Meet Claudia Richards: a creative rebel who is quite literally stitching the fabric of society back together. Claudia isn’t just making clothes; she’s encouraging herself – and us all, to weave a better future for the entire planet. But her journey into this “stitching revolution” wasn’t a straight line—it was a colourful patchwork of self-discovery.
From Lost Soul to Art Therapist
Back in her school days, Claudia always felt a bit lost, but art was a constant sanctuary where she felt truly good. Over the years, her personal relationship to creativity remained, becoming a way to process experiences, regulate, connect to others, make sense of experiences and find joy in the world around her.
After a period of travelling and meeting people with diverse values, she discovered her true calling while living in Sydney: Art Therapy. It was the perfect marriage of her passion for art and mental health, as the creative process is used as a vehicle for self-awareness, compassion emotional regulation and relationship. After earning her Master’s degree in Creative Arts Therapy at La Trobe University in 2014 and becoming professionally registered with ANZACATA, she began helping people navigate their issues as an art therapist. For Claudia, it’s not just about the final product; it’s about humans reclaiming their creative selves from a material world that has tried to strip it away. While she notes that Art Therapy is still a “new” and often misunderstood industry, she remains a fierce advocate for its value and ethical practice.
The “Veil-Lifting” Moment
While Claudia never aimed to be a traditional “artist,” her creative hunger eventually led her to a sewing machine. Although she’s been environmentally conscious for years, diving into the world of sewing pulled back the curtain on the “negative gravity” of the fashion industry.
She realised a startling truth:
- Making clothing takes time, resources and skilled labour.
- Most fast fashion is made of plastic, designed to rot rather than last.
- Clothes aren’t made by robots – they are made by people through incredibly cheap labour and exploitation.
This realisation changed everything. She could never look at a garment the same way again.
Enter: PatchQuirk
To channel her “eco-anxiety,” Claudia started upcycling clothes for herself, then her friends, which evolved into Patchquirk, where she now sells small-batch clothing at markets and online. Her current specialty? Bat wing jumpers. Using the patchwork process, she builds fabric up from scraps, using unloved op-shop finds, vintage and reclaimed textiles and reimagines them into epic, one-off masterpieces.
But here is the “quirk”: Claudia doesn’t want her creations to be an excuse for more mindless consumption.
“When we have to pay for the actual value of an item – this buy more mindfully, which leads us to expect more from our clothes – that they last and that we enjoy wearing them. Caring for clothing is what will make a difference, purchasing a. ‘sustainable’ item is not the solution in itself,” she says. “When you buy fast fashion, people and our planet are paying the true cost. Whether or not consumer changes have any impact on climate change I don’t know, but I think that when enough people change their consumption habits, companies will have to change their practices. Ultimately people power will be what creates legislation and regulation of the fashion industry.”
Claudia Richards
Although she loves to see people stumble across her market stalls and fall in love with her designs, she is equally interested in the chats she gets to have with people about sustainability, clothing and the current state of the fashion industry. In our eyes, her pieces aren’t “exclusive” because of a price tag—they are only out of reach if you don’t “get” the mission behind them.
The Joy Project
For Claudia, sewing is a “joy project” that she protects fiercely. It’s a compulsive, inspired process where she gets lost in fabrics and scraps. Sometimes the dishes stay dirty, and dinner is forgotten while she’s in the zone, but she has the full, “you-doing-you” support of her husband and family. Her kids even think she’s the absolute best (though she jokes that might be an age thing!).
While she loves her “creative bubble,” Claudia finds deep connection in the local community. Whether she’s sharing ideas with artist friends or chatting with like-minded souls at the markets, she feels lucky to balance a job she loves with a pursuit that sets her soul on fire.
Where to Find Her
Ready to wake up, realise, and maybe wear a Patchquirk? You can find Claudia’s work at:
You can also book an appointment to view her available line in person.
