We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Collin Semien. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Collin below.

Collin, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

My project SEMI-stitched was started with the initiative to take preloved clothes and deadstock fabric and give them a new life by creating environmentally sustainable and fashionable garments. originally started by taking thrifted clothes and flipping them the project now has done over 200 customs using materials like shoes, ties, blankets, and curtains. As a college side hustle with little competition I intended on doing campus alterations, slowly as my skills grew and time went on people came for custom requests. with the help of social media for inspiration and promotion the project increased into a development of its own image. SEMI

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Collin’s sewing journey began when he would watch his grandmother teach him and his sister how to sew. With that knowledge, he would go on and learn to tailor his pants for school and his suits for church. Starting as a fun simple project in a dorm, the SEMI brand was born turning old and thrifted clothes into something new and creative. Now the brand takes a different but similar journey : “Bringing together the magic of design with the sustainability of eco-friendly materials”

Transparency is desperately needed in the fashion industry. It contributes between 2% and 8% of the total amount of the world’s carbon emissions and produces an estimated 4% of its waste. With the rise of fast fashion in the past 30 years, consumers have purchased twice as many items of clothing and wear each item about seven times before it’s tossed. SEMI aims to change that.

As a double major in Sustainable Agriculture and Fashion Design Collin learned his own way of mixing both knowledge and passion to create unforgettable results.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My current goal is to reduce fashion waste and increase garment care. In our current culture I see people tend to but clothes for one event and never wear it again. People are using the cleaners less and less and repairs for garments is seen as pointless. My goal is to make the item that you want to wear to all events, that you will get repaired, and that will be an heirloom in your closet.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

My business was not heavily funded. My first investment was a Walmart sewing machine and time. The time brings skill and the skill brings returning clients. Most of my early work was cheap and I was getting paid to basically practice. As I became more confident the price was set and that money was used to further develop ideas and get better equipment from scissors and pins to a second machine

Contact Info:

• Website: https://semi-stitched.com
• Instagram: @semistitched
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/semiencollin/

Image Credits

Ydphotoandart
ShotsbyBryceLindsay
zlewisphotography