Behind the Scrap Collection

Here at Vacilando, we value sustainability and have always done our best to make the most of each and every yard of fabric we receive. But at the end of every quilt, there is leftover fabric that can’t be reused in our designs.

In 2018, the EPA estimated that the U.S. generated 17 million tons of textile waste, with 11.3 million tons ending up in landfills and only 2.5 million tons recycled, when 95% of all textile waste can be recycled or repurposed.  Although we only use natural fibers in our quilts, it takes up to 200 years for textiles to break down and we have no intention of contributing to the excessive textile waste in landfills.

So our entire production team saves almost every single scrap of fabric, tucking them away in baskets, waiting to be repurposed into something else. Last year alone, our team made almost 800 quilted pieces: we have a LOT of leftover fabric!

This year, as we’ve had more time, energy, and womanpower, we’ve started initiatives to repurposed those fabric scraps into quilted bandanas made in collaboration with Bad Nana’s Bandanas and have donated pounds of fabric remnants to artists and organizations like Stanton Home Weavery. But after one of our quilters was inspired to improvisationally piece together some of her leftover fabric into an artful wall quilt, a light bulb flickered on. 

Each and every one of the quilters and seamstresses that works with Vacilando is wildly creative and talented, so why not give them some creative freedom and see what they would create out of the leftover fabric they had lying around. We gave them carte blanche, a few loose parameters, and three months to dream up and produce whatever they wanted.  

What resulted was really exciting and surprisingly cohesive. As each individual’s collection started to come together, they shared photos of their works in progress with one another, which in turn inspired and informed their colleagues’ work. I love the creativity, inventiveness, and experimentation that came out of this project - each piece is so unique and individualistic, but together, they play off one another as well as Vacilando’s designs to form a thoughtfully designed collection that is anything but scrappy. 

Each of the 61 wall quilts, pillows, and pouches in the Scrap Collection is one of a kind and will never be reproduced. Every piece also showcases the personal aesthetic of the quilter or seamstress who made them. This truly unique collection of work not only celebrates the individual creativity of the ladies who keep the wheels turning here at Vacilando, but it keep textiles out of landfills and repurposes fabric scraps into something beautiful and useful. What’s more to love?

Our very first Scrap Collection launches on Tuesday June 29th at 12pm CST. Get to know each individual quilter by reading their interviews in the Journal and see sneak peaks of their contributions on Instagram.