A Lilleshall woman is looking to combat today’s throw-away society after starting her own ethical fashion chain.
Rachel Tinnion has invested in her major interest of fashion designing by opening her own brand of hand-customized and Fair Trade clothes.
And the mother of two, who is a lecturer at Shrewsbury College, said she hopes the competitively priced garments, at RAW fashion will be a hit.
She said: “I have just started up my own business selling homemade children’s clothes, Fair Trade ladies wear and jewellery.
“I have always had a passion for designing and in my student days I was always altering my clothes and seeing what could be done differently.
“Most materials are re-usable and this is a chance to combat the throw away society with ethical designing.
“I get a lot of my materials in charity shops and then completely re-brand them with quirky and bohemian designs.
“They are original one off pieces and I believe they are priced competitively ranging from £8 to £40.
“A lot of clothes that are thrown away are not easily destroyed and Nylon for example won’t bio-degrade so there is also a green issue here too.”
The launch night for the new business was held last Friday night in Muxton.
And Rachel, who runs the business from home, is now hoping to go on the road showing her clothes at specially designed parties.
She added: “The launch party was a huge success. Around 100 people attended the event which included a fashion show.
“The guests then all had a chance to browse and buy the clothes and my range of fair trade jewellery in a buzzing, lively atmosphere.
“Building on a great launch, I’m now taking bookings for parties at client’s homes. And party hosts get 10 per cent of the takings on the night.
“And I am also looking to work with education authorities and community groups to do workshops and talk to them about my idea, because I believe children can learn from recycling materials.”
For more details email rachel@raw-fashions.co.uk to get a leaflet or visit the website www.raw-fashions.co.uk.
By Sam Pinnington