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Jordanian crafts an alternative to fast fashion
Shorouq Al-Mazraawi only makes 10–20 items of every model
By Zaina Zinati, Jordan News
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AMMAN — Shorouq Al-Mazraawi used the weight of six words as the motif for her debut collection “You are free."
The Arabic words for Free, Revolution, Life, Home, Peace, and Love, make up the diverging facets of what being a woman means to her.اضافة اعلان
Her brand is made for women looking for authenticity and uniqueness, while also maintaining sustainability, and it's made visible in her hand-sewn pieces.
The influential words of the collection are dispersed in vertical and horizontal patterns all over the earthy colors of the linen fabrics.
Mazraawi considered all aspects of the industry before making the switch to fashion full-time. After finishing a Bachelors in Network Engineering, she came across a fashion sketching course and additionally took up pattern making.
Her signature block printing can be seen in all nine pieces in the collection.
Because she didn't study fashion at a university, she had to teach herself by experimenting with fabrics, designs, and patterns.
"I knew that there was huge damage that is being caused by the fashion industry, and I didn't want to take part in it. If I wanted to be in this industry, I wanted to make things in a better way. I want to make an impact, so I knew since then, that if I were to do something (in fashion), it had to be sustainable, and not in the other direction," said Mazraawi, in an interview with Jordan News.
A photo collection of Shorouq Al-Mazraawi’s pieces. The designer makes a conscious effort to create sustainably. (Photos: Zaina Zinati/JNews)
Mazraawi does not take this responsibility lightly, as every aspect of the piece, from conception to completion, is carefully analyzed always keeping in mind her "carbon footprint."
A carbon footprint is essentially the total amount of greenhouse gasses generated from any single thing, and in this case, generated from fashion.
According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), 3,781 liters of water are used to make a pair of jeans.
In the same report, figures showed that "The fashion industry is responsible for 10 percent of annual global carbon emissions," which equals out to be more carbon emitted "than international flights and maritime shipping combined."
For Mazraawi, It's not that it's just important, but "it feels like there is no other solution. After everything that we've seen, after the pandemic, and how we are seeing everything changing with the climate and people's health, it just feels like everything is falling apart. And to me, I feel like there is no other option,” she said. "You either become sustainable or you don't try to make something new."
Her production is small, around 10 to 20 pieces made of each model, which ensures a uniqueness to her brand. She intends to produce only two collections a year for summer and winter. She expresses her concern for the environment by pointing out how creating hundreds of thousands of clothing pieces is an egregious oversight by massive fast fashion brands.
"What the fast fashion industry does, is that for example, they have summer, and winter, and fall, and spring; they also have mid-seasons, and pre-fall, and pre-summer, and there's hundreds of collections that are coming out, and thousands of items being produced," she said.
Mazraawi says her collection is "a gift for women."
Her pieces were all meticulously sketched and created so as to not follow any trend, but so that whoever buys the piece will have something beautiful and of a quality that will endure throughout the years. "I will not bring more damage into the world."
Read more Lifestyle
The Arabic words for Free, Revolution, Life, Home, Peace, and Love, make up the diverging facets of what being a woman means to her.
Her brand is made for women looking for authenticity and uniqueness, while also maintaining sustainability, and it's made visible in her hand-sewn pieces.
The influential words of the collection are dispersed in vertical and horizontal patterns all over the earthy colors of the linen fabrics.
Mazraawi considered all aspects of the industry before making the switch to fashion full-time. After finishing a Bachelors in Network Engineering, she came across a fashion sketching course and additionally took up pattern making.
Her signature block printing can be seen in all nine pieces in the collection.
Because she didn't study fashion at a university, she had to teach herself by experimenting with fabrics, designs, and patterns.
"I knew that there was huge damage that is being caused by the fashion industry, and I didn't want to take part in it. If I wanted to be in this industry, I wanted to make things in a better way. I want to make an impact, so I knew since then, that if I were to do something (in fashion), it had to be sustainable, and not in the other direction," said Mazraawi, in an interview with Jordan News.
A photo collection of Shorouq Al-Mazraawi’s pieces. The designer makes a conscious effort to create sustainably. (Photos: Zaina Zinati/JNews)
Mazraawi does not take this responsibility lightly, as every aspect of the piece, from conception to completion, is carefully analyzed always keeping in mind her "carbon footprint."
A carbon footprint is essentially the total amount of greenhouse gasses generated from any single thing, and in this case, generated from fashion.
According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), 3,781 liters of water are used to make a pair of jeans.
In the same report, figures showed that "The fashion industry is responsible for 10 percent of annual global carbon emissions," which equals out to be more carbon emitted "than international flights and maritime shipping combined."
For Mazraawi, It's not that it's just important, but "it feels like there is no other solution. After everything that we've seen, after the pandemic, and how we are seeing everything changing with the climate and people's health, it just feels like everything is falling apart. And to me, I feel like there is no other option,” she said. "You either become sustainable or you don't try to make something new."
Her production is small, around 10 to 20 pieces made of each model, which ensures a uniqueness to her brand. She intends to produce only two collections a year for summer and winter. She expresses her concern for the environment by pointing out how creating hundreds of thousands of clothing pieces is an egregious oversight by massive fast fashion brands.
"What the fast fashion industry does, is that for example, they have summer, and winter, and fall, and spring; they also have mid-seasons, and pre-fall, and pre-summer, and there's hundreds of collections that are coming out, and thousands of items being produced," she said.
Mazraawi says her collection is "a gift for women."
Her pieces were all meticulously sketched and created so as to not follow any trend, but so that whoever buys the piece will have something beautiful and of a quality that will endure throughout the years. "I will not bring more damage into the world."
Read more Lifestyle
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