#171: Restoring and Upcycling Vintage Clothing with Debbie Murphy episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 17, 2025

#171: Restoring and Upcycling Vintage Clothing with Debbie Murphy

from Check Your Thread: Sewing More Sustainably · host Zoe Edwards

Do you love bringing new life into existing clothes? How do you decide when a vintage garment should be faithfully restored, or upcycled and transformed? And what is the environmental impact of saving old clothes from landfill anyway? This week I’m bringing you a fascinating conversation with micro-business owner, Debbie Murphy. Debbie explains how a youth spent sewing clothes to fit in with the style tribes of the 1980s led her to a career in costuming and vintage clothing restoration. She also shares how a health diagnosis sharpened her commitment to zero waste practices in her business, and the study that was done on her business which revealed incredible facts about the impact she's having.  Support the podcast over on Patreon! Check out Debbie’s creations on her website, Missfit Creations, and follow her on Instagram (@missfitcreates).  We referred to the small and shared spaces sewing episodes. Queue them up to listen if you haven’t heard them already! Ep. #158: Small and Shared Space Sewin, Part 1 Ep. #159: Small and Shared Space Sewin, Part 2 Read the study undertaken on the environmental impact of Debbie’s business.  Debbie referenced mender, Suzie Ellis (@tailsandtextiles on Instagram) 

Do you love bringing new life into existing clothes? How do you decide when a vintage garment should be faithfully restored, or upcycled and transformed? And what is the environmental impact of saving old clothes from landfill anyway? This week I’m bringing you a fascinating conversation with micro-business owner, Debbie Murphy. Debbie explains how a youth spent sewing clothes to fit in with the style tribes of the 1980s led her to a career in costuming and vintage clothing restoration. She also shares how a health diagnosis sharpened her commitment to zero waste practices in her business, and the study that was done on her business which revealed incredible facts about the impact she's having.  Support the podcast over on Patreon! Check out Debbie’s creations on her website, Missfit Creations, and follow her on Instagram (@missfitcreates).  We referred to the small and shared spaces sewing episodes. Queue them up to listen if you haven’t heard them already! Ep. #158: Small and Shared Space Sewin, Part 1 Ep. #159: Small and Shared Space Sewin, Part 2 Read the study undertaken on the environmental impact of Debbie’s business.  Debbie referenced mender, Suzie Ellis (@tailsandtextiles on Instagram)

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#171: Restoring and Upcycling Vintage Clothing with Debbie Murphy

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This episode was published on February 17, 2025.

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Do you love bringing new life into existing clothes? How do you decide when a vintage garment should be faithfully restored, or upcycled and transformed? And what is the environmental impact of saving old clothes from landfill anyway? This week I’m...

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