For Kathleen Tesnakis, fashion is a form of environmental activism. As the founder of ekologic, Kathleen has spent the last three decades transforming the global textile waste stream into high-end wearable art. Operating out of a transformed historic church in Troy, New York (fittingly dedicated to the patron saint of seamstresses) she has personally reclaimed over 18 tons of post-consumer wool and cashmere, diverting it from landfills to create more than 44,000 one-of-a-kind pieces.
Kathleen’s "Ah-Ha!" moment arrived thirty years ago when she discovered that 99% of used textiles were discarded. Drawing on a Bachelor of Science in Textiles from Syracuse University and her experience as a designer for Scalamandré Silks, she developed a proprietary circular design system. Her process is a rigorous "alchemy of recycling": she hand-selects discarded garments, then washes, felts, de-lints, and collages the fabrics using five different specialized sewing machines to elevate every seam into a bespoke design statement.
"I believed that a simple item, such as a recycled hat, could lead to conversations that change the world," Kathleen says. "Thirty years in, I know it can."
Inspired by an upbringing in India filled with opulent colors and textures, Kathleen views the randomness of the waste stream as a "material generator." Ranging from artful hats and mittens to sculptural clothing, her work celebrates the integrity of natural fibers and the unique character of the people who wear them.
Visit Ekologic to learn more about Kathleen’s designs and give her a follow on Instagram.
