These young designers teach you how to sew your own clothes again

AMFI alumnus Tijn Roozen devised a business in sewing kits that allow people to make their own stylish garments. The kits of the start-up NAAI include a clothing design by Tijn himself, a piece of fabric, yarn, matching zip or buttons, and all other necessities. “We have all forgotten how to do this, and with it, our relationship with clothing has also changed.”

The raw - often fossil - materials for fashion are running out. And besides, we don't exactly handle our clothing sustainably; it has to be cheap and delivered quickly.

At the same time, many people are becoming increasingly aware that they would like this to be different, thinks Tijn, who graduated in Fashion & Design at AMFI (AUAS). The budding entrepreneur is responding to that awareness, along with three other former AMFI students. Together, they launched the start-up NAAI, which allows people to relearn the skill of making their own clothes.

Shops disappeared

“The inspiration for this actually comes from my great-grandparents,” Tijn explains. “They had a shop where they sold things to make clothes. I wanted to bring something similar into these times, from the mindset that if people make their own clothes, they are more appreciative of them, and also more inclined to repair them.”

Only now, most people no longer have the knowledge or skills to work with fabric themselves, Tijn observed. Shops selling fabrics and yarns are also disappearing from the streets.

And in the 1980s, magazines with sewing and knitting patterns were hugely popular; nowadays, they are only actively used in a certain niche. “The older magazines have acquired a bit of a hippie image; it doesn't work for the new generation.”

Easy for beginners

NAAI's kit for making your own garment is therefore low-threshold, even for those who do not yet have the necessary skills. Tijn: “It's like a Hello Fresh package; all the ingredients are included.”

Because if you are a beginner, it can take quite a bit of perseverance before you arrive at a creation. “Last year, I had promised to make a dress for my sister. Then you start buying fabric, which is kept in the cupboard for a few months, while you still have to make or find patterns after that.

You don't have to take those steps with this kit; you put together a garment from NAAI in an afternoon.”

Creative hobbies increasingly popular

NAAI also ties in with the trend of creative hobbies – since corona, interest in crafts such as crocheting and knitting has been growing. In these busy times, people like being able to clear their heads, Tijn observes.

“With social media and AI, you are always on. People are very consciously looking to regain their autonomy over how they consume, and over how they organise their leisure time. You really have to make a conscious choice to stand still.” That is why crafts and creative cafés are on the rise, also among young people.

Creative sewing still lags somewhat behind other hobbies, such as crocheting. However, more and more sewing machines are being sold, a growth that is expected to continue in the coming years.

Change

Breaking the cycle of our current handling of clothes and (ultra)fast fashion must be done by the industry, Tijn believes. For now, the initiatives to do things differently come mainly from the bottom up.

“It is then convenient to use the tools that the industry already has. And in addition, it is essential for sustainable initiatives to align well with what consumers want or need.”

“I did an internship with Ronald van der Kemp, who works with deadstock or leftover materials. Personally, I think working with sustainable materials should be a matter of course.”

Behavioural change

The ultimate goal of NAAI is behavioural change. "So that we regain that other connection with clothing, which has gradually disappeared. Reconnecting people with their clothes.”

About NAAI and the 10K incubator programme

Tijn graduated from AMFI last academic year and has been working on the start-up NAAI for about a year now, together with three other AMFI alumnae: Jinte van den Berg, Lola Noteboom and Joanne Olinga. “Because Jinte does the design at G-star, she brings a lot of technical knowledge, that's very nice,” Tijn says.

Currently, the entrepreneurs are following the 10K programme of the Venture Centre of AUAS, where they receive supervision to take their start-up one stage further. They are currently working on validation – testing how this catches on – and finalising their business plan.

Coming soon in new sewing magazine

A new magazine, Shopwork, aimed at young people and the current era and with instructions and patterns to make designer garments, will soon be released. It also features an interview with NAAI's founders.