001 / skye pennant

Introducing Hope Heads. A series where we ask brilliant minds three big questions about how hope shows up in their lives, work, and world.

First up: Skye Pennant, mender, maker, and activist behind Slow Stitch Club.

1. What does hope look or feel like to you, in this moment, in this world?

I think it’s really important to zoom in on the little things that we can actually change and make a difference to. It’s so easy to waste energy worrying about things we have no influence over, so I try and direct it towards my immediate environment, to be kind and supportive to those around me. When I feel that being reciprocated, or when someone reaches out to me in kindness unprompted, it gives me hope.

2. Where does hope live in your work or your industry, and what could shift if we let it lead?

Mending in itself is a hopeful act I think and one that helps to promote the idea that we can make a difference as individuals. Skill sharing is an important part of that too and one that I want to focus on - I want mending skills to be available to everyone. But, bringing clothing repair into the mainstream from the top down as an integral part of a business model would help to steer us away from seeing clothing as disposable and hopefully encourage more mindful consumption.

3. What is one idea, project or person that is giving you a glimpse of a more hopeful future?

Eco activist Wendy Ward recently shared her latest campaign #TakeItBack in which she sent back a 10 year old polycotton bedsheet to Sainsburys to raise awareness of the textile waste crisis and to push for companies to factor in what happens to their products at the end of their lifecycle. Campaigns like this are brilliant and give me hope; the impact has been amazing and a really important reminder for us that it’s the big companies that need to be producing products with their end of life in mind.

Want more hope?
Follow @slowstitchclub or check out slowstitch.club.

More Hope Heads landing soon.