Hello to all -
Welcome to the new stage of our evolution...This is where we take what we know back to the beginning. It's about finding a way for technology to coincide with nature. It's about working towards our own survival. And it's also about treating everyone with respect - whether or not you ever come face to face with them.
The Free Fashion Challenge has begun. We are sacrificing ourselves for the good of the message...and we're really fucking stoked about it!
So I thought this would be a good place to lay some of the pertinent info on you...
First of all - fabric. Fabric is basically evil. Unless you are upcycling (taking something old and making it into something else new), there are not a lot of good options for fabric. Technology may have made things cheaper and easier - but in the bottom line, true world cost is not factored in.
1. Animal fibres. Fabrics like wool, alpaca, mohair, cashmere, and fur. Like all natural fabrics (as in, not synthetic or regenerated), these are still probably your best option. They breath well, which means they're comfortable to wear, and with proper care (sorry dad, mostly they require hand-washing), they last for years but still break down in landfills. However, usually the animals are not treated well, and there are often issues with the farmers getting a fair wage. In all honesty, fur is probably the best choice, as it has been the centre of attention for so long that regulations across Europe and Canada (where a lot of the fur farms are) have really improved the lives of the animals. Of course there's always China, which has no regulations and is known for extreme animal cruelty (I could tell you stories, but I won't), so unless you can source the pelt, it can be hard to tell. I recommend, before buying a garment, contacting the brand directlye.
2. Cellulose fibres. This is any plant derived fabric and includes things like cotton, hemp, some bamboo, linen, jute, etc. Again, like animal fibres, cellulose is considered natural and is therefore your best option (in my opinion). However, these all use chemicals in production which damