Megan Mummery takes us through the production chain of her sustainable label, OhSevenDays
Words by Tess Macallan
What exactly is deadstock?
Deadstock is the fabric and offcuts left over after a clothing pattern has been cut. It is one of the most wasteful parts of creating new pieces, and while many labels are experimenting with zero-waste designs, designers like Megan Mummery are dealing with the surplus fabric that already exists.
Her label, OhSevenDays, uses only reclaimed fabric to produce its pieces. Dedicated to slow fashion and a circular supply chain, customers are encouraged to return their old OhSevenDays pieces to the company to be recycled into another season’s collection.
Though Megan launched her brand with these same ethics and concerns in 2015 to significant acclaim, it seems the rest of the industry has only just recently started taking a conscious step towards transparency.
Megan began designing after moving to Istanbul with her husband. Aware of the city’s strong manufacturing industry, she had some samples made and started producing very small collections.
She felt she couldn’t justify a brand without ensuring sustainability was at the centre of the process.
“I always felt guilty about starting a fashion brand because I feel like the world is full of them,” she explains. “So in my mind, the only way to justify it would be to ensure that the core of it was sustainable.”
With a bit of luck stumbling across stores on the outskirts of the city, she was able to set up a supply chain using surplus fabrics to create her designs.
“I didn’t want to contribute to the over-consumption that exists at the moment, so it kind of fell into place when I found these fabric suppliers,” she explains.
Unlike most labels, design is the second phase of the OhSevenDays process. While Mummery is able to come up with a starting silhouette, the label’s designs are dictated by the fabric.
But you wouldn’t know it. Their most recent collection is an assembly of uber-feminine pieces. Classic styles are reimagined in silky satins and breezy linen fabrics. Think gingham prints with additions of ruffles and ruches, and slip dresses that are perfect for summer. And she only creates seven pieces per season.
Still in Istanbul, Mummery works with an in-house production team, allowing her to keep eyes on every stage of the process.
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