Editor's Pick: Alabama Chanin Mixes Sustainability and Southern Charm

There's certainly no shortage of designers who strive to incorporate sustainability into their work, but there are a few whose designs embody the true essence of sustainability. Natalie "Alabama" Chanin is one such designer. From imaginative home decor and organic cottons to a limited-edition jewelry line, the intricate handmade designs that make up her Alabama Chanin label are just as important as the local communities and artisans who produce them. I spoke to Natalie about her current projects and extensive list of endeavors, and she was incredibly gracious in answering all of our questions. Read on to learn more about the concepts behind her work, the artisans who transform them into reality, and the projects that are keeping this deeply rooted designer on her toes.

Stylehive: You're based in Florence, Alabama. What kind of influence has being there had on your work?

Natalie €œAlabama€� Chanin: Community is at the heart of who we are and what we do€¦ certainly this community in specific but a greater community at large. It is my belief that we have moved away from this intricate community which always offered supply and demand and that through enriching and empowering our communities again, we empower ourselves as individuals within those communities. It is a win-win situation.

SH: Tell us more about the artisans who construct your designs.

AC: Each of our garments is completely constructed by hand by one or more of our artisans who live in Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi. They work in a €œcottage industry€� style of production where each artisan is their own business owner and consequently sets their own schedule and commitment level. We have ladies who range in age from 25-85 and sew for a number of different reasons. There are single mothers who sew to care for their families, secretaries who sew at night to put their children through college, retired ladies who sew for the fellowship of friends and family.

In some cases, we have three generations of a family working together. They are a truly remarkable group of women.

SH: You're also a filmmaker, stylist, cook, and consultant, in addition to designing and being a mother. Are there other areas you plan on exploring?

AC: I guess that is just about enough for the time being! My children, my life and my job keep me pretty busy right now (smile)€¦

SH: What drew you to sustainable design?

AC: I have to say that I was on this road a long time before I actually realized that what I was doing was €œsustainable.€� I started working with recycled t-shirts because I liked the aesthetic and realized along the way about the environmental and social impact of the industry I was working in. This realization was an awakening of sorts that put me on the path I am on today.

Oddly enough, I have a degree in Environmental Design and graduated in 1987. At that time, I don€™t believe that we were fully aware of the impact the environment would come to play in our role as designers.

SH: Tell us about your home furnishing line.

AC: This has been a very exciting new development for us. What began as swatches of fabric has developed into a full home-furnishings line with both soft textiles (pillows, quilts, fabrics for interiors) to interior pieces like chandeliers and chairs that are made completely with €œup-cycled€� materials. We just sold the first pieces to ABC Carpet and Home and are very happy about upcoming projects with architects and decorators.

SH: We hear you're working on a collection of one-of-a-kind t-shirts. What can we expect from the line?

AC: Working with recycled materials is a great inspiration and always yields uncommon results€¦ for this reason; we have continued to develop this €œone-of-a-kind€� line to satisfy our desire and commitment to the recycled garment. These pieces hark back to our beginnings while providing a place for us to experiment and grow. I love seeing the whole range - each of them individual - hanging on a rack.

SH: Any favorite pieces you'd like to point out?

AC: We have a new line of 100% Organic Cotton T-shirts that are exclusive to our Online Store. I am pretty excited about these right now.

http://www.alabamachaninstore.com/AlabamaChaninStorePage4.htm

SH: Describe how you incorporate humor into your jewelry.

AC: We try to incorporate humor into everything we do, each and every day€¦ keeps us on our toes.

SH: Tell us about your endeavors as a filmmaker.

AC: I was working in the film industry as a costume designer and found myself drawn more and more to documentary. Thanks to friends who owned a film production company, I was given the opportunity to experiment with ideas I had about film.
When I returned to my home in the year 2000 to begin the line of recycled t€™s, I also wrote a script for a documentary film about old-time quilting circles€¦ that film was made at the same time of the first 200 shirts and came to be known as €œStitch.€� €œStitch€� has been called a €œroad map€� through rural America where the quilt provides the path.

SH: Tell us about the AL Studio weekend.

AC: What began as a yearly company picnic, developed into a time to celebrate our entire community. This year, we have a great program called €œThe Southern Storyteller€� which addresses everything from film to music. You can learn more here:

http://www.alabamastudio.org/