Show Notes
What happened to Jo-Ann (the massive fabric/craft store chain)? In many places, it was the only game in town. It had a captive audience. And sewing and mending are on the rise. So Amanda set out to find out who killed Jo-Ann. It’s a lot more complicated than you think! In this episode we take a journey full of twists and turns: Was it just private equity? And WTF is private equity anyway? What do Jo-Ann and Red Lobster have in common? Unfortunately it's not Cheddar Bay Biscuits. How has society's relationship with sewing changed over the last 80 years? Who is Faith Popcorn and why is Amanda obsessed with her? Where are the mechanized hugging booths? Does anyone remember Cargo Express? Where did Jo-Ann's leadership go wrong? How would Amanda "save" Jo-Ann? What is the future of fabric stores? And how are we all a part of it? So many sources and so many links for this episode. First: some suggested fabric stores from Amanda: Firecracker Fabrics L'Etoffe Fabrics Nacho Ann's Fabrics Make & Mend Check out Oddly Specific with Meredith Lynch Sources and additional reading: "How private equity rolled Red Lobster," Gretchen Morgenson, NBC News. "How trend forecasting keeps the biggest brands on top," Peter Firth, City AM. "Faith Popcorn’s predictions five years later," Patrick Kevin Day, Los Angeles Times. "The Essence of Cocooning," Beth Ann Krier, Los Angeles Times. "Cloth World stores sold to chain," Alan Goldstein, Tampa Bay Times. "Fabri-Centers Agrees to Pay $3 Million to Settle Charges," Leslie Eaton, The New York Times. "Staff Said The Free Mask Kits At Jo-Ann Fabrics Are Just Scraps From The Clearance Bin," Amber Jamieson, Buzzfeed. "Did private equity kill Joann fabrics?" Sam Becker, Fast Company. "How Joann Fabrics went from a cult-favorite retail darling to a bankruptcy disaster," Lila Maclellan, Fortune. "Sixty-seven years of fabrics and crafts," Janet H. Cho, The Plain Dealer. "Sixty Years of Serving Creativity," Marsha McGregor. Get your Clotheshorse merch here: https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/shop/ If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it’s a typed out message or an audio recording: [email protected] Did you enjoy this episode? Consider "buying me a coffee" via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/clotheshorse Clotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:
The Pewter Thimble Is there a little bit of Italy in your soul? Are you an enthusiast of pre-loved decor and accessories? Bring vintage Italian style — and history — into your space with The Pewter Thimble (@thepewterthimble). We source useful and beautiful things, and mend them where needed. We also find gorgeous illustrations, and make them print-worthy. Tarot cards, tea towels and handpicked treasures, available to you from the comfort of your own home. Responsibly sourced from across Rome, lovingly renewed by fairly paid artists and artisans, with something for every budget. Discover more at thepewterthimble.com
St. Evens is an NYC-based vintage shop that is dedicated to bringing you those special pieces you’ll reach for again and again. More than just a store, St. Evens is dedicated to sharing the stories and history behind the garments. 10% of all sales are donated to a different charitable organization each month. New vintage is released every Thursday at wearStEvens.com, with previews of new pieces and more brought to you on Instagram at @wear_st.evens.
