Maria Hernandez (BSENR'21) inspires others to make sustainable clothing choices and reduce their impact. The face behind the upcycled clothing line Palo Verde Designs, Maria has combined her love of fashion with her deep commitment to making the planet more sustainable.
Palo Verde grew out of a longtime love of sewing and started as a side hobby during her second year at UNB. While completing university courses online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Maria, an international student from Honduras, started making bucket hats out of clothing she was no longer using and selling them to her friends and family.
At the time, Maria collected used clothing and materials from her friends' closets and set out to improve her sewing skills. Her clothing continues to serve as a fun pastime, but inspiring a sustainable lifestyle has always been the driver behind her art.
"When I came to Canada to study at UNB, I went into environmental management. I've always been very into what's happening with the planet and the state of climate change. I had climate anxiety at one point, and I thought, what can I do? I knew I couldn't live without sewing, so I asked myself - how can I help through my art?"
The answer was committing to upcycled fashion – creating new designs using old clothing and consciously buying natural fabrics over polyester or other synthetic materials.
Still operating as a small side business, Maria says she spends her spare time on the weekends sewing and planning clothing drops on the brand's social media pages, where she is actively working on growing her presence.
She also participates in local markets in New Brunswick, selling and showcasing her unique pieces. She said she enjoys learning how to sew different articles of clothing, including skirts, tops, and hats.
Someday, Maria dreams of opening her boutique to sell her designs while allowing local artists to display their pieces. However, she says one of her most important goals is educating others about what they can do to make more sustainable clothing purchases.
"Sustainability is part of who I am."
"The bachelor of science in environmental management program at UNB was an awakening and an enlightenment for me of the things we can do to reduce our impact on the planet. It really helped me to develop Palo Verde and to know what we're lacking in the fashion industry. I want to educate others and share information in a relatable way about what we can do to better the fashion industry and what we can do to make better buying choices."
When she's not creating designs for Palo Verde, Maria is working full-time as the nature-based project coordinator for Community Forest International, an organization focused on conservation, restoration, research development, and education. In her personal life, she also makes conscious decisions to wear second-hand clothing, purchase locally made products and formulas, recycle, and reduce her carbon imprint.
To learn more about Palo Verde Designs, check out the Instagram page.
