About

Meet the Maker - Liz Broekhuyse

I'm an artist, designer, and slow cyclist.

I make sustainable fashion and art from my studio at Art Bias in beautiful San Carlos, California.

Sustainable Fashion

Combining my skills in sewing and my passion for cycling, I created Ambletown to create sustainable, artful fashion options for casual cyclists - the e-bikers, quick trip makers, weekend fun seekers, off-duty mountain racers and urban amblers. 

I want the sustainable choice to be the fun choice, in how you dress and in how you get around. I create everyday clothes that equip you to jump on a bike at any time, so you're always ready to ride. Every time you choose a bike over a more energy intensive mode of transportation, you're contributing to a greener future :)

My Approach to Sustainability

The creation of textiles and clothing have immense environmental and human impacts, so I create with sustainability in mind. On each product page I offer sustainability information, below are some common principles I follow:

Recycling Second-hand Fabrics

I transform second-hand clothing and fabrics into wonderful, desirable new things through my upcycling process. Some items I draw, paint, and add reflective accents to. Others I cut up and create compeletely new textiles, in a labor-intensive process of transformation. Items are priced based on the amount of labor that goes into upcycling them.

By working with second-hand clothing and fabrics, we avoiding the environmental costs of producing brand new fabric. My favorite places to source in the San Francisco Bay Area are Thrift Center and FabMo.

Slow fashion

This whole operation may look pretty slick, but it is just me, one person, slowly and lovingly making all this stuff (with the exception of my printed goods which are outsourced). The inherent limitations of being one person, making mostly one-of-a-kind goods from recycled materials, when I have time, is an intentional counterpoint to the overproduction which plagues the fashion industry. I am making only a tiny dent in the overwhelming volume of textile waste in the world, but I hope you will consider joining me in choosing second-hand, choosing slow, and choosing local to help shift the tide.

Environmentally Preferred Materials

The most sustainable choice of materials for any given garment is highly contextual. There is no 'perfect' material, but I do my homework to make the best decisions I can.

• This means sourcing recycled fabrics for my upcycles, with a high percentage of natural/semi-natural fibers such as cotton, linen, merino wool, and rayon/modal. I have a preference for natural fibers - I find their texture more appealing to work with than crude-oil derived synthetics like polyester, acrylic, and nylon. Natural fibers also break down much more naturally and rapidly at the end of their useful life.
• Organic cotton was chosen for my printed t-shirts and brand labels, since I prefer to exercise in fabrics made from natural fibers, and organic cotton is produced without genetically modified crops, synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides.
• My care labels use recycled PET from plastic bottles - since I need a material which I can easily write on. 

Supporting small & local businesses

As a solopreneur, I want to support a thriving ecosystem of small and local businesses. I source from such businesses whenever possible.

Durability and care

I want to keep textiles out of the landfill for as long as possible. That's why I am meticulous about providing proper care instructions, and conducting wash tests on my materials to ensure durability and quality.

Always consult the care label on your item, but in general:

• Anything with reflective accents is machine washable on cold, line dryable
• Anything with paint is machine washable on cold, tumble dry cool is OK
• Items with iron-on patches are machine washable on cold, line dryable

Why 'Ambletown'?

I wanted to find a name which captured the idea of slow fashion for slow cyclists. Hence, ambletown - to go slow in the places you love the most. 

Are you a full-time artist?

Kinda. I have a creative day job as a freelance graphic designer, an on lunch breaks, nights, and weekends I squeeze this in.

Can you teach me how to sew/upcycle?

I'm not offering classes to the public right now.

If this is something that interests you, sign up to my mailing list (at the very bottom of the page) or follow me on Instagram to be the first to hear about it.
For sewing instruction around my area, I recommend Cañada College for adults - I myself am taking classes there.