PRESERVING MEMORIES Classic Childhood specializes in turning loved one’s shirts into children’s clothes. The studio also has premade items available.
Heirloom Collection: An adult shirt can be made into a skirt, pillow, shirt or romper.
BUSINESS FEATURE
Pamela Torres owns Classic Childhood Sewing Studio. (Photos by Darcy Sprague/Community Impact Newspaper)
Classic Childhood Sewing Studio Austinite crafts handmade, sustainable baby clothing P amela Torres started her children’s clothing boutique online 2018, then opened a South Austin location in April 2021. BY DARCY SPRAGUE
o ered a green way to create quality products. Now she has a sta of four, including two part-time, local seamstresses. Though Torres does not sew clothes as often, her son, now 5, still appreciates the items she made. “Everything that he wears, he’s like, ‘Did you make these for me?’” Torres said. Torres learned sewing in middle school in Mexico, where she is originally from. She said it is common for students at that age to learn a skilled trade. She enjoyed sewing, but her family encour- aged her to go to college. “I liked [sewing] so much, but that was not a thing in my family,” Torres said. “They said, ‘You aren’t going to be a seamstress. You are going to go to college and do something else.’ And I ended up studying nance.” Torres earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees and still works as a nancial consultant while running her business. Besides custom orders, the studio sells a number of already crafted items, such as shirts, so families can create complete out ts.
The shop has several premade items to help customers complete their children's wardrobes.
Classic Childhood Sewing Studio uses recycled clothing to hand-make environmentally friendly, customized children’s clothing. Classic Childhood Sewing Studio tested out di erent models before hitting its stride with the heirloom collection, Torres said. Families can bring in a clothing item, such as a sentimental shirt, or choose fabric from the shop. Torres and her team will turn it into children’s items such as a romper, pillow, skirt or shorts. Torres said each item made of recycled material saves the water and electricity that would be needed to make new cloth. Many families use this as an opportunity to memorialize a lost loved one or get matching out ts for family photos, Torres said. Torres started the business after creating clothes for her son from her husband’s old shirts. She said she realized she had a knack for it and that it
Classic Childhood Sewing Studio 2005 Southern Oaks Drive, Austin 512-900-1324 www.classicchildhood.com Hours: by appointment
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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