The clothes-making renaissance: what does Gen Z’s interest in knitting, crochet and sewing mean for fashion?
Photo Courtesy: Johntex via Wikimedia Commons
The Covid-19 lockdowns gave many a chance to engage in manual hobbies, a chance that 9-to-5 jobs and fast paced lives had been taking away from most. Amongst these activities, knitting, crocheting, sewing and embroidering became the pride and joy of Gen Z, happy to showcase their DIY projects on social media. There was a surprising return to old-fashioned, grandma-like activities whose skills and knowledge often skipped the generation of our mothers, and whose implications for the fashion industry are significant.
Over the last few years, Y2k trends, often inspired in turn by the 1970’s, have made a strong comeback, notably through items such as crochet tops and colourful Harry Styles-inspired cardigans. Purchasing one of these items on a not-to-be-named ultra-fast fashion website, in a few clicks and for just a few quid, is very easy. However, Gen Z creatives have jumped at the task of producing these clothes through their own labour, despite the fact that it can sometimes be more expensive and always more time-consuming than just buying them. So why are Gen Z at the forefront of a clothes-making renaissance?
Gen Z’s growing eco-consciousness has greatly impacted its consumer habits and centred ethical production concerns. For example, many have learnt that there is at-present no machine capable of crocheting, which means hours of severely underpaid labour in factories are required to make crochet tops and sell them with a margin at £15. Gen Z is also obsessed with wearing one-of-a-kind clothes and having a distinctive personal style, as highlighted by the resurgence of vintage clothes, which are both more unique and more sustainable than fast fashion.
Social media has, if not created, a constant need to stand out and belong to a certain aesthetic community (cottagecore, mermaidcore, rockstar girlfriend...), making mass-produced fast fashion a less appealing option. Additionally, a growing concern amongst young fashion lovers is that of quality: ultra-fast fashion has marked the end of decently made clothing and the rising cost of quality items. Making our own clothes has emerged as a fun and economically advantageous compromise considering the current state of the fashion industry, as well as an opportunity to proudly showcase one’s skills.
Giant fashion retailers have picked up on Gen Z’s love of vintage and handmade clothing, and now produce items mimicking the look of hand-knit jumpers, worn-out leather jackets and other vintage designs. The fashion industry, at all levels, takes great care to green-wash their image to try and appeal to consumers, Gen Z or not, that have deserted their stores and boycotted their brands.
It is true that Gen Z have a tendency to go through trends at an unreasonably fast pace, with countless micro-trends that are out before they are even in, and even vintage clothes appearing in viral ‘haul’ TikToks showcasing overconsumption. However, I feel Gen Z’s political and environmental awareness will remain strong enough to continue impacting their consumption choices through phenomena such as the clothes-making renaissance. Indeed, recent boycotts of companies that support the genocide of Palestians continue to highlight the breadth and depth of Gen Z’s political awareness and the power of its consuming habits on industries.