Deco Denim is a startup based out of San Francisco, selling clothing and accessories that are sustainable, gender fluid, size inclusive and high quality--made to last for years to come. Deco Denim is trying to change the way you think about buying clothes. Founder Sarah Mattes wants to empower people to ask important questions like, “Where was this made? Was this garment made ethically? Is this fabric made of plastic? Can this garment be upcycled and if not, can it be recycled?” Signup at
More from Clotheshorse with Amanda Lee McCarty
As we discussed in the previous episode, nostalgia is so @#$%ing lucrative. So of course, everyone is trying to cash in with some nostalgia slop of their own...including Target. In this "very special episode," we get started by dissecting the Target x dELiA*s "collab." The second half of the episode is pulled directly from the vault: a 2020 minisode all about the rise and decline of dELiA*s! In this episode, we will discuss: More examples of "zombie brands" and licensing Why a company like Target is desperate for a way to win back customers The history of dELiA*s (with some stops along the way with Alloy and Moxiegirl) The power of a mailing list in the catalog world The origins of the iconic dELiA*s font And so much more! Want some more dELiA*s nostalgia? Check out this amazing tumblr account! The new Clotheshorse PO Box: 69 Main Street, Box 16 New Providence, PA 17560 Get your Clotheshorse merch here: https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/shop/ If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it’s a typed out message or an audio recording: [email protected] Did you enjoy this episode? Consider "buying me a coffee" via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/clotheshorse Clotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses: Slow Fashion Academy is a size-inclusive sewing and patternmaking studio based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded by designer and fashion professor Ruby Gertz. Ruby just launched CLO3D for Custom Fit: a 12-week beginner-friendly online course in virtual patternmaking with CLO3D software. Instead of making sample after sample, you can now customize avatars that match your real body measurements and fit-test garments virtually—before cutting into a single piece of fabric. You can also work from your pre-existing paper or PDF patterns! This course is designed to get you over the initial hump to working confidently in the program. It includes 300+ bite-size video lessons spaced out over 12 weeks, weekly live Q&A calls for accountability, a custom body scan to use as a you-sized virtual dress form, and a super supportive community of like-minded designers that are all learning together in a cohort. Perfect for indie patternmakers, emerging designers, or anyone who wants to design clothes that actually fit their one-of-a-kind body. Learn more about the course, as well as our in-person sewing and patternmaking workshops at www.slowfashion.academy.
From reissues of iconic toys to the resurgence of our favorite middle school brands, there is nostalgia for sale all around us. In this episode, Amanda unpacks why nostalgia is a powerful (and easy) way to sell us lots of stuff that we probably don't really need. Topics in this episode include Why do we love nostalgia so much? And what is it? Why does it seem like there is so much nostalgic stuff to buy everywhere we go? Is nostalgia good for us? How can we experience nostalgia without buying something? What are "zombie brands?" Along the way, we'll talk about 50s diners, that viral Esprit sweatshirt (and the true story of Esprit), whimsy-maxxing, and more! Additional reading: Speaking of Psychology: Does nostalgia have a psychological purpose? With Krystine Batcho, PhD "The rise and fall of Esprit, San Francisco’s coolest clothing brand," Joshua Bote, SFGate.
In a world of greenwashing, wall-to-wall podcast ads, and affiliate marketing "listicles," it's really hard to know if a brand is actually as sustainable and ethical as it claims. Well, Amanda has been looking into this kind of stuff for years, so in this episode they will show you exactly what they do when they want to figure out the true story of a brand. And specifically, we will unpack Quince as an example! In this episode: Is Quince as sustainable and ethical as their marketing seems to claim? What are some obvious red flags that a brand is not sustainable and ethical? Why are sustainable fashion organizations, writers, and activists no longer receiving as much funding as they once did? Why does Amanda feel "weird" about the Commons app? Why is a job review site (Glassdoor) a surprisingly useful addition to your slow fashion toolbox? And why can't we shop our way to a better world? Also: Six years of Clotheshorse...and introducing, CONWAY! Helpful links and reading:
This episode is part ten in an ongoing series about brands and how they influence our identities and drive consumerism. In this episode, we are going to examine brands and their values: their true values and then their marketing values (yes, most big companies have both and you might be surprised by the lack of overlap between those two sets of values). And specifically, we are going to use Everlane as a conduit for this discussion. We will go all the way back to Everlane’s origin to identify what the brand’s values were from the beginning. We will get some additional context around SHEIN’s purchase of Everlane. We will learn just how much private equity is controlling fashion at this point. Amanda will debunk that myth that Everlane’s sale marks the “end” of sustainability in fashion. And we will explore how "Stickergate" involved emotional branding. Listen to Amanda on Creativity In The Time of Capitalism.
Forget apps, AI, and "miracle" eco fabrics...the solution to the fast fashion and overconsumption crisis is…PEOPLE. The future is human! And one way people come into play as part of all of this is via their small businesses. In this episode, Amanda is joined by Malena of The Slow Era, a vintage store and slow fashion community hub in Ames, Iowa. In this episode, we are going to talk about How Malena uses their own values as a decision making tool for their business Why writing a business manifesto made this a lot easier (and why we should also be writing our own personal manifestos, too) How they reconcile their own anti-capitalist beliefs with being a small business owner How they connect with and educate their customers and community via the business How to avoid compromising your values in business (and why/how it will open doors and bring in more customers) And so much more!