Natural Dyeing: Stitched Up

The main reason for the trip to Manchester this past weekend was so that my friend and I could attend a natural dyeing workshop at Stitched Up. Stitched Up is a cooperative in Manchester which focuses on sustainable fashion. The space sells upcycled clothing, holds a variety of workshops and promotes DIY as much as possible to combat the waste that is created from fashion. I've been following Stitched Up on Twitter and Instagram for a while now and am thrilled that I finally got the chance to visit! The workshop was taught by the one and only Flora Arbuthnott who gave us some background on indigo dyeing and taught us the technique shibori. The process seems daunting but is actually wonderfully simple once you get the hang of it. Thank you to both Stitched Up and Flora for a great Sunday!

Vintage: Cow Vintage and Lou Lou's Vintage Fair

This weekend vintage clothing was really calling our names! We stumbled upon Lou Lou's Vintage Fair one day and proceeded to purchase everything in our path. In all seriousness though, there were some amazing items. One of the most exciting purchases were the earrings pictured above. These were part of a handmade section of a vendor's stall. MySteamLady features items that are made out of entirely recycled materials and the designs are incredible. She also sells online so check it out and get yourself some unique accessories!

On the last day we walked past a store that was hard to resist: Cow Vintage. The store is full of awesome 90's finds and some upcycled designs as well! I could have spent all day in there but unfortunately we had a train to catch.

Vegan Food: Fig & Sparrow and Unicorn Grocery

My friend Yvonne and I stumbled upon Fig & Sparrow when we were desperately in need of coffee on Saturday morning. The shop is filled with adorable dishware, coffee paraphernalia and handmade pieces- such as the natural soaps pictured above that are made from recycled coffee grounds! They also serve delicious coffee and some vegan pastries which made my day.

The natural dyeing workshop at Stitched Up was an all day endeavor so we took a break for lunch and I wandered over to the Unicorn Grocery. The vegan cooperative had a great selection but I must admit that my favorite part was the adorable plum bag. I couldn't resist purchasing it, especially since it was ethically made in Kolkata, India!

As I continue to travel I am determined to prove that it is possible and maybe even painless to find ethical and sustainable options. I am going to Paris, Zürich and Dublin over the next few weeks and can't wait to report back on the vegan food, vintage/sustainable clothes and inspiring businesses I find. Keep checking back!