Zoë Carol

In celebration of women everywhere, I am so proud to announce another new organic tee to the slowly growing collection. The “Goal Digger” tee was created to celebrate the woman who knows what she wants and doesn’t let anyone or anything stop her in the pursuit of it. It’s an homage to my Mum, my Grandma and my daughter, and to all those women who are righteous goal diggers!

For years I had the urge to do some social good, and the best I could do with my financial resources and limited time was give a donation at Christmas time or part with loose change for charitable causes that came my way. More recently, I realised that my skill and talent can make a change too and contribute to how I live as a person as well as provide for my own family. That’s how my Organic Tee collection started. The idea was to serve three purposes: be kind to the environment, provide a social contribution and allow me to be creative.

As always, the ‘Goal Digger’ tee is 100% Combed Organic Cotton, a certified Carbon Trust Product, a member of Fairwear Foundation and GOTS approved. For every sale of this tee, €5 will be donated to Dress for Success Dublin, a charity that empowers women to be their own goal diggers!

Dress for Success Dublin was founded in 2011 by stylist, designer and tech entrepreneur, Sonya Lennon. I’m proud to know Sonya for many years and I will never forget meeting her for the first time. We were both scheduled to be part of a photoshoot for The Irish Times (that never went to print in the end) and when I saw her enter the room, I could sense her confidence and kindness. I wasn’t wrong and her cheerfulness and willingness to talk to a new Irish designer calmed my photoshoot nerves. Sonya is the epitome of a ‘Goal Digger’. Her audacity and her resulting success is an inspiration.  

Her charity Dress for Success aims to promote the economic independence of women by providing career development tools and a support network and is an affiliate of a global organisation, Dress for Success Worldwide. The international not-for-profit organisation is dedicated to improving the lives of women in 145 cities across 23 countries. They provide free career development tools such as:

Professional clothing and styling advance in advance of your job interview;

Interview preparation sessions with experienced HR professionals;

Sector-specific educational workshops; and

Mentoring programmes.

My Mum told me one day while I was moaning about school homework that ‘knowledge is power’ and I couldn’t agree with her more today. If you’d like to learn more about what Dress for Success Dublin does you can follow this link:  http://dressforsuccessdublin.org/ 

In 2007, I graduated from Trinity College Dublin with a BSc in Geography and with all my knowledge, I was ready to do good. I applied to study Fashion Design in Parsons the Newschool for Design, New York and got in with my proposed collection of sustainable womenswear designs. I was passionate and driven to design beautiful yet environmentally harmless clothing. With every assignment, I quickly learned that being sustainable and environmentally responsible was near impossible starting out in this fast paced industry. I was met with sniggers when I asked fabric vendors for bamboo, tencel and organic alternatives and when they were available they were up to 3 times the price of standard fabrics. With my limited student budget to create garments for grading, I quickly lost enthusiasm for doing good and replaced it with determination to graduate. The need to do good never left me, I dabbled in vintage, upcycling and secondhand clothing in the background while I continued working in the fashion industry in New York and then back in Ireland. 

Now more than ever, my desire to do good is at the forefront. Maybe having my daughter Zelda has put urgency on repairing what environmental damage I have created in my lifetime so that her world can be better. Whatever the reason, I am committed to overhauling the Zoë Carol brand. 

My jersey tees are now manufactured through economically-sound processes that minimise negative environmental impacts while conserving energy and natural resources. Sustainable manufacturing also enhances employee, community, and product safety. I recognise that garment manufacturing is one of the most environmentally damaging and harmful industrial sectors on the planet, which is why I have chosen 100% certified organic cotton that has been supply fully certified in accordance with the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). The aim of the standard is to define world-wide recognised requirements that ensure organic status of textiles, from harvesting of the raw materials, through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing in order to provide a credible assurance to the end consumer. Textile processors and manufacturers are enabled to export their organic fabrics and garments with one certification accepted in all major markets. Approved are natural fibres that are certified organic and  fibres from conversion period certified according to recognised international or national standards and certified by any IFOAM accredited or internationally recognised certifier. Key criteria for processing and manufacturing include environmental, technical quality and human toxicity, social, and quality assurance system.

www.global-standard.com

The people who produce our tees are important to me and our tees are part of the Fair Wear Foundation. All manufacturing facilities are regularly audited for social compliance and are running active monitoring programmes in accordance with standards advocated by the International Labour Organisation, the Ethical Trading Initiative and other international bodies. My supplier publishes an annual Social Report and follows these minimum social responsibility criteria: 

No use of child labour No use of forced labour Safe and healthy working conditions Legal labour contracts Payment of living wage Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining No discrimination against employees No excessive hours of work

Fair Wear Foundation is an independent, non-profit organisation striving to improve working conditions in the textile industry. The foundation is an initiative by trade organisations in the textile sector, trade unions and NGO’s. Fair Wear Foundation verifies that member companies implement a Code of Labour Practice along their supply chain and checks compliance by monitoring audits and remediation efforts. Annual reporting by member companies and by FWF itself promotes transparency at all levels. Continental Clothing Co. holds the Leader category of membership. 

www.fairwear.org

My t-shirt supplier was the first company in the world to calculate the carbon footprint and place the Carbon Reduction Label on textile products. We have reduced the carbon footprint of EarthPositive® products by around 90% through a combination of innovative product design, low impact organic agriculture, efficiency in manufacturing, and by replacing standard grid electricity with renewable wind power. We do not use carbon offsets and our footprint calculations were certified by the Carbon Trust Certifications in the U.K. It has been calculated that each one of my t-shirts saves around 7 kilograms of CO2e and having taken the greenhouse gas emissions to pre-industrial levels, our t-shirts carry the registered mark “Climate Neutral”.

As a fashion designer, I have up until now always steered clear of political issues. I did this in fear of losing support of my work, of it impacting my business. My attitude was embedded in the “what will the neighbours think” Irish mentality.  It was embedded in fear. 

Last week I met a man who differed greatly in opinion to me. He wasn’t the first but he was the one that urged me to speak proudly in what I believe in. In our short conversation, I realised that he didn’t believe that women could make their own judgements when it came to their body. It was a horrible feeling to think that while women are slowly inching towards equality, we are far from freedom when it comes to Irish Law and the Eighth Amendment.

In the upcoming Repeal of the Eighth Amendment I will be voting YES. This does not mean I am Pro-abortion, I am pro-choice. I believe in and respect a woman to make her own decision when it comes to her body, her life, her family and her future. I am not anti-religion and respect that others have a right to faith. I was raised Catholic and taught to treat others as I would like to be treated and that includes hearing all sides of the story. 

Since giving birth to my daughter I have promised that I will be the woman that she admires and respects. I want her to grow up in a world she can be proud of and contribute to wholeheartedly. So when I do things now, I think of Zelda. I put us in the thought process. When I went into labour with Zelda in 2016, I placed all my trust in the healthcare system and those amazing healthcare givers at my side. Everything went smoothly but it could have been very different. Our laws and how they affect maternity healthcare need to be scrutinised. It is not right that when a pregnancy is at risk, that our system is not equipped to help but rather abandon the family. 3265 women travelled to the United Kingdom from Ireland for abortion services. This figure does not include women (and their family) who travelled elsewhere, gave a UK address or illegally procured abortion pills. I don’t judge these women, but rather my heart is full of sadness for them. In their darkest time, they felt guilt, worry, alone and fear. 

For those who argue for life, I don’t oppose life. I think about the tough decisions that women make before an abortion. None of those decisions are made lightly. If the eighth amendment is repealed there will be no rush or long lines at abortion clinics. It’s a last resort that no woman wants. All women want a perfect pregnancy, a healthy and happy time but this is not always the case. My daughter and I have the right to our own body. To make our own decisions regardless of whether they are deemed right or wrong by others. Our uterus should not be up for discussion by others or the political system. It is not under ownership by any church or deity.

As a mother, I am disappointed in my country. There is uncertainty around Ireland’s future laws on abortion when there shouldn’t be. I don’t support abortion as a “method of contraception” and have yet to meet a pro-choice person who does. The women who I talk to wish for a better judicial system that supports safe and appropriate medical care when both mother and baby are faced with tough decisions. Future laws need greater infrastructure that deals with contraception, sexual and sexuality education, and sexual abuse (especially when pregnancy is the outcome). 

I don’t like to be reminded that in 2018, we are facing this. I was born in 1983 and we have not progressed at all on this matter. I am disappointed in the Irish educational system and I am disappointed in the religious shadow that it is embedded in. Since my days in school (there was no sex ed in my secondary school but we got an American troop who did a half day workshop on abstinence), I recently found that little has changed. The RSE (Relationships and Sexuality Education) is mandatory in schools but the ethos of the school can influence the delivery of course content. While school ethos has it’s importance, it should not change sexuality education. Regardless of religion, creed or ethos, sex and sexuality is the same for everyone. Sexual education; family planning, sexual orientation and sexually transmitted infections is necessary for our children/teens and they have a right for it to be delivered clearly and free from the veil of religious thought or other agenda. This access to information is to safeguard our children and is of upmost importance. If we can learn anything from the 8th amendment is that our educational, judicial, and healthcare systems need to be independent of any religious entity. 

The Repeal of the Eighth Amendment is an issue that everyone has an opinion to. I urge anyone who is on the fence to educate themselves and to take part in well-informed conversations. It is an important conversation in safeguarding the freedoms of women and families of the future. I have friends who will vote to save the 8th and those who want to repeal but I will be voting to Repeal the Eighth Amendment this Summer.

Images by: https://forallwomankind.com/ | Samantha Jhahn | Drea Schneider

For more info:

https://www.repealeight.ie/

https://www.amnesty.ie/its-time-network/

https://www.abortionrightscampaign.ie/2018/02/12/lets-talk-about-safe-legal-and-rare/

In the past I’ve watched loads of fashion films that have inspired me to create beautiful things. Prêt-à-Porter (1994) and Unzipped (1995) inspired me in my school days. Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton (2007), Valentino: The Last Emperor (2008) drove me to work harder in my college days to achieve my dreams of a fashion designer. Films like Yves Saint Laurent (2014) and The First Monday in May (2016) gravitate me to the beauty of the fashion industry.

More recently I watched The True Cost (2015) and Riverblue (2016) and it made me think about fashion on a deeper level. Since having Zelda, I feel a greater sense of responsibility to help the planet recover from the damage my lifestyle and work has created. In the last 3 months, I have been formulating a plan to overhaul my business to be the environmentally responsible studio that I had set out to be back in 2010 when I applied to study in fashion design at Parsons the Newschool for Design.

The last 18 months of being a Mum has been the most rewarding months of my life. We moved home (we’re now in Thomastown, Kilkenny), Zelda is about to turn 2 and I officially got itchy feet. While I dipped my feet into the local community and made/sold at local markets, I felt that I wasn’t pushing myself like I used to creatively and my work ethic had become more relaxed. 

As December approached, I decided that in 2018 I would do more work-wise to keep me excited but I had to make changes now that I have a family. Gone are the days where I could work all nighters or even odd hours without regard for anyone (including myself). I had to make a plan and do what was not only exciting but most beneficial.

Being more conscience of the planet and caring for environmental issues became forefront in the last 6 months and I vowed to change how I did fashion. I want to contribute without harming the earth and design clothing that lasts and gave joy. So that’s one thing. I’ll fill you in on how that goes... I’m currently (eco)fabric shopping!

I had started teaching again in Kilkenny and in Thomastown and with the feedback that I got, I realised that I wanted to empower others to make and mend and inspire others to be creative too. Next thing to do, plan adult sewing workshops and create a Summer sewing camp for kids. Watch this space!

Third thing was to interact and be a “Goal Digger”. I got a Passion Planner to jot down my inner most goals to set them in motion. In the past I would think of something and let the idea disappear. Those days are gone. In place is a wonderful book to keep me on the straight and narrow to achieving my dreams and goals. Being self employed and solo, can mean that it’s easy to be insular but I want to use technology to change this. Social media is my window to you and the outside world and I want to be part of it in every way possible. With this I will be doing a bi-weekly emailer to share my world with you. I don’t want this to be a one way street so get talking to me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Follow me on Pinterest too, whichever you enjoy the most, I want to join in- the more the merrier!

Keep in touch. I want to hear from you and I’d love to let you know how I get on so go to www.zoecarol.com and subscribe. You won’t regret it. 

Time: 5pm to 6pm Start Date: Wednesday 24th January 2018 and continues for 6 weeks total Location: Bua Studio, First Floor, Bua, Pipe Street, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny Price: €75

Materials Provided:

Sewing Machine, Fabric, Scissors, Pattern Paper, Fabric, Threads, and Pins

Course Topics:

WEEK 1: Learn about the concept to design stages of designing a fashion collection. Start your inspiration board

WEEK 2: Your mood board is the central focus of which to anchor your designs.

WEEK 3: Develop your customer and discover trends

WEEK 4: Learn about the elements of garments and how to draw them

WEEK 5: Drawing on the croquis

WEEK 6: Putting together your portfolio and presenting your collection

To Book:

You can call me on 087 287 8279 and pay via credit card over the phone.

In person at Bua by paying and registering.

Via email at [email protected]

Time: 10am to 1pm Date: Sunday 28th January 2018 Location: Bua Studio, First Floor, Bua, Pipe Street, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny Price: €55

Materials Provided:

Sewing Machine, Fabric, Scissors, Pattern Paper, Fabric, Threads, and Pins

Course Topics:

HOUR 1: Setting up and threading the sewing machine. This is pretty much the trickiest part of the class but once mastered, you’ll be able to troubleshoot most sewing obstacles. Getting to know the machine settings and its applications.

HOUR 2: Machine sewing techniques. These are what I think are the most important stitching techniques that are applicable to most home and crafting projects in the home. Included are straight stitching, backstitching, curves, corners, seams and hems.

HOUR 3: Using the techniques learned, you will cut, sew and make your very own classic tote bag.

To Book:

You can call me on 087 287 8279 and pay via credit card over the phone.

In person at Bua by paying and registering.

Via email at [email protected]