We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Haven DeAnglis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Haven, thanks for joining us today. Alright, let’s take a stroll on memory lane, back to when you were an apprentice or intern. What’s a memorable story from that time that you can share with us?

I had two internships while attending college at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in the summer of my freshman and sophomore years. In the summer of 2017, I was a design intern at TerraCycle in Trenton, NJ. At TerraCycle, I assisted with the design and construction of upcycle products made from post-consumer waste, like toothpaste tubes and chip bags. I transformed these materials into items such as tote bags, zipper pouches, baby bibs and office folders. I perfected technical sewing skills on industrial machines and learned batch production. I already had an interested in using recycled or reclaimed materials in my art practice but TerraCycle further influenced my passion in remaking consumer products more sustainable.

During the summer of 2018, I interned at MamerSass Reinvented Fashions in Chincoteague, VA. I was a fashion design intern and helped sew and construct upcycled fashions made from textile waste. I also assisted in running the storefront. The MamerSass internship inspired me to create my own small business, producing one-of-a-kind clothing and accessories from fabric scraps and pre-loved clothing. The following year I began STITCH AND DESTROY!

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?

Since 2019, STITCH AND DESTROY has been producing eco-friendly punk rock clothing and accessories, while also catering to those interested in retro and alternative styles. We are one of the few punk clothing brands committed to sustainability and reducing textile waste.

UPCYCLING: The process of transforming waste materials into a valuable product

At STITCH AND DESTROY, we believe the clothing you wear should reflect your values. Our clothing and accessories are made entirely out of recycled and upcycled materials, including rescued fabrics, pre-loved clothing, plastic bags, drink tabs, and metal bottle caps. Even our zippers and buttons are repurposed!

All of our products are handmade in Philadelphia. We strongly believe in creating items that are made well to last.

STITCH AND DESTROY was created by me, Haven DeAnglis, out of my love for punk rock, fashion, and the environment. I noticed that my favorite alternative fashion brands were not supporting healthier and greener garment industry practices. Combining punk’s DIY attitude and my skills in fashion design, STITCH AND DESTROY was born. Clothing and accessories that not only reduce textile waste, but promote the ethics that punk was founded on.

We are opening a storefront and studio on South Street in Philadelphia this spring!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

One of my very first opportunities to sell my work was the MICA Art Market in 2016. I sold out of almost all of my inventory and loved the atmosphere of selling work amongst other creatives. From then on, I vended at countless street fairs, art markets and festivals. When I started STITCH AND DESTROY in 2019, my main source of sales was participating at these pop-ups, and until now, I was doing 1-2 events per month. Me and my business partner/boyfriend, Corey, moved to Philadelphia in the fall of 2020. We found our creative community in Philly by participating in these markets. STITCH AND DESTROY has grown a lot since our move and last year we made the decision to sign a lease on a storefront! This was a huge undertaking, not only financially, but we had to acknowledge the fact that we would no longer participate in markets for the foreseeable future. While we loved being a part of these fun events that would sometimes attract hundreds of attendees, we were finding that it was difficult to set-up a “mini” store for 1 day and see enough sales to make it worth our effort and time. Plus, having a upcycled clothing business, our studio needs a lot of space to store fabric and supplies, merchandise and sewing equipment- and this studio space was ultimately a bedroom in our small Philly apartment. In our new storefront, the studio space will be a part of the store and customers will get to see firsthand how our clothing is made. The store will give us more space, more customers and the ability to be open every weekend (rain or shine). I will miss being a part of the art market community but can’t wait to see how STITCH AND DESTROY will grow when the storefront opens Spring 2024.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

Corey Heffernan and I met at MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art) in 2016. We noticed each other for a few months around campus, and eventually Corey introduced himself. We’ve been together ever since our first date at the MICA performance of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Over the years we’ve shared with one another our passion about art, punk rock music + style, and working collaboratively on STITCH AND DESTROY. Corey is an illustrator and graphic designer, he designed our logo and has created countless pieces for our online presence and printed works.

Our earliest vending events together were actually for Corey’s comic book work. As STITCH AND DESTROY grew, we would combine our table spaces and always have a partner there for events! Corey has been a collaborator on STITCH AND DESTROY since before day one, making graphics and taking the lead on photoshoots. Since we’ve made the move toward a storefront, Corey is officially Number 2 in the business, and is sewing and creating alongside me. I’m very lucky to have someone I love to work beside me towards our creative goal.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.stitchanddestroy.com
• Instagram: @stitchanddestroyclothing
• Facebook: @stitchanddestroyclothing