Interview with Margaret Mead

Margaret Mead

LaGrande, Oregon

Interview by Michele of Trendy Earth

Michele: My aunt Margaret, who lives in LaGrande, Oregon, has always been an inspiration to me when it comes to sustainability. She loves saving old avocado skins and other organic materials to use for dye in her weaving projects, and it seems that she always has a great story about something she is wearing. Curious about how she views sustainability in clothing, I asked her a few questions the other day...

When you were growing up, where did you and your family get your clothing? If it was handmade, where did the material come from, and who made it?  

Some of our clothing (like underpants, aprons, probably others) Mom made from flour or feed sacks.  My paternal grandmother sewed some clothes for us, purchased material.  Some hand-me-downs.  When we girls were older (10 or so), we took sewing in 4-H and made many of our clothes; Mom continued to make some, too.  The material would have been purchased at a local store (approx 9 miles from home).  I've no idea of who made the material but I suspect it was made in the U.S. at that time.  We did not have many clothes!  (This was in the 40s and 50s.)  We also ordered some items from Sears and Montgomery Wards catalogs.

In your experience, do you remember a shift going from clothing that was locally made to purchasing factory produced clothing from corporations or vice versa?

No, I don't really remember.  If this is helpful:  In the mid-80s and on, it often seemed less expensive to buy clothes for my daughters and me than to sew them, especially when second-hand stores and yard sales caught on!

How do you choose what to wear now?  

I like to shop rummage sale, consignment shops, etc, because the clothing is so much less and I can find styles I like better than what's in the stores!  If something is made in the U.S.--WOW!  I prefer buying clothes (new or used) that are made in places other than China.  I usually prefer wool or cotton, cotton/ramie for sweaters; some linen is ok and sometimes silk; mostly reject items that are polyester. The color of garments is important.  I am NOT concerned about the in-style and find much of what's in shops too young for me.

Do you have any favorite clothing or accessory items that you feel truly express who you are as an individual? What are they are where did you get them? How important is it to express yourself through what you wear?  

My favorite is jeans and the top will vary, depending on whether or not the occasion is casual or more dressy.  Mock turtles and sweaters in the winter, t-shirts and/or blouses in the summer.  I like wearing scarves that I or others have woven and/or dyed as an accessory.  A few of my dressier "tops" were gifts.  Express myself--probably not real important; mostly I want to wear clothing that is comfortable, pieces that complement each other (in color).

In LaGrande, do you see "sustainable clothing" (whether that means sustainable materials, locally produced, or connections with charities) as a growing trend? What are some ways that you see it being incorporated into the average consumer's life?  

There doesn't seem to be much here that is locally produced; if it is, it's too expensive!  One women's shop sells expensive items that are earth-friendly in materials used and where made.  We don't have many stores for clothing--Penney's, Bi-Mart, D&B, Wal-Mart but I won't shop there.  As mentioned above, most of my clothing is purchased at rummage/garage sales (churches, Animal Shelter, etc.) or secondhand and consignment shops.  (We don't have a Salvation Army or Goodwill store here.)  I've no idea if it's a growing trend but know many shop second-hand clothing.  I've no idea what the "average consumer's life" is like when it comes to shopping.  I know with some of my friends being sustainable in various aspects of life is an important value.