Written by Andy Horner, Founder of Seven Stitches.

The Journey

Growing up, my family holidays often consisted of my dad driving us for hours on end to a caravan park as close as we could get to some scenic walks. Mountains, waterfalls, forests and rivers were regular favourites on my holidays as a kid. At the time, I was jealous of my friends who were off to exotic places abroad, but now that I’m older I consider myself lucky to have explored so much of the beautiful landscape that the United Kingdom has to offer.

Jump forward to 2019 when I graduated with a degree in Graphic Design from Falmouth University – studying in Cornwall turned out to be another incredible opportunity for me to explore. After working in London for a little while for a Graphic Design studio, I decided the city and office life wasn’t for me, and moved back in with my parents, where I worked for 2 years as a high ropes instructor at a country park. Being outdoors every day did wonders for my mental health.

A few years on, I’m working as a visitor services assistant at Seven Sisters Country Park. Having noticed a lack of an offering for souvenir clothing, I took it upon myself to create some designs to sell to the country park, which they sold in the visitor centre. This included a selection of t-shirts, hoodies and hats, which sold so much better than I expected. Souvenir clothing is often very basic and not particularly stylish, so creating designs that were stylish in their own right is what made my products unique and desirable.

Donning one of my designs with my partner above the Cuckmere River.

Fast forward to now – I’ve got plans to design products for locations across the UK, from National Parks to my favourite, lesser known spots. I’ve got a long journey ahead of me, but my passion for the outdoors has never wavered and I’m excited to see what the future holds.

Why "Seven Stitches"?

The circumstances and series of events that led to me working at Seven Sisters Country Park are important to me and had a huge impact on my life. At the time of writing, I still work at the country park – it's such an amazing place to work, with wonderful people and good vibes all around. Being that the first designs and inception of the business idea came from Seven Sisters, "Seven Stitches" seemed a fitting name for a clothing brand that originated here. Someday in the future I hope to have an expansive selection of products with designs related to locations all over the UK, but the name of the brand will always call back to its roots.

Sustainability Plan

I'll always keep sustainability in mind when it comes to expanding Seven Stitches, and hopefully an increase in income will allow me to continue to produce my products in a way that doesn't harm the environment, and provide more products that are environmentally friendly at a fair price point.

Many of our products are produced sustainably using 100% organic cotton, and as the business grows, more of our products will meet the same standards. Whilst I'm starting out, it's just not feasible and would involve charging much more than I currently do – I don't think this would be fair. Whilst sustainability is important to me, so is accessibility, and striking a balance between the two that makes my products accessible to those with lower incomes whilst not having a negative impact on the environment can be challenging. This is where Second Stitches comes in to play.

What is Second Stitches?

Second Stitches is a sustainable branch of the brand that provides many of the same designs at a fraction of the price, through misprints, old stock and by printing on pre-loved blank clothing. I've always been an advocate for purchasing second-hand clothing from charity shops, eBay, Vinted etc (over half my wardrobe is from charity shops – thanks mum!). Many garments are in perfectly good condition to continue their life, but often go to waste. Discounting old stock, misprints, and printing our designs on pre-loved blanks gives these garments a new lease on life and presents a more affordable option to purchase our products. Sustainability and affordability rolled into one – boom.