CINCINNATI — Madeleine Misleh picks up a control box and points out the wires.
“White is positive,” Misleh said. “And black is negative.”
She laughs because she’s never done this before. Then, she shows me a waterproof box to plug them into.
“This is basically a wiring boot camp,” Misleh said.
Misleh is one of the directors of operations at Sew Valley, a small garment factory in the West End focused on sustainable manufacturing. But right now, they’re all focusing on a new light display for BLINK.
WATCH: Go inside the factory at Sew Valley
Misleh pins a dozen clothespins to her overalls. Upstairs from where others are sewing, she’s hanging shirts onto a clothesline. Shirts that might otherwise have been thrown away.
It's a statement about the fashion industry. An industry that some researchers say contributes 92 million tons of waste around the world each year.
It's something Sew Valley hopes to educate entrepreneurs about.
“We are trying to literally highlight the invisible hands that go into making clothing,” Misleh said. “And showcasing all the labor that goes into it that people are so far removed from.”
To do that, they recorded sounds from around the factory. Scissors. Sewing machines. Steamers. And they’ll project animations onto the clothes they got from Goodwill.
“Nowadays, a lot of people don’t know where their clothes are coming from,” said Aubrey Krekeler, another director of operations. “They also don’t have the same sentimental value with their clothes — because it’s easy to buy for an event and then never see it again.”
Two years ago, the company made almost 4,000 reflective flags for BLINK's opening parade. This year, they’re spending a lot of time untangling lights.
“Stay tuned,” Misleh said. “It’s going to be great."
Sew Valley's display can be seen in Imagination Alley during the festival: 1317 Vine St.
