Slow fashion by Humanoddity: “Repairing is such an important part of being a human”
Humanoddity pushes the boundaries of slow and local fashion. Co-founder Daniel Weber, student at the Brno University of Technology, focuses on creating clothing that is easy to adjust and repair, ensuring that each piece lasts for years. But the brand’s mission goes further - sparking conversations about the fashion industry and how we consume.
“We are more of a project than a fashion brand. We try to not only make clothes and show what the process looks like, but also to share information about the fast fashion industry, its alternatives, second-hand shopping, repairing, and more. We like to see it as a whole package – not just as making and selling something, but as telling the full story and showing people an alternative.”
Sustainability and local fabric production
Part of the package is making clothes. How do you make sure the process is sustainable?
“We try to produce the clothes locally. We collaborate with a workshop in Zlín, a place historically known for its clothing production. And there are still some workshops that make clothing there.
“We also pay attention to sourcing the fabrics because usually the choice of fabric has the biggest environmental impact. We look mostly into deadstock fabrics, which are all second-hand – they are fabrics either from other brands that have some leftovers that they do not use, or from factories that have closed down and still have a lot in stock. There is this amazing project in the Czech Republic, Textile Mountain, which saves these fabrics.
“The other path is to use certified fabrics. For instance, when it comes to cotton, we usually go for GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), which is the best certification you can get.
“We are also looking more and more into local alternatives to cotton – like linen and hemp, which could be produced here in Europe. Cotton is always shipped in from somewhere, which comes with a certain impact. So, we are looking into local fabric options, but it's difficult because all fabric production here in Europe has been closed down. For instance, in the Czech Republic, it is almost non-existent right now.
“But we also look into what exactly the item we are producing is. We do not want to produce super trendy items or things of lower quality; rather we look into items that people can own for a long time, because that is how it used to be. For instance, you would have a bigger seam allowances for your trousers and you could make them a few centimetres longer or shorter.”
The challenges of marketing
Are there some challenges that come with this way of producing clothes? You do not position yourself as a traditional fashion brand – how do you let people know that you exist?
“For a long time, we were struggling to find a voice and to let people know that we were making clothing without being too pushy about it and without using traditional hyper-marketing techniques. Now, we mainly do posts on social media, which is our main channel to communicate – mainly through Instagram, which also has its own problems. We try not to push anything; we do not do false marketing. We are trying to be as transparent about everything as possible, and usually that works – people see it and they like it. So, that's the strategy right now.”
The value in repair
What is the impact that you would like to have?
“You learn to understand how difficult it is to make something and to take care of it, and then you have more respect for it.”
Daniel Weber
“To show people that they don't have to buy as much and that they can just use what they have and learn to repair. Repairing, I think, is such an important part of being a human, because it builds a certain relationship with the pieces – it doesn't have to be just clothing. It's everything around us. You learn to understand how difficult it is to make something and to take care of it, and then you have more respect for it. So, that's what we are really trying to show.
“We don’t just want to offer an alternative and say, ‘buy our clothing because it’s the best.’ We want to send a message: look more closely at quality, at how things are made and where they come from – and learn to care for them as best you can.”
Human Oddity is based in Brno. What makes Brno a good place for a project like yours? Does its local environment shape your work?
“I think the project could go wherever I go. (laughter) But right now I still study at university in Brno, which provides a lot of support. There is also a lot of culture and a lot of events happening in Brno. There are a lot of people who are willing to help you and who go out of their way to make things happen.
