - we've all had an impulse project or two, right? Try to imagine that you will wear the garment a lot, whether it fits into your wardrobe and you can use it together with other garments you already have. Write wish lists in the same way for your sewing projects, for example, you might really want a fabric from us right now because it's new and exciting, or you saw someone else make something cool out of it, but does it suit you, and does it fit into your existing wardrobe? you, and does it fit into your wardrobe?

It's perhaps ironic to run a shop and encourage your customers to shop with care - but the aim of Indigo is not to have the highest amount of sales, it's more about spreading a message and contributing to a more environmentally focused sewing society.

So thank you for reading this and for wanting to support a more sustainable textile industry!

Puffer scarf

Posted on 25. January 202320. June 2025 by solveig

Puffer scarf

Puffer scarf, quilted scarf, quilted scarf – this beloved garment has many names, perfect in combination with a down jacket or coat for the extra chilly!

I chose to make the scarf short and wide so that it is used more like a collar. But you can also skip the slit and make the scarf longer and narrower so that it can be used more like a traditional scarf. The recipe that follows is based on my version with a slit.

You need 50 cm of fabric in a minimum width of 112 cm. Use a woven fabric that is not too thick. I used handwoven Khadi in dark checks that you can find here →.

And you'll need 20 x 110 cm of wadding to fill the scarf with. I used needle felt in 100% organic cotton which is 2 cm thick, you can find it here →.

Patterns

Instructions

You need 112 x 50 cm fabric and 110 x 20 cm batting. Cut your piece of fabric down the middle lengthwise so that you get two pieces of 112 x 25 cm

Congratulations on your new puffer scarf!

Feel free to tag us on Instagram if you make one – @IndigoIndigo.no!

GOTS vs. OEKO-Tex

Posted on 17. January 202322. September 2023 by solveig

GOTS vs. OEKO-TEX

When buying fabric by the meter today, you often find labels such as OEKO-TEX and GOTS, but what do they mean and what is really the best alternative?

GOTS (The Global Organic Textile Standard) is the world's leading textile processing standard for organic fibres.

The certification covers the entire textile supply chain – from fiber cultivation to finished fabric, and covers both environmental protection and ethical guidelines in accordance with, among other, the UN's criteria for human rights.

Textiles marked with GOTS organic must contain a minimum of 95% organic fibres.

In contrast to GOTS, the most common OEKO-TEX certification, Standard 100, has no connection to organic fibres.

Textiles marked with the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 are certified as "harmless to human health". The textiles have been tested to ensure that they do not contain harmful substances. The standard is divided into four groups with different amounts of permitted harmful substances depending on the area of use, with the strictest standard applying to baby clothes.

The OEKO-TEX standard has no requirements regarding fiber content.

What exactly is the advantage of organic fabrics?

Organic fabrics are made from fiber from plants grown according to standards for organic farming, or made from wool from animals in organic animal husbandry. Organic farming and animal husbandry do not use artificial fertilizers and pesticides, it is not legal to use toxic chemicals and genetically modified seeds - by removing these you preserve the health of the soil, nature, people and animals.

In addition to saving nature from toxins, far less water and energy is also used in the cultivation of, for example, cotton in organic farming compared to conventional cotton, as much as 71% less water and 62% less energy (this calculation depends on which part of the world the cotton is grown in and how much rainfall it receives).

The people who work with organic farming have much safer and healthier working conditions. They are not exposed to chemicals in their work and do not risk the various diseases that often occur among farmers who work with conventional cultivation of, for example, cotton. Around 200 000 people die each year from pesticide poisoning worldwide, and more are hospitalized. Chronic exposure to pesticides has been linked to cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, hormone disruption, developmental disorders and sterility (Source: Environmental Justice Foundation). The chemicals not only affect the farmers who work directly with them, but also the people who live in the surrounding areas – the chemicals end up in rivers that are used for drinking and bathing water for the local population.

By choosing organic fabrics, we contribute to:

Preserving the environment

A healthier animal and insect life

Better health for farmers

Some of our GOTS certified fabrics:

See all fabrics in organic cotton

What is DWR and PFAS? 🤔

Posted on 6. September 202223. October 2024 by solveig

What is DWR and PFAS? 🤔

When shopping for ra rain coat or water-repellent textiles, you often come across the abbreviations DWR and PFAS. But what do they mean, and what exactly are the differences?

PFAS

Stands for perfluorinated substances and are synthetic chemical compounds that are often used as a DWR coating on water-repellent textiles.

Often also called PFC, which stands for perfluorinated compounds.

DWR

Stands for 'Durable Water Repellent' and is the definition of a coating that is applied to textiles to make them water-repellent.

DWR coating makes textiles water-repellent over a certain period of time based on frequency of use and washing, and the treatment should be renewed.

PFAS

Research shows that PFAS is harmful to the environment and health damaging. PFAS are synthetic substances that are chemically produced and contain fluorocarbons. When PFAS is used in DWR coatings on textiles, the environmentally harmful substances will be washed out into nature every time the textiles are washed and every time it rains. These substances does not only go into the groundwater, but circulate in nature together with rain. Measurements made of rainwater in several parts of the world show that we have already reached the maximum limit of what the planet can withstand. The amount of PFAS in drinking water is above the safety limit for both the USA and Denmark.

Alternatives

But DWR is not necessarily an environmental culprit, as long as it does not contain PFAS. In theory, a so-called DWR coating can be natural and environmentally friendly. Textiles can be treated with natural substances to make them water-repellent, such as beeswax and other plant-based wax or oil (often called oilskin).

There are also new innovative treatment methods such as RUCO®-DRY ECO, or the fabric Ventile®, which does not contain PFAS. These textiles are water-repellent, but at the same time soft and flexible, and without the waxy feeling that beeswax-treated textiles often get. The textiles can also be machine washed up to a dozen times before they should be re-impregnated.

See all our water-resistant textiles