Jennifer Morisetti has sparked a grassroots fashion movement in rural Dorset rebelling against fast fashion and our throwaway culture
‘I joined the Navy and spent ten years there,’ says Jennifer Morisetti. ‘Not exactly the obvious route into sustainable fashion, is it?’
Jennifer is the founder of Defashion Dorset, a growing movement that’s tackling fast fashion at a grassroots level – right here in rural Dorset. From her home at Hawkers Farm, near East Stour, she’s building more than a brand. It’s a space for conversation, creativity … and quiet rebellion.
‘I grew up in Dorset – Dorchester, Parkstone, West Parley,’ Jennifer says. ‘When I married and left the Navy we decided to live in Dorset but in the north of the county.’
The farm itself is part of the story. ‘It was semi-derelict when we bought it. It had been a dairy farm, but wasn’t viable anymore.
‘So I began restoring it – the hedgerows, the orchard, the biodiversity. We’ve planted trees, reintroduced habitats, and installed a ground-source heat pump. That sense of regeneration, of making something live again, inevitably runs through everything I do.’
Including, of course, fashion.
Defashion Dorset
‘I’ve always made my own clothes. When I was 14, I didn’t have money for new things, so I started cutting up old dresses. Granny’s Attic in Bournemouth was my favourite place – 1920s, 30s, 50s dresses … I’d repurpose them while I taught myself how to sew.’
During lockdown, Jennifer looked at the disused milking parlour on the farm and had an idea. ‘We were originally going to turn it into an events space – which it is, of course – but I thought, why not use it for workshops? I can teach other people to upcycle, to sew … just to think differently about clothes.’
That idea grew into Defashion Dorset, an event now in its third year. The term ‘defashion’ came from the group Fashion Act Now (FAN) of which Jennifer is a member: “Defashion is a transition to post-fashion clothing systems that are regenerative, local, fair and sufficient for the needs of communities.” – FAN
So what does Defashion Dorset actually look like?
‘It’s a two-day event here at the farm – Friday 16th and Saturday 17th May this year. There are talks, drop-in workshops, and selected exhibitors. One speaker is bringing knitwear made using wool from Tamarisk Farm in West Bexington alongside samples of cloth dyed using waste bark from Somerset orchards. It’s about using what we already have. Brigitte Kaltenbacher of Beekay Makes will be joining us on Sat 17th, talking about her project to grow flax and make a pair of jeans from the fibre. She will also be demonstrating how to make nettle fibre. That kind of local innovation is so exciting.’
Jennifer’s goal is simple: to inspire.
‘I want people to imagine a local clothing culture. Dorset farmers produce fleeces that often go unused. Why not make use of them? Wear more wool. Buy better. Buy local. Buy second-hand.’
But there’s a harder edge to her passion too – a concern about the scale of waste and its impact.
Not a dumping ground
‘Over 100 billion garments are made every year. That’s more than the number of people on the planet. Most are made to fall apart. Only 30 per cent of clothes donated to charity shops are actually sold. The rest? Burned. Buried. Or shipped to Ghana to rot on a beach. We’ve got to stop that.’
Jennifer doesn’t just talk. She organises, recycles, and repurposes. ‘I’ve got piles of clothing sorted here – some will be going to Ukraine, some to a new charity shop in Shaftesbury, some to the Wardrobe Foundation. I’m happy to advise people where to send their clothes. I want to keep clothes out of landfill.’
Hawkers Re-Creatives holds a free weekly sewing session at Hawkers Farm – Thursday morning drop-ins where anyone can bring a project or learn something new. ‘There’s no fixed cost – just a donation if you can. We’ve got machines, overlockers, fabric, knitting needles, even a tabletop loom on the way. I just want people to use the space.’
And Jennifer’s calling for some more help. ‘I’d love to run after-school clubs, or get more groups using this place. But I simply can’t do it all myself. Volunteers would be so welcome.’
So what’s next?
‘I’d love to see more hubs like this across the country. There’s already a national Sustainable Fashion Week – Amelia Twine, who organises it, is speaking here in May. Last year, I ran satellite events across Dorset: clothes swaps in Sherborne, Shaftesbury, Sturminster … films and talks … It was full on – but brilliant.’
And for those further afield?
‘Start your own hub! Look up Sustainable Fashion Week. Check the Sustainable Dorset website – there’s a really useful textile hub on there, with lots of listings. Join in. It’s growing.’
For Jennifer, this is more than fashion. ‘It’s about change – the way we think, the way we live. And we can all start with what we wear.’
