Pajotten is a small sustainable fashion brand based in the UK, we make mens and womenswear to order using natural fabrics - please take the time to look at our website to see what we do. When it became clear that Covid 19 was taking hold in the UK we wanted to do something to help, not to profit from the situation, sharing our mask pattern and a set of instructions seemed to be the best way to do it - and the response has been amazing, there are schools in New Zealand making them, people in city tower blocks in New York sewing them for the elderly in their buildings, I have had requests from my ex students who want to get...
When we started Pajotten we didn't set out on some huge crusade to make an environmental difference (honestly that's not possible - fashion is environmentally bad - if you can, buy second hand), we were simply trying spend's time together designing, making and selling the clothes we love.
When we started Pajotten it was going to be a menswear company - producing mainly chore jackets, Ben had been wearing them for years, old secondhand ones worn patched and weatherworn, perfect for working in, we thought other people might see the value of such a versatile and utilitarian garment
We have just launched womenswear - it has been a long time coming, but this is slow fashion! The process started several months ago, and although its been a labour of love it has been quite long-winded, in the summer we spent several days drawing rough ideas, followed up by several more days sewing calico samples and looking at possible fabrics, but we weren't happy so discarded it all, we wanted to make sure that the final pieces combined comfort with clever but simple detailing, clothes that are truly wearable every day but feel special. So we designed again, and this time to a point where we could do a fitting, Lily, the daughter of a very good friend kindly agreed to come and do...
With the bolts of fabric, cutting table and sewing machines and overlockers all taking up space it was all becoming a bit cramped at home, originally we had said we wouldn't look for a new studio until the brand was selling confidently but already I was restricted in terms of when I could use the sewing machines (always good to be nice to your neighbors!) and I often got distracted by doing things in the house so when a working space came available we jumped at the chance - the difference has been fantastic - suddenly there was space to work properly, we set up a cutting room and put the sewing space next to it, pattern rails, menswear rails...
