Sewing sustainability

Local designer Elissa Martin is on a mission to create trendy clothes and spread a meaningful message through her business, Altered Eco.

Businesses like SHEIN, Temu and Zara have taken over consumer markets due to affordability and easy access. 

Most fast fashion pieces, however, end up in landfills. The fabrics used in their construction are often unable to break down, harming the environment.

Martin first discovered the need for sustainability during her time studying fashion at Cazenovia College. Ever since, she has been committed to creating unique, ethical pieces. 

“Fashion is the second biggest pollutant of the world, besides oil. I can’t do that,” Martin said.

Through thrifting, reconstruction and finding beauty in her closet, Martin transforms old scraps into trendy, runway-worthy designs.  

She takes her work a step further by educating others on why sustainable fashion is more important now than ever. 

Martin’s designs have been featured in fashion shows such as Syracuse Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week, as well as in various stage productions. 

She believes the future of fashion is sustainable, and that education on fast fashion will transform the way people source their clothing.