Tortoise & Hare

Want to know the three simplest ways to show your clothing some love?

♡ Organising ♡
Making time to sort your clothes gives you a chance to see what you have, and tidy your storage space so that your favourite things are easy to see and access. It won't cost you anything, and I promise you'll get a big happy dopamine hit every time you use your freshly organised closet!

♡ Mending ♡
We all have something hidden in the back of our shelves that will never be worn because it needs to be fixed. I get it, you don't want to throw it away because it's cute and still has a lot of wear, but you also haven't worn it in a year because of that unfortunate hole in the armpit. This is your sign to dig those pieces out and learn how to mend them online, or have someone help you bring them back to life.

♡ Upcycling ♡
Okay, so you've done a nice big spring clean, organised your shelves and sent a few things off to be repaired. Your closet is filled with pieces you love, but you also have a pile of clothing that you don't really wear. You don't want to put them back into your wardrobe because you know they'll stay there, untouched until your next spring clean. This is where ✨upcycling✨ comes in. Is there a way you could make them into something you actually would wear? Could that badly-fitting dress be made into a cute top? Maybe those old jeans could become a pair of shorts? The world is your carefully-stitched oyster!

Making use of the clothing you already own is the one of the most sustainable things you can do when it comes to fashion.

According to climate action NGO WRAP, the average lifetime for a garment of clothing in the UK is ~2.2 years, and extending it's life by just 9 months can reduce its environmental impact by up to 10%. Imagine if you extended it by a whole decade!

Here's to taking climate action by showing your wardrobe (and the planet) some love 🐇💗

There's a scientific word for the influence clothes have on our minds.

It's called ~enclothed cognition~ and it describes how what we wear actually changes the way we think and behave.

In the first study on this, participants who wore a lab coat they thought belonged to a doctor performed better in a test than participants who wore their own clothes or were told the coat belonged to an artist. People who thought they were wearing the doctor's coat paid more attention to the test, because they were behaving like the doctor they were dressed as.

It's like how wearing a tailored blazer makes you feel put together and powerful, while a warm knitted jumper makes you feel cozy and soft.

So, what do you want to dress for today? Being mindful about what you wear means you get to slow down and choose how you want to feel, and which clothes might help you feel that way.

Because good clothes feel good (and you deserve to feel good!) 🐇

Lots of our styles are maternity-friendly, with free-flowing shapes and gathered elastic backs to fit growing bumps.

Both of the beauties in these photos were in their third trimester when the shots were taken 💗

Our kimonos are great because you can wear something stretchy underneath (or your togs - it's my fav beach outfit!), and throw one over top to instantly feel a bit glam.

We have lots of cute flowy dresses that can grow with you too, like the Jane dress which has an elastic back that can stretch to accomodate your bump, or drapes into a u-shape when the fit is looser.

These less form-fitting and elasticated styles are designed to look cute even when your body changes, so you can wear them through pregnancy and after you've given birth.

Plus they're made from sustainable fabrics so you're also looking after the planet for future generations 💗🐇

Lizzie McGuire, you are an outfit repeater!

I swear those words still haunt me sometimes, making me want to do mental maths about the outfits I've worn recently, so I can make up rules about what I should and shouldn't wear today.

But the idea we should feel shame for outfit repeating belongs in 2003 with The Lizzie McGuire Movie.

Because I actually LOVE it when I find an outfit combination that feels so good I want to wear it every day of the week. That's how I know it's making me feel extra sparkly - like the best version of me.

I've started to think about it less like outfit repeating, and more like a signature look - the movie version of me. Like I'm the main character and this outfit perfectly portrays the most important parts of me.

So now, instead of feeling embarrassed for wearing the same thing again I'm glad to have found an outfit I love so much that I want to wear it on repeat.

Shoutout to all the Lizzie's out there outfit repeating with me! 💗🐇

We offer free repairs on everything we make.

Because it's important that each piece of our clothing gets to be worn as many times as possible. Loved for as long as it can be.

The more you wear something, the more value you get out of the resources that went into making it. This is more sustainable, and lowers the environmental impact of your clothing in the long run.

You also get to build more of a bond with each piece of clothing as it's with you through different things that happen in your life.

Offering free repairs on Tortoise & Hare garments is part of our circularity efforts; trying to keep our clothing in use for as long as possible.

Send us a message if you're interested in knowing more about circularity, and some of the other things we do to contribute to a more circular economy 🐇

Words to live by 🐇

It might sound gross, but not washing your clothes is one of the best things you can do for them.

Washing machines are hard on clothes. They spin and jostle your lovely things around to make them clean, but each cycle takes a toll on the fabric your clothes are made from.

Sometimes a trip through the washing machine is unavoidable, but other times a spot clean is a much gentler option. That hoodie you dripped toothpaste on, or those jeans with a glob of ice cream near the knee - they're prime candidates for a spot clean.

Sometimes just a rinse in cold water will do the trick. Or you might need a little bit of stain remover and warm soapy water for tougher marks. Either way it will take less time than you think. And it's a couple of minutes well spent if it saves your favourite piece from having to go through the washing machine.

Spot cleaning is a great way to show your clothes a bit of extra love, and help them last that extra mile looking fresh 🐇

I'm obsessed with 'dopamine dressing' - a trend that's been bouncing around the internet for the past little while.

It's all about wearing clothes that boost your mood.

Dopamine is a chemical messenger in your brain that makes you feel good. It's released when you do fun things, like listen to good music or pat a cat. And there's a fair amount of research showing your clothes can give you dopamine as well.

So how do you dress for maximum dopamine?

It kinda seems too simple to be true, but it's really just these two steps:
1. Pay attention to how different clothes make you feel
2. Wear clothes that feel good

You can experiment with colours, textures, shapes and patterns, figuring out what makes you feel the most like you - the best, happiest, most comfortable version of yourself.

I reckon if we can boost our happiness by choosing something that sparks joy from our wardrobe that day, we might as well do it right? 🐇

Why did I start a sustainable slow fashion business?

To create the kind of business I wanted to support.

The kind of business that exists to support people and the environment, not exploit them.

The kind of business where people and the environment are ~more important~ than profit.

And the kind of business where transparency is common. Transparency about how much workers are paid, and transparency about the environmental impact of the materials and processes used.

I created Tortoise & Hare because I want there to be more businesses in the world operating like this.

More businesses refusing to rely on the exploitation of people and the environment in the name of making money.

More businesses offering sustainable alternatives (like renting and repairs) that contribute to a more circular economy.

And more businesses who are trying to find new and interesting ways to use the resources and materials we already have.

I created Tortoise & Hare because I wanted it to exist. It’s the kind of business I want to support, and I’m so grateful that you’re here to support it too 🐇💗

because we'd like to see it live forever!

And also because we believe that circularity is the future of clothing. That is, designing and producing garments that stay in use as long as possible.

Clothes take valuable resources to produce, so by making them last as long as possible we're respecting those resources - creating a circular system where garments are repaired, reused and recycled rather than being thrown away.

So, if we make something for you and you love it so hard it needs to be repaired – just bring it right back! (or, you know, send us a message because we don't actually have a physical store to bring it back to 😅)

We’ll be thrilled to see that it’s had some wear, and will repair any rips, holes or marks, free of charge 💖

Have you thought about gifting a repair / mend for Christmas?

Bringing a piece of clothing (or a hat / bag / pair of socks) back to life for someone is such a special gift, and it's better for the planet than buying something new. Even the most eco-friendly gift still takes valuable resources to make from scratch.

Plus, a mended gift is so much more meaningful; the piece is already full of memories, but has been collecting dust - unable to be used, but too loved to be thrown away.

Repairs can be invisible, bringing the piece back to its former glory, or visible, like embroidery or custom patches that add life and a little extra magic.

If you'd like to mend the piece yourself, but aren't sure how, book in for a sewing lesson and we'll mend it together. Otherwise, I offer a repair service so get in touch and we can chat about what you have in mind.

Style(n): the ability to sort through the abundance of clothing options and make a selection that aligns with how you see yourself.

It's easy to confuse fashion with style, but style is more than the actual clothes you own. It's the creativity in expressing your personal identity through what you wear.

Style doesn't require you to have lots of things, but rather to be intentional about the things you have; to love the things you own because they feel like an extension of yourself.

This way, rather than hitting the "I have nothing to wear" wall, your wardrobe will feel full of possibilities - creative decisions to be made depending on the aspect of your identity you feel like expressing through your clothes that day.

If your closet doesn't currently spark creativity, maybe it's time for a spring clean. Alter, give away or donate anything that doesn't feel like 'you' - anything that doesn't feel good.

You'll end up with less clothing and much more to wear 💙

Pants made to skip in 🐇

What do your clothes say about you?

The things you choose to wear communicate all kinds of things to the people around you, and to yourself as well. Are you more likely to reach for black/grey when you're having a hard day? Or optimistically put on that summer dress when you're missing the warmer weather?

Whether we're conscious of it or not, our clothing choices reflect how we feel, who we are, and how we see ourselves. As we grow and our values change, so does our self expression and the things we want to wear. We (consciously or subconsciously) dress in a way that reflects our values and traits.

So next time you're getting dressed, think about why you chose that outfit. Does it make you feel good? It there room to bring more fun and pleasure into your life through what you choose to wear and how you wear it?

One of the most sustainable things you can do when it comes to your wardrobe is repair your clothing.

Mending keeps clothes in circulation for longer, saving resources that would otherwise be used to produce new clothes, and reducing the amount of waste being sent to landfill.

The UN estimates the fashion industry is responsible for 8-10% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, so this is definitely an area we could be doing a lot better in!

