Preserving beauty and family legacy with Greenville-based master fabric restorer Cindy Ingram
“We live in a ‘disposable’ world,” says Cindy Ingram, seamstress and fabric restorer, “and work like this is about preserving legacies and honoring families—knowing that their children’s children will pass this heirloom along.”
When you glance around Ingram’s sunny home studio, your eyes don’t pass over the same cheaply made garments spotted in chain store windows. Instead, your gaze is caught in the net that is antique Chantilly lace, one-of-a-kind beaded pieces, and burnished tools that tell a story—all beautifully preserved.
“I attended a work study (workshop) when I was in design school that was based on Smithsonian preservation techniques,” reveals Ingram. “These involved cleaning fabrics, testing their reaction to chemicals, determining the age of textiles, and how well they were preserved . . . you have to be very careful how you treat fabrics, because both natural and synthetic fibers have a ‘lifespan.’ Some break down faster than others.”
If you’ve never heard of Greenville’s own master fabric restorer, that’s intentional—Ingram doesn’t advertise. “A lot of this work I do as gifts for friends. It’s not a job. It’s a hobby and a passion, and I do it because I love it,” she says, admitting with a laugh that if she charged what she should, “most people wouldn’t want to pay it. Most of it is hand-sewn, so it takes hours.”
Even after fifteen years, Ingram still finds the work irresistibly challenging. “Here’s the thing: fifty years ago, people took their garments to a dry cleaner [to be preserved], and they typically used a lot of chemicals, which actually contributed to the deterioration process,” she explains. “Or they stored them in tissue paper, or shadowboxes that weren’t sealed tightly, or on a metal hanger that has rusted.” Those practices, while well-intentioned, are often why so many of the wedding dresses that people bring Ingram are damaged. “Now, we know better how to store, preserve, and restore items,” she explains. “When you’re handed an heirloom, you need to know what kind of fiber the product was made from, how old it is, and what kind of chemicals it will react well to.” It’s fair to say that isn’t knowledge most of us have—which is what makes Ingram’s expertise so invaluable.
“It’s a step-by-step process. My clients bring me photos of, say, their great-grandmother—even multiple generations—using the same handkerchief, and want the item restored to match the photo; or, they want something new made from something old. That’s the tricky part: getting as close to the original as possible, or finding a way to give it new life.”
It’s clear from Ingram’s passion that what she loves about this process is seeing the thread of a family’s story continue across each new chapter, even as the item itself might take new forms. “From generation to generation, each piece is transformed by the next person to wear it or love it. A lot of people throw these heirlooms away, which makes me sad—there’s so much that can be done to bring the item to life, to preserve a family legacy.”
Unfortunately, not all garments can be saved. “I’ve opened up boxes that have been sealed for thirty years, and what’s inside is falling apart,” she reflects. But there’s good news for some: “Often, there’s a small piece, like a section of lace, that can be salvaged and re-embroidered.” Ingram uses different techniques to do this, such as matching and bolstering the original fabric with a newer, similar piece. “It becomes a design challenge. I sit down with the client and learn what their vision for the item is, how they would like to see it transformed. I’ve taken trains off of wedding dresses and turned them into cake toppers, head pieces, wraps for the bouquet . . . even a small drawstring bag for the bride to keep her lipstick in.”
For Ingram, the work is deeply personal—and clearly therapeutic. “It’s catharsis, in a way, and incredibly rewarding. What I really want is to make the bride happy. I often see photos of the garment across generations, so I see the full story; I see who else wore it, and think about how excited they were on their wedding day. There’s some emotion attached to the process, not just for the families, but for me, too.”
Most of Ingram’s clients, from the Upstate to Charleston, find her by word of mouth. “There are very few people who have both the skill set and the passion to do this. It’s a lost art, and you don’t really do it for the money—you do it for the love of the work. I’m not just preserving a garment, I’m respecting and honoring a family’s story.”
Heirloom Storage Tips
Preserve like a pro with this expert advice:
- Keep away from moisture, moths, and other insects
- Store in an airtight container with controlled humidity
- Don’t use metal wires or hangers (these can rust)
- Include a record of important names and dates
Fabric Restoring Time Stamp
We asked seamstress and restoration specialist, Cindy Ingram, to share a meaningful preservation practice. Here’s what she said:
“One of the things I encourage people to do is to take a piece of ribbon and embroider names and dates onto it, and store that either inside or with the garment. Do this for every generation. That way, you’ll always have a record of who has loved it, used it, worn it. The history stays intact.”
