Sewing Machine Sustainability

Let us discuss sewing machine sustainability from my simple viewpoint.

I sell and repair sewing machines, so a large part of my job is keeping sewing machines sewing. Bringing older machines back to life and helping customers choose new machines that will provide many years of service.

Dads Myford Super Seven Lathe

The image is of Dads Myford Super 7 Lathe. He saved it from being thrown away by a High School, back in the 1960s. We still use Dads ‘Super 7’ in our workshop, and quite often we can make a part for an old vintage sewing machine.

In our workshop, we repair, restore and maintain hundreds of sewing machines every year. Customers who bought machines from my father in the 1950s and 1960s still bring them to us for service and repair. Sometimes it is the original owner, who asks about my dad. Sometimes it is the son or daughter. In other words, another generation is enjoying a sewing machine bought all that time ago.about my dad. Sometimes it is the son or daughter. In other words, another generation is enjoying a sewing machine bought all that time ago.

That experience has taught me something important. A sustainable sewing machine is not necessarily the newest machine, the most expensive machine or the one with the most features.

A truly sustainable sewing machine is one that continues to be useful for many years.

Buying a pre-loved sewing machine can be an excellent choice, but before you part with your cash, ask yourself three simple questions:

• Can it be repaired?
• Are spare parts available?
• Is there someone who can service it ten years from now?

These questions matter because a sewing machine that cannot be repaired, maintained or supported may quickly become unusable, regardless of how little it cost to buy.

Many people think of sustainability in terms of materials, packaging or energy consumption.

Those things matter, but from my simple repair engineer’s perspective, longevity is often the most important factor.

If a sewing machine can be serviced, repaired and kept in use for decades, it is less likely to end up discarded and replaced.

That is why repairability, spare parts availability and ongoing support are such important considerations when choosing an eco-friendly sewing machine.

Our Approach to Sustainability
And all these points have always guided the machines we choose to supply and the way we approach service and repair.

As I write this short piece, it occurs to me that the old-fashioned values on which my father built our family business in 1946 have become increasingly relevant in today’s world.

Longevity. Repairability. Service. Support.

Perhaps we were talking about sustainability long before the word became fashionable.