As an avid fashion follower, I was becoming frustrated with stories of sweatshop labor and the mass-production of cheap clothing to satisfy consumer desires. Also, being a woman born in the Philippines, it is a chilling idea that I was this close (holds her fingers an inch apart from each other) from having an alternate existence as a sweatshop sewer. As an ecologically-minded recycler, I wanted Anti-Factory to rely primarily on quality recycled fabrics in an attempt to minimize waste and consumption. Born from a concern with social issues paired with creative hands, I started sewing and designing clothing for myself and...voila!

I try to create garments that exude individuality and combine colors and fabrics in sometimes surprising yet complimentary ways. Vintage woven and knit fabrics mix with contemporary jerseys and mesh material to create a unique blend of old and new.

My new vintage division is a result of not being able to pass over the tons of fabulous items I find during my fabric hunts--stuff that I couldn't cut up and use in my own clothing but that I wanted to pass on to you!

PURCHASING
For US customers I accept credit cards through Paypal--you don't need a Paypal account, even--it's free and safe for you to use! Send me an email letting me know which item you'd like to purchase and I'll email you a Paypal invoice.

SIZING
All my sizing labels (XS/S/M/L) are APPROXIMATE, which means you should check the actual inch measurements that I list. To find out if an Anti-Factory top will fit you, compare the measurements to an item in your own wardrobe. Most of my clothes are stretchy and made of knit jerseys, so take into account that they can fit multiple sizes! Folks are surprised to find out how flexible the sizings are. In the worse-case scenario, you are welcome to return any item for a refund (see below for details). I want all my customers to be happy!

SHIPPING
US domestic and Canada:
$6 for orders under $100
$8 for orders $100-$150
$9 for orders over $150

US deliveries are shipped via Priority Mail with delivery confirmation. Canadian orders are sent first class airmail.

International:
Single items are usually $3-$7 via airmail, depending on which country. You can email me for the specific cost, or you can just go ahead and purchase the item immediately and I will send you a 2nd invoice for the remainder of the shipping charges.

RETURNS & REFUNDS
Handmade items:
I accept returns on handmade items provided that the garment is clean, unworn, and in sellable condition. If you are unsatisfied in any way with your purchase, please send it back within a week of receipt for prompt processing. Refunds will be processed to your Paypal account, but I cannot refund shipping costs, however.

Vintage items:
All vintage item sales are final. Send us an email if you have any questions about an item--we're happy to answer! Please remember that our clothing is in vintage condition and will often show some signs of mild wear. However, we only sell items that we would be proud to wear ourselves. Note: I am currently not stocking vintage items.

CUSTOM WORK
At this time I cannot accomodate custom work or do special requests. I do apologize, but as an individual maker with a limited amount of time, it would be too difficult for me to implement individual orders. Plus, I'm limited to the fabric I have on-hand, which can vary widely in terms of sizing and patterns!

OTHER QUESTIONS
How many of each garment style do you produce?
All Anti-Factory handmade clothes are one-of-a-kind. Sometimes there's a limited amount of fabric from one source which also prohibits making many. I spend a great deal of time finding "quality" fabrics that are first-run vintage, and colors and fabric weights are chosen with care. Plus, I'm not really keen on producing masses of one exact design of clothing--it's boring and not fun to sew the same thing over and over! However, I do make "variations" of a theme and some styles keep coming up over and over--like ruffled short sleeves, cowl-necklines, and appliqued stylized patches. But since there's never more than one of an item ever made, you'll never see someone else wearing your item!

Who sews and designs Anti-Factory items?
I do! I'm responsible for the cutting, sewing, and designing of all the garments. I have been sewing for over 10 years and work with a serger sewing machine plus a conventional stitch machine. In this way, Anti-Factory is a small business, run by a sole proprietor and maker! I also do the website and blog.

Where do you get your fabrics?
I use 100% recycled fabric in my garments--completely, and with no exceptions. I buy clothes and and yardage from second-hand stores in the San Francisco Bay Area, driving to and fro and passing over anything that isn't up to snuff. I prefer to use natural fibers like cotton, silk, and wool, but also use nylons, poly, and acrylics when they're really special. I spend a lot of time searching and shopping, which is why my output can be small at times. It's definitely not as easy as just going to the fabric store and buying new fabrics!

How quality are your garments? How do I care for them?
I am meticulous about making good clothing! All seams are professionally finished (unless it's purposefully *not* meant to be), and made to withstand general wear and tear. I test-wear a sample of most of my designs to make sure it fits on a real body before sending them out into the world! Anti-Factory items are not "hacked" together and I'm obsessed with making a quality product that won't disintegrate or wear out quickly! Each garment has an Anti-Factory label sewn into it for your viewing pleasure.

I recommend gently hand-washing or dry cleaning all Anti-Factory items, especially if they are made of any wool, angora, or cashmere. If hand-washing, lay it flat to air dry. DO NOT stick it in the dryer or hang to dry on a hanger as the garment may shrink or get stretched out.

Who models your clothing in the photos?
Yep, that would be me (the one-woman designer/sewer/modeller/seller/bookkeeper). To get a sense of fit size, I'm 5' 2" tall, 105 lbs, and 34B.

What's your inspiration?
Essentially, I'm an artist moonlighting as a fashion designer--literally. I am primarily a professional visual artist who does sculpture, photography, and installation work, and have worked as a graphic designer as well. I got a fine arts degree from the San Francisco Art Institute and MFA from Stanford, and you can visit my art website to view things. You can read my anti-factory blog to learn more about my interests, as well as my art website.

Everything's sold out! Where else can I buy Anti-Factory?
Eek! Things sell out fast in my online store. At this time I don't have any inventory with any brick-and-mortar stores so make sure you sign up for announcements at: stephanie (at) anti-factory (dot) com.

Cheers and thanks for your support!