FASHION
This creates the ability for
easy wicking and is comfortable against the skin,
leaving you cooler and
drier than synthetics or
cotton. The bamboo plant
itself grows quickly without
needing pesticides and
herbicides. Hemp is my favorite for more structured
items like skirts and pants.
Hemp is one of the easiest
fibers to cultivate since it
requires no pesticides or
herbicides and little irrigation. It grows very quickly
and produces a textile
that is strong, lustrous and
mildew-resistant.
PMAG: What are a few
items you’re most excited
about in your latest collection?
CM: I’ve been really excited about the Multi-Way
Maxi Dress made from
Rayon from Bamboo and
Organic Cotton and produced in Chicago, IL with
fair trade and sweat-free
labor. You can wear this
Maxi three different ways
– you can fold the white
top in half for a high-waist
dress and unfold it for a
floor length, drop-waist
sexy maxi dress, and with
a quick fold this strapless
maxi dress can become a
skirt. Multi-way and multipurpose – this timeless and
chic Maxi will take you
from running errands to a
summer BBQ with no effort! With the scraps from
the Maxi Dresses I’ll be
making circle scarves for
fall that will be up on my
Etsy shop in a few weeks.
The new Vintage Floral
Fringe Kimonos are exciting because I’ve found
the perfect fabric trifecta:
floral, textured and sheer!
I’ve been working with
vintage fabric for a few
years, and this year I have
enough fabric for about
a dozen of these Floral
Kimonos, so once they
are sold out they will be
gone forever! I love bringing new life to old fabrics
that I find. It’s been a perfect topper for summer
and an amazing layering
piece that will take you
through to fall.
I’m also super excited
about the Kali Gypsy Envelope Clutches made
with 100% cotton fabric,
printed and fabricated
in USA. I hand sew everything from my studio in
Chicago with love and
care. I’m looking forward
to creating more unique
accessories to add to the
collection in the next few
seasons.
PMAG: How can fierceness help designers and
consumers make fashion
more sustainable?
CM: I believe fierceness
can help designers and
consumers make fashion
more sustainable by aiming to be trendsetters who
don’t care about following the trends or the status quo – that’s fierce. It’s
about knowing who you
are and not compromising your beliefs. Like Mahatma Gandhi, it’s about
making choices in order
to truly be the change
you want to see – whether
it’s creating a sustainable
alternative or by voting
with your dollar for brands
that make a difference.
Fierceness is about standing for what you believe
in – sustainability and individuality.
Caterina Mazzotta, founder of Kali Clothing, has been creating unique
designs for women and men using sustainable fabrics since 2006. Caterina
began designing clothing for herself as a teenager, and first developed
custom outfits in sustainable fabrics for others while completing her BA
in Environmental Politics and Culture at York University in Toronto. Each
collection from Kali Clothing is produced using sustainable materials, and
designed and manufactured in Toronto, ON and Chicago, IL through
investing in local communities.
For more information about Caterina, please visit kaliclothing.com.