Sustainable Fashion: What’s Wrong with the Fashion Industry, and Can We Fix It? | Emily Paulsen & Susan Spencer
We’re taught to believe that if something doesn’t fit, we just need to try another size.
But what if the problem isn’t your body—or the clothes you picked? What if the sizing system itself was never meant to work for most people?
In Episode 22 of Curious Life of a Childfree Woman, I spoke with Susan Spencer, the creator of Seamly, an open-source fashion platform designed to give people the freedom to make clothing that actually fits. Our conversation uncovered the flawed foundations of the fashion industry—and offered a glimpse into what a more inclusive, sustainable future might look like.
The Origins of “Standard” Sizing
Most of us never question where clothing sizes come from—we just accept them as part of shopping. But Susan explained that today’s standard sizing is based on data from 1800s military recruits, collected for entirely different purposes. Those measurements became the template for mass production, and they’ve never evolved to reflect the full range of human bodies.
If clothes don’t fit you, it’s not because you’re too short, too tall, too curvy, or too small. It’s because the system wasn’t built with your body in mind.
The Consumer Isn’t the Problem
Fast fashion thrives on the illusion of choice: racks of new arrivals, seasonal trends, and constant sales. But behind that abundance is a deeper issue.
The fashion industry produces more clothing than we can ever wear, then blames shoppers for waste and overconsumption. We’re told to be more sustainable—but left with few real options. As Susan pointed out, sustainability has to begin with how clothes are designed and manufactured, not just with how we shop.
The system shifts the burden onto consumers, but the change we need is structural.
A New Kind of Fashion Future
That’s where Seamly comes in. Susan created an open-source platform that allows anyone—regardless of industry background—to access and share clothing patterns that can be customized to their body. The software empowers people to design clothing that fits them, not a pre-set size chart.
It’s a radical reimagining of how clothing can be made—and who gets to make it.
More than just sewing tools, Seamly invites collaboration. It removes gatekeepers from the design process and centers the individual. It’s fashion for people who are tired of being told to change themselves to fit the system.
Reclaiming Clothing as Self-Trust
Throughout our conversation, we came back to one core idea: the way we interact with clothing can reflect how we view ourselves.
When you make something for your body—with your measurements—you’re engaging in an act of self-trust. You’re deciding that your shape, your needs, and your preferences are valid. That’s a powerful shift, especially in a world where fashion often tells us we need to be different.
Whether you’re a lifelong sewist or someone who’s never picked up a needle, this conversation invites you to rethink your relationship with clothing—and the systems behind it.
Curious About Sustainable Fashion?
This episode challenges the idea that our bodies need to change to fit our clothes—and asks what might be possible if we flipped that narrative.
What would happen if fashion started with real people instead of outdated data?
What could sustainability look like if it centered collaboration over consumption?
What might you create if you didn’t need permission to start?
Let’s Stay Curious Together
This conversation with Susan reminded me that curiosity isn’t just about asking questions—it’s about challenging what we’ve been told is normal. For too long, we’ve accepted clothes that don’t fit, systems that don’t serve us, and industries that make us feel like we’re the problem.
But we’re allowed to ask: Who built this? And what would it look like to build something better?
That’s what this podcast is about—shining a light on the systems that shape our lives, and staying curious enough to imagine something different.
If that resonates with you, I hope you’ll listen to the full episode—and keep the conversation going over at@curiouslifeofachildfreewoman.
