Meet the Maker
Claire from Montclair...I grew up in Montclair, NJ, went away for college, and returned.Now I combine the skills I learned as a Weaving and Textile Design major at Rochester Institute of Technology with a big dose of pop culture and a sense of humor.
The listings in my shop fuse nostalgia with sustainability to create signature products that are Montclair Made!
Much of my materials are locally sourced and given a second life in my products! Repurposed denim and vintage fabrics for the zipper pouches. Vintage sheet music, National Geographic atlases, and vintage field guides are material for the paper garlands. Vintage calendar tea towels are material for my one-of-a-kind bird ornaments. Tshirts find new life as unique back packs. Repurposed beer promo banners donated from a local bar are transformed into utilitarian shaving kit bags!
When I create the zipper pouches I sew the notebook paper lines first, then I hand embroider the cursive or block letter words, and then I sew the zipper pouch. When I make my products it's like a meditation through repetition that I thoroughly enjoy!
My banner is a collage I created from photographs of signage I took around Montclair. Read this blog post I wrote to learn about which local signs I used.