LEAH WIDDECOMBE
2020-2021 mentee
guest critic
2023 scholarship recipient
2023 Exhibiting artist
As a 2020-21 mentee, Leah explored the impact of synthetic clothing (fast fashion) on ocean plastic pollution and experimented with new textile designs for her line of clothing. This work, “Feeding Our Fibers: Environmental Impact of Synthetic Clothing” was then exhibited as part of Re-Imagining Conservation: From Many Viewpoints (2023.)
As a 2023 scholarship recipient, Leah ran a community-based art and science project, “Shirt to Dirt” documenting how readily natural fibers degrade.
“In a world where fast fashion and synthetic fiber clothing pile high in landfills and pollute our waterways, l've been on a mission to better understand how long it takes plant-based fabrics like linen to biodegrade, and my lovely online community helped me find out the answer! We sent participants linen fabric samples to bury in their yard, and asked them to upload photos of unearthed linen to our online database biweekly for & weeks. We were excited to see how quickly their linen turned back to dirt (as quickly as 2 weeks in some places)! Together, we created the first visual database of linen biodegradation to unearth a brighter future with plant-based clothing.”
LEAH WIDDECOMBE is the creator, designer, seamstress, dye scientist, and model at Charlie Darwin Textiles. I am also a social science researcher at Pitt, studying the relationship humans have with other animals and the ecosystems we live in. After fifteen years of sewing my own clothes, I created Charlie Darwin in 2021 with a vision and goal of providing more sustainable options for people who are passionate about building a meaningful connection with the earth.
Charlie Darwin Textiles is an eco-conscious and artisanal textile brand that uses plant-based fabrics and dyes to match your soft, earthy lifestyle. We believe the clothing you love should live long and biodegrade fast, not contribute to landfills! In our Pennsylvania studio, I create made-to-measure plant-based clothing, digital sewing patterns for the home-sewist, and educational community projects about the vast web of ecological connections within clothing. Learn more at CharlieDarwinTextiles.com
Social media handle: @leatarrd
Website: CharlieDarwinTextiles.com