3 Reasons to Love Handmade

With the advent of the Information Age and especially since the rise of social media, consumers seek the uniqueness and individuality inherent in handmade items. Handmade techniques will likely continue to be more valuable than machine-made construction as the fashion industry becomes more conscientious about its processes.

The use of hand-crafted techniques requires less non-renewable materials. Pattern-making waste is significantly reduced, water contamination is prevented, and electricity is used less when constructing garments by hand or sewing machine. As a result of waste materials and factory runoff, the fashion industry is one of the largest global polluters. Unlike machine-made clothes, handmade clothes take longer to make and cost more, so they are more likely to be treated as investments and not disposed of as quickly. Handmade techniques tend to go hand-in-hand with more natural fibers, reducing microplastic waste in our waterways.

For a time, hand-block printing, embroidery, appliqué, and other techniques requiring human hands were so out of style that they were at risk of being lost forever. Keeping these traditional arts alive preserves each technique’s cultural heritage and helps distinguish one maker, designer, and artisan from another. We are connected to our culture and history through textile techniques, folk music, and regional cuisines passed down from generation to generation.

When it comes to handmade clothes, there is a connection between wearer and maker that is absent from fast fashion and mass-produced clothing—a sense that what you’re wearing was created for you, especially by someone. There is a connection in many walks of life—including fashion. 

At Oru Nka, we are trying to preserve artisanal techniques and processes. All of the work we do is handmade by highly skilled craftsmen, tailors, and pattern makers. But above all, each garment is personalized and created for the wearer. Our focus, however, goes beyond how the garment looks on its own, but how it can bring out the best in you. We have incorporated traditional handicrafts into modern and quirky designs so your garment goes a long way in your closet.