S.Kin'Designs

Introducing S.Kin’D Organics

S.Kin'Designs — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 16:48:52 +0000

Introducing the first Bibs in my new S.Kin’D Organics Line:

Sunset Stripe Ukuleles: 100% organic cotton printed with AZO-free dyes, from Birch Fabrics. Available in both Apron Bib and Basic Bib styles. Ribbons on Apron Bibs are 100% Organic Cotton.

Washing instructions: machine wash cold with like colors, gentle cycle, only non chlorine bleach when needed, tumble dry low, remove promptly, warm iron if needed. (I prefer to hang my bibs to dry)

Pattern placement may vary from the images shown.

Spring Flowers and Stripes: 100% organic cotton, GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified, and Organic Exchange 100 Standard.They are printed with low-impact reactive dyes, IMO (Institute for Marketecology) certified. Available in both Apron Bib and Basic Bib styles. Ribbons on Apron Bibs are 100% Organic Cotton.

Mod Green Pod fabrics are machine washable in cold water with a gentle laundry detergent. They also recommend hanging fabrics to dry and iron as needed.

The Spring Flowers and Stripes Bibs can come with either a horizontal Stripe or a vertical Stripe. Pattern placement may vary from the images shown.

Organic Apron Bibs are $23.00, Organic Basic Bibs are $19.00

Fabric Sneak Peak 3: Organics!

S.Kin'Designs — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 16:58:41 +0000

And on I go into the world of Organic Cotton. In a lot of ways it is a much harder search to find organic prints, there simply isn’t as much to choose from. I’ve been really fortunate to be looking at the right time and have found some great retro inspired prints to choose from.

Here is a small sample of what I’m starting with:

Birch Fabrics has put out a beautiful line called Circa 60 Beach Mod collection Designed by Monaluna. I’d love to work with more of the prints from this line, but for now I’m working with ukeleles and sunset stripe. All of thier cotton is 100% organic, GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified, it is printed with low-impact dyes (AZO-free).

The other two fabrics are from the Free to Grow line by Nancy Mims for Mod Green Pod (for Robert Kaufman) in the “spring” colour pallette. They are also 100% organic, GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified, and Organic Exchange 100 Standard (I will have to look into what this means more…). They are printed with low-impact reactive dyes, IMO (Institute for Marketecology) certified(I will also be exploring this further).

Upcycled Jean Bib

S.Kin'Designs — Sun, 22 May 2011 14:02:13 +0000

Introducing my first Upcycled Bib. Made from reclaimed (but washed) jeans, and in the Apron Bib style:

A much heavier weight bib than my regular light cotton bibs, it is just that much more rugged and durable. Not as compactable as the other bibs; it definately makes up for it in style and a great eco-concience. Great for a boy or a girl, details are variable from unisex to feminine to masculine (depending on the individual bib of choice). Every Bib is Unique! Available in limited quantities due to it’s recycled nature, more bibs can be made as materials become available.

fully adjustable
machine washable
eco-friendly

These Bibs are one-sided. New Bibs will be posted to the S.Kin’D facebook page as they become available, get them while they last!

Price: $22.00

Why Choose Natural Fibers over Synthetic?

S.Kin'Designs — Thu, 19 May 2011 15:28:37 +0000

First of all, what are Natural Fibers? Natural fibers are any fibers that come from plants or animals, they are as varied as Wool and Piña Cloth ( made from the leaves of the pineapple plant). Some other examples include: Linen (from Flax), Cotton, Silk and Angora.

Synthetic Fibers are things like acrylic, nylon, polyester, spandex and polypropylene. Synthetic fibers are petrochemical-based (basically plastic), mass-produced, they don’t decompose as nicely and have major implications on our health the health of the planet and even the economy. If it’s waterproof has a significant amount of stretch or melts when in contact with fire (making it a dangerous choice for clothing), chances are you have a synthetic fiber.

Depending on the fabric, other chemicals are added to make the fabric softer, wrinkle free, flame-resistant, water resistant, stain-resistant, and moth-repellant. Without going into too much detail, all of these chemicals can have harmful effects on the environment, wildlife and our health, especially that of those who work to produce the fabrics. In addition, synthetic fibers do not biodegrade, meaning they sit nearly endlessly in the landfill when you toss them out, not braking down like natural materials do.

The Economy: so synthetic fibers obviously have purposes, but as man-made fibers have replaced natural ones over the last 60 years or so, millions of people who depend on natural fibers for thier livelyhoods have been impacted. This includes both the farmers who produce the fibers as well as those who process them and manufacture cloth. The natural fiber industry is vital to the economies of many developing counties and the livelihoods of millions of small-scale farmers and low-wage workers depend upon it. Due to the drive towards cheeper synthetic alternatives many of these economies and livlihoods are under threat.

A Renewable Resource, or a Green Choice: “Natural fibres are a renewable resource, par excellence – they have been renewed by nature and human ingenuity for millennia. They are also carbon neutral: they absorb the same amount of carbon dioxide they produce. During processing, they generate mainly organic wastes and leave residues that can be used to generate electricity or make ecological housing material. And, at the end of their life cycle, they are 100% biodegradable.” I couldn’t have said it better myself! (quoted from the resource listed below)

There is so much more I could say on the topic, however that would make for a VERY long blog post, and it’s already getting up there. If you would like to know more about natural fibers and thier benefits, please visit the Website for 2009 International Year of Natural Fibers in additions to what I’ve discussed thay also have great information on technology developed using natural fibers, health impacts of the breathability of natural fibers, much more depth on the economic impact and energy use of creating the fibers/cloth and more!

The Halifax Crafters Spring Show 2011

S.Kin'Designs — Thu, 05 May 2011 22:51:54 +0000

Recently I took part in a craft show put on by an amazing community of local crafters here in Halifax: The Halifax Crafters.

I had a great time and even scored a beautiful mothers day present for myself a necklace from Jennifer May of Fire and Fable.

In addition to having a great time, Nicole Trask of Halifax Magazine gave us a great shout out in her recent Blog post found here.

Here are a few photos of my table/display at the show:

and some close-ups

Fabric Sneak Peak 2 and Hand-made Tags 3.0

S.Kin'Designs — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 22:19:12 +0000

I just thought that it would be nice to give a sneak peak of some of my new fabrics for spring! I’ve been dying to show them off…

Retro owl fabric in yellow, blue and pink, just in time for spring!

Stay tuned to my Facebook Page to find out when bibs are available in these great new prints! It won’t be long!

And in other news, I’ve decided that the new tag style I’m using for my Rockabilly Apron Bibs wasn’t exactly what I needed for the Basic Bibs and Apron Bibs, so here’s a peak at the version I will be starting to use for these:

Tags 3.0

S.Kin’D in Stores!

S.Kin'Designs — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 13:49:35 +0000

As my facebook followers know, I recently dropped a number of Bibs to a local Baby Boutique here in Halifax called Bump, Baby and Beyond. Recently I was back in the store and took a few pictures of S.Kin’D bibs on display. Below is one of the shots (and a few more can be found here on my Facebook Page).

Hand-Made Tags 2

S.Kin'Designs — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 23:14:45 +0000

Some changes have happened to the design of my tags over the last little while. The more I washed my original proto-type bibs, the more I noticed that the tags just weren’t holding up as well as I’d like. So when I started working on my third design (The Rockabilly Apron Bib) I decided to try out a new tag. It’s still made from leftover scraps of material, but it’s incorporated and sewn on in a more effective way.

Check an example out below!

The Rockabilly Apron Bib

S.Kin'Designs — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 23:05:19 +0000

Ok, I’m really excited about revealing this design to you! This was one of the designs in my head when I started that got me super excited…

Rockabilly Apron Bib in Pink

The first truely retro inspired design, the Rockabilly Apron Bib features a similar top to our Apron Bib, but the bottom is a half circle skirt: lots of extra fabric to cover that baby lap with (and wrap around the high chair in all the right places). It is also a little bit longer for extra coverage, and taller babies. It is fully adjustable at the neck and waist, machine washable and has a more girly flair than our other designs. The current fabrics are 100% cotton.

It is a dress-me-up-and-take-me-out kind of bib! Nice restaurant: no problem, birthday party: no problem, dinner party: why not? It provides the coverage and the style! It is also a great prop for photos (photographers take note!)

It is great for anything messy whether spoon-fed or self-fed. It is a medium-full coverage bib.

Currently available in Pink with Black Satin Ribbon and in Black with Red Satin Ribbon.

Price: $26.00

Rockabilly Apron Bib in Black

Longer Length and Great Coverage!

Hand-Made Tags

S.Kin'Designs — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 02:07:43 +0000

Here’s a quick look at the tags I have created to go on my bibs. I have used scrap pieces of fabric from the same material that the bibs are made from. This has reduced waste and is a good first step (I think) towards a more environmentally responsible product. They are all hand-made and painted, which means that none are exactly same. Ah! the joys of hand-made: Uniqueness!

Tag in progress

The Finished Product