Sew Great Detroit (SGD) is a social enterprise that seeks to train and empower women, giving them knitting and sewing skills in a mentorship environment. SGD is a part of Alternative For Girls (AFG), which was founded in 1987 to help homeless and high-risk girls and young women avoid violence, teen pregnancy and exploitation. AFG works to help these women access to support, resources and opportunities necessary to be safe, to grow strong and to make positive choices in their lives. Like AFG which started in a local church as a volunteer-run, five-bed, emergency shelter for young women, SGD started as an AFG Out-Reach program to teach sewing and knitting to AFG participants and their mothers. Primarily run by volunteers, SGD produces sewn items like aprons, tote bags and storage bags and knitted items including hats, infant gift sets and household items like pot holders, pillows and holiday ornaments. Using the highest quality materials – organic cotton, cashmere and beautiful wool blends – SGD’s products are sold in high end boutiques in the metro Detroit area and in shops in California, Florida and New York. Attention to quality, detail and perfection are highly regarded and expected in SGD’s products. The participating women earn an income for their work through these wholesale and retail sales.
SGD is proud to be a part of Detroit Is The New Black’s (DITNB) selling platform. Based in Detroit, for the benefit of women seeking to learn new skills and expand their abilities, SGD pairs with DITNB’s mission to partner and highlight Detroit’s best in producing fashion and products. SGD created this season's essential knit bucket hat, handmade with love and organic fibers. This bucket hat is not only a nod to the iconic '90s but it is a cross seasonal accessory that can be worn through all Detroit's unpredictable weather moments.