Twelve months ago Desert and Wolf was just a dream. Fast forward to February 2019 and Tam Brooks is shipping orders to France, California and across Australia. Caitlyn Morgan chats to Tam about her life changing decision to open her recycled clothing business.
Pictures: Carmel Zaccone
MOST people would see a tablecloth as simply that and nothing more but Tam Brooks sees it as a potential new dress or crochet kimono.
For as long as she can remember the Mildura mother has been passionate about upcycling but it wasn’t until last year that she decided to share her passion with others.
“When I really looked into the fashion industry it was very eye opening and I wanted to spread the message,” she says.
“As consumers we are always chasing the newest trends, once those trends change we just throw it away. The fashion industry is one of the main forces behind worldwide pollution and co2 emissions.
“If this continues what kind of world will be left for the next generation.
“My goal is to create a community of earth loving humans through my clothing.”
Desert and Wolf is one of a kind clothing made from recycled materials all created by Tam.
“I had been upcycling for years but Desert and Wolf was about taking that one step further,” she says.
“Growing up my mother made the majority, if not all of our clothes, her mother had done the same for her and also her grandmother.
“My mum said my great-grandmother would visit the shops and look at the latest fashion to then come home and recreate it.
“I can still remember receiving a toy sewing machine one Christmas and often sitting around at my grandmother’s making quilts and things like that.”
When Tam isn’t busy sewing a new creation, she is searching local op-shops and second hand stores for clothing and material that need a second chance.
“I don’t like buying into the industry, it’s something that is unnecessary especially when you can get everything you need at the op-shops,” she says.
“A lot of people have this idea that they are filled with old dusty junk but it’s not like that at all, often you find things that are brand new still with tags.
“I am always searching for crochet tablecloths because they are so rare to find and textured material.”
Tam says when she has managed to score a crochet tablecloth the dresses and kimonos created from them have always been the first to sell.
“I have had a lot of orders in Australia as well as California, France, the UK and other parts of the US,” she says.
“I was really excited to see my clothes sent to California.”
To help spread the message about sustainable living, Tam has welcomed six “Desert and Wolf Warriors”.
“This year I searched for people to join that are on the same wave length as me and who want to make a difference in the world,” she says.
“It’s been a lot of fun to have them come on board and be part of photo shoots as well as a few of us frequenting the op-shops together.
“It’s great to see my clothes come to life during the shoots.”
Tam’s clothing can be purchased on Etsy or from The Tiny Cactus in Broken Hill.
