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    Shop Talk: Worthington Store Challenges Fast Fashion Industry

    Evolverie Clothing takes the unwanted fabric left behind by the fast fashion industry and turns it into a new batch of clothes. 

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    The ethical and sustainable clothing brand for women, located at 695 High St. in Worthington, was founded by Amy Homan. The clothes are designed by Homan and are hand-made from surplus fabric from Victoria Road, a socially responsible clothing and fair trade workshop in Karachi, Pakistan.

    “We don’t make any new fabric to make our pieces,” Homan said. “Sometimes we can make 25 pieces of something, sometimes we can only make six.”

    Comparing their aesthetic to Madewell or J. Crew, Evolverie Clothing includes professional and casual pieces designed to mix and match throughout the seasons, such as blazers, cardigans, tops, bottoms, jumpsuits and dresses. Homan said there are new releases every week and most of the clothes cost between $30-$80.

    The brand started by selling clothes online and expanded in October 2021 with the opening of its first brick-and-mortar. 

    Homan has always been interested in fashion, but a college course on sustainability helped turn Evolverie Clothing into what it is today. 

    Amy Homan of Evolverie Clothing – Photo provided by Amy Homan

    “I didn’t even know what sustainability was until I took that course, and then I completely changed my business,” Homan said. 

    Due to the cost and minimal selection of surplus fabric in the U.S., Homan said she wanted her clothes to be produced outside of the country. She met Shannon Grewer, founder of Victoria Road, through a Facebook group while searching for sustainable fashion designers.

    Grewer lives in Pakistan and started Victoria Road as a way to oversee the working conditions of the people making her clothes. Homan said Grewer works with some local artists in addition to producing her own designs, but Evolverie Clothing is Victoria Road’s biggest client. 

    “She has her own separate business, I have mine, but in order for either one to be successful, it’s a team duo because she can’t be in business if I’m not and vice-versa,” Homan said. 

    The two started working together in February 2020 and Evolverie Clothing released its first line hand-made by the 25 to 30-member sewing team in September 2020.

    “Honestly if I didn’t find Shannon two-and-a-half years ago, I don’t know where I’d be right now,” Homan said. 

    Grewer shops for the fabric weekly at local markets based on the designs Homan sends. Homan said it takes around two months for a design to be made if it requires a different fabric than what the sewing team already has in stock.

    Despite not knowing each other before and living in different countries, Homan said she and Grewer are close friends and talk daily, which makes it possible for Homan to ensure the quality of her brand. Like Grewer, knowing the people making her clothes are being paid and treated fairly is important to Homan.  

    Transparency is also important to Homan, which is why the shop’s website includes a cost breakdown for three of its items. After the cost of labor, materials, transportation and duties, the price of clothing is marked-up between 1.5 – 2.5%, according to Evolverie’s website. Most fashion retailers mark-up the price of their clothes between 4 – 6%

    “I’m not in this to be rich. I’m in this to educate people and hopefully they’ll want to help other people,” Homan said. “When you’re buying something, I don’t care whether it’s clothes or not, there’s a person behind it.”

    Evolverie Clothing is located at 695 High St. in Worthing and is open Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday from 12 – 4 p.m.

    Evolverie Clothing’s inventory as well as more information on the brand can be found on its website, evolverieclothing.com.

    All photos by Ashley Kimmel unless otherwise noted

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    Ashley Kimmel
    Ashley Kimmel
    Ashley Kimmel is a freelance reporter for Columbus Underground. She graduated from OSU with a BA in Journalism. Ashley has lived in Columbus her entire life and is passionate about the growing community and supporting small businesses.
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