Fixing a piece of clothing is much easier than making it from scratch (in most cases), so it's pretty easy to learn a handful of simple techniques that will allow you to mend or alter most things.

Plus it's sooo satisfying being able to wear something you've freshly repaired - especially if its been sulking at the back of your closet for a while!

If you're interested in learning some repair skills, come and have a lesson with me! I offer a 3hr mending lesson where you can bring in a few pieces of clothing you'd like to fix / alter and I'll teach you how.

Lessons are $100 per person, held at my house (there will be tea and cats), and best with a friend or two (because then you get to see how they repair their things too!). DM me if you'd like to book in 🐇☀️

This is our lovely reversible Asha Dress, with scooped and v-neck options. Devika wears our rentable Asha, made from lush The Fabric Store - New Zealand linen in shades of clay and deep red.

Available to rent on our website, or request a custom version of your very own 🐇

Brrr it's getting chilly out! I'm not a huge fan of the cold, but I do love an excuse to wear a cute sweater.

Our sweaters are hand-made to order, knitted from 100% NZ wool, which is natural and super durable.

Woollen fibres are tougher than steel, but finer than human hair. That's why things made from wool are so lovely and soft, but also last for a really long time. Plus, wool is biodegradable and doesn't release microplastics when you wash it.

And super importantly, the sheep who grow this wool for us are looked after. The New Zealand Farm Assurance Programme (NZFAP) gives me peace of mind about the integrity, traceability, animal health and welfare, people, and natural resources used on the farms our wool is coming from. Because I really do think happy sheep make happy wool 🐏

So, if you'd like to invest in a lovingly made woollen sweater that will last for years, have a look at our collection and get in touch 🐇💖 https://tortoiseandhare.nz/product-category/all-products/

I'm thinking of giving sewing lessons! Wanna learn to sew with me? 🐇

Okay, so I might be a bit biased, but I think sewing is an excellent hobby - it's practical, you get to play with fun fabrics, and you can dance around in your creations when you're done!

My sewing classes would be pretty cozy; 2-3 people per lesson, lasting around 3 hours, hosted at my house in Whitby. During the lesson you'll learn to either make something like a tote bag, or fix/alter a piece of clothing you bring with you (I could teach you how to adjust your pants to the perfect length, or take in a dress that doesn't quite fit right). I'm thinking of charging around $100pp, and you'd obvs get to keep your creations ✨

So what do you think? Would you book in for a lesson? Is there anything specific you'd be keen to make/learn?

Wearing what you already have is the lowest-impact clothing decision you can make, but it can also feel like the least exciting.

Taking the time to mend your clothes is a nice way to rekindle your love for the pieces you have already. You’ve got history together, they’ve served you well, and they might just need a little help to look fresh and fit well again.

Some repairs are pretty simple, like replacing a button or fixing a ripped seam - there’s heaps of YouTube videos and blogs that give step-by-step instructions, and all you need is a needle and thread. Taking the time to carefully stitch up imperfections is a nice bonding experience for you and your clothe💖

If your repair job is tricky, or you’d like help tailoring something to fit your body, send me a message - I’d love to help transform your lovely things into wardrobe staples.

That goes for you too! Because, in Ru's wise words; "If you don't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?!"

Hello beautiful humans! I hope you had a wonderful summer break. I'm back at my sewing machine with a new stack of thirfted fabrics, and am looking forward to making some magic 💫

Let me know if you have any beloved (or yet to be beloved) pieces of clothing that you'd like to have repaired or altered - I can show them some love! Because there really is nothing like wearing something that fits you perfectly. Chef's kiss.

Sending love & happy vibes 💖

Some dreamy greens in our fabric stash right now 🍃

All of our second-hand fabric pieces are one-off, so if you see something you like - let us know so we can put it aside for you.

Ali here - just popping in to say a wee thank you. Starting Tortoise & Hare has been a dream come true for me. I still can't quite believe it's real. And it wouldn't have happened without your support.

Thank you SO much for being here. Thank you for following T&H, for telling your friends & family about it, and for making orders & trusting me with your clothes. I couldn't be more grateful for your support.

And most of all, thank you for your kind words over the past couple of years while I've been working on Tortoise & Hare. Often the things I tell myself about my work aren't encouraging or kind, so I really appreciate having a bit of positive feedback to balance out my fears. It's reassuring to know there's a lovely community of people around me who really do like the pieces and connect with T&H's ethos. You keep me going. I really couldn't have done it without you ❤️

It's picnic season ☀️ If you'd like something fresh and cute to wear this summer, why not borrow from our wardrobe!

We also have a very limited selection of pre-made garments that aren't in our rental collection - DM us if you'd like to see some snaps.

And perfect for the festive season 🎄

Borrow a piece (or three!) from out rental collection this summer. You can choose to keep the piece for a week or a month, depening on your plans.

Our fun, flowy styles are great for BBQs at the beach, reading your book by the pool, or enjoying Christmas dinner with your family 🐇