Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon's declaring there should be a local-content policy for Carnival costumes raises the question: are there enough skilled seamstresses and tailors to produce the volume needed to make this feasible?
This year several large bands were not able to fulfil their masqueraders' orders, as there were problems shipping costumes from China, where they are usually ordered, because of the numbers needed and the lower cost.
TT has a long tradition of people buying fabric and taking it to someone for sew. During the pandemic, many people turned to sewing to make extra money, for stress relief, and as a means of cutting costs.
Business Day spoke to several sewists (amateur sewers) in the local Facebook group Love And Stitches: Sewing Trinidad and Tobago, to find out their views on the sewing industry in TT.
Tricia Scott, of TNS Custom Stitches, said her interest began in home economics classes during the late 80s and early 90s, but she lost interest for a while. In 2016 and 2017, she took curtain and drapery and garment-construction courses offered by the ministry, as well as private classes, to develop further and become certified in sewing.
“Finding people to sew clothes to fit me how I wanted was the major reason that made me start sewing for myself.
"Then there's the inability of finding 'decent' clothes to fit well.
"Price is another factor that played a huge part in my decision, and then I decided to earn an income from my skill also.
Scott sews "dresses, skirts, pants for women and I would love to one day specialise in graduation/wedding dresses.
"I also make household items such as pillowcases, bedsheets, curtains, pillows and cushion covers.
"I sew mostly for family members and offer my services to others on an appointment basis.”
[caption id="attachment_1004784" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Janouras Custom Design Ltd employees sew garments in the production room at the company's factory, Manic Street, Chaguanas. - ANGELO MARCELLE[/caption]
She said many people will buy readymade clothing for a “quick picker-upper,” while going to seamstresses for alterations. She said many people don't easily accept a seamstress's price over a store price.
She also said the industry is not widely recognised in formal institutions, with programmes geared toward people who are seeking to export.
“I think sewing should be reintroduced within the school system as a syllabus subject. Also, why can't entities such as Miss World, fashion shows, Carnival agencies, employ our local seamstresses to deliver the required products/garments, instead of having to source them from foreign bodies?
"And when I say employ our local seamstresses, I don't only mean the big names we have heard of: there are many small entities waiting to be discovered.”
Scott said she recently began offering classes, but has not had the reception she expected.
Another sewist, Isabella Scott, said she began sewing at five, for her dolls. She makes evening wear, work clothes, hair bonnets, turba
