1 shirt, 100 makers, designers and artists. Every week we have a new collab, showing you 100 ways to upcycle, repair or rewear a t-shirt. Turning it into a green & sustainable statement – this week it’s shirt #28!
For this shirt we are collaborating with Anneroos, the founder of Swoos, a fresh sustainable fashionbrand that does someting unique. All items are embroidered especially for the customer, and can be personalized. We are happy she wanted to join our upcycle challenge and can’t wait to see what she made. But first, let’s read a little bit more about Anneroos & Swoos
Can you tell us a little bit about you?
I am Anneroos, 23 years old. I live in the Netherlands, in Dordrecht. From my childhood on I always loved it to be creative and I was always busy with beautiful colored fabrics and threads. When I was 18 I went to college. At first, I didn’t know which study direction I should choose, so I started looking around for options. The only thing I knew is that I wanted to do something creative. Eventually I found the study Fashion & Textile Technologies, in Enschede. It’s a study with a creative side and also a commercial side. You learn a lot about all textile fibers but also about marketing and business economics. A perfect combination for me.
The moment I started the study I became interested in making clothes. I had never done that before. I thought it would be nice to be able to make clothes myself, I really loves the creative aspect of it. I started with a simple dress for a school project. I dyed the fabric myself, and so my new hobby started!
How you started your business?
In the last year of my study you need to do an internship and a research about a subject, or you can choose to do a ‘free assignment’. With the free assignment you get the change to write a business plan for a business idea or design a collection. Since I started my study I wanted to start my own business, with my own clothing collection. But during my entire study I had no concrete idea of what it should look like. When I got the change to write a business plan for my own business, I thought it would be the perfect time to start with it and to develop my ideas.
I think sustainability is very important. I didn’t want to buy clothes from far away, made under bad working conditions or child labor. I thought it would be great to make all the clothes myself and to be able to give the clothes a special value for the customers so they won’t throw it away like fast fashion. And then SWOOS was born! A sustainable, slow fashion brand, with handmade clothes. All made in Holland!
Unique sustainable sweaters and T-shirts that all can be personalized for the customer. Every sweater and T-shirt is specially made for the customer who places an order in the webshop. Everyone can choose their own color, fit and embroidery pattern. There are a lot of possibilities and the customer is really involved in the design process. After I finished my graduation project, I wanted to go on with my own business. So I kept going, expanded the collection and build a webshop! This was the real start of my own business.
What are your dreams?
My dreams are to continue with my own business and to develop it further. I want to create awareness by customers about the clothes they buy. Only buy clothes you can wear for a longer time, than just for a few times. The SWOOS items are sustainable and the aim of SWOOS is to have the smallest possible impact on the environment with the production of the garments. Choose timeless, sustainable items. Or upcycle your item if you don’t like it anymore!
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Want to know more?
Check Swoos on Instagram or the website of Swoos!