Chatting to Emma Lomax over a mug of tea….

Emma Lomax is the founder of Sewlomax, a gorgeous range of quirky embroidered bags.  I caught up with her over a mug of tea to find out more about her inspirations, challenges and what makes her bags sustainable.

What were you doing before setting up Sewlomax and what made you decide to set up your own company?

I started designing in 2011 and then launched my first collection in October 2012. Before this I was teaching textiles to 11-19 yr olds. Although this was something I loved, I really missed my own creative process and so I decided to go for it and set up my own brand.

Who/what inspires you?

 The inspiration for my designs comes from all sorts of places, friends, people’s suggestions, shopping or as I like to call it ‘market research’ which can be dangerous on my bank balance.

I always have to start at the drawing board, literally with a pencil and a very large rubber. Once the idea is finalised I can start stitching; this is when the idea comes to life.

How long does it take you to produce a design?

Depending on the design, it can take up to two weeks.

How long does it take for each bag to be made?

Each bag is produced on an embroiderer machine and again depending on the size of the design can take up to half an hour.

Why is eco / ethical important to you what do they mean to you?

It was something that was really important to me, and it was a must when producing my collection. Ethical to me means thinking about how best you can produce you products in a way that least harms the environment.

How are your bags ethical?

 The process of producing a product happens in many different stages, from sourcing the materials from local farmers to posting the finished product to your door. Each bag has its own carbon foot print which I try to keep as low as possible.

What have been your biggest challenges to date?

Finding the right people to embroider my design, who have a similar vision.

What advice would you give someone thinking of going into eco-ethical fashion?

Think about every element of your product and how you can produce each element ethically. Sometimes you have to think outside the box.

What do you enjoy most Sewlomax?

The design process I love getting a new idea and seeing how it develops along the way.

What are you plans for 2013?

I have a new range of cosmetic bags which I am working on at the moment, which have great background colours.

If you weren’t doing this, what would you do?

I really want to develop my range and start doing baby bags, I pod covers and so on, really take on the accessories world.

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