Have you been following the news lately? Sewing is experiencing a strong comeback, with numerous recent articles highlighting its resurgence in popularity, especially among younger generations. The revival is driven by trends in sustainability, customization and personal fulfillment. It’s a reaction against fast fashion and serves both as a creative outlet and a therapeutic activity that promotes mindfulness and stress relief.
Who better to teach these new sewists? Well, University of Fashion of course!
Fashioning Identity
There are 30 million sewists in the U.S. alone, many of whom are teens and tweens. As younger generations crave both individuality and social connection, one of the best ways to get them off their screens is to send them to a sewing boot camp. Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram have been driving interest among Gen Zers, by documenting their enthusiasm for sewing as a sustainable, expressive act, countering fast fashion with handmade clothing.
The New York Times’ Sept. 4, 2025—Article on sewing’s resurgence (Image credit: The New York Times)
Recently, The New York Times reported that sewing is “cool again”, pointing to a surge in demand for sewing classes, with people drawn to saving money, upcycling, and learning skills once associated mostly with older generations.
Harper’s Bazaar and similar outlets point to shifting cultural attitudes toward handmade garments—from “second-rate” to novel, valued, and often more expensive than off-the-rack options, driven by both quality and individuality.
Axios reported that people are flocking to sewing centers and learning how to embroider, alter and make items like tote bags, skirts and pants from scratch.
Entrepreneurial Sewing Workshops on the Rise
Looking to start your own business? If you are a great sewer and are looking for a new business idea, well, why not get a group subscription to UoF and open your own sewing workshop?
The New York Sewing Center at 246 W 38th Street, 9th Floor, Suite 9A, New York City (Image credit: The New York Sewing Center)
Inspired Sewistpreneurs
The New York Sewing Center in Midtown Manhattan, was founded by former fashion designer Kristine Frailing. She offers full day sewing boot camps, evening courses, embroidery workshops and classes on the basics of alteration.
At Carolina Textile District in Western North Carolina, workshops are being offered from basic sewing to materials sourcing and product development. CTD connects makers, designers, and entrepreneurs to a reliable domestic supply chain, so quality products can be made in the U.S.
In Washington, DC, Antoinette Lee opened her studio, A Special Lee Sewing Studio, out of her home and has been continuously offering sewing and upcycling classes.
In Miami, Jesy Anderson, owner and creator of Needle, Ink, and Thread opened her workshop in 2016. She even has a sewing class called Sew and Grow for kids.
Shop Rat, a popular weekly newsletter by Emilia Petrarca (Image credit: Shop Rat)
A promoter of fashion sustainability is journalist Emilia Petrarca who publishes Shop Rat, a newsletter featuring a Repair Month series with tips for saving your most beloved garments, including interviews with experts, personal mending adventures, and recommendations.
Eva Joan, a mending studio and one-stop -shop for alterations was founded by Bjorn Eva Park and Emma Villeneuve. Located at 28 Jane Street in New York City, the shop is named after their respective grandmothers.
Thrifting Stats — Did You Know…
According to Capital One Shopping Research:
- 16 to 18%of Americans shop at thrift stores each year; 12 to 15% shop at consignment or resale stores.
- 93% of Americans shop online for secondhand items.
- In 2023, the U.S. secondhand market generated an estimated $53 billion in revenue.
- There are over 25,000 resale, consignment, and not-for-profit resale shops in the U.S.
- Thrift store shoppers save an average of $2,071 per year by purchasing secondhand.
- Approximately one-third of clothing and apparel items purchased in the U.S. over the past year were secondhand.
So yes, sewing’s comeback isn’t just stylish, it’s a revolution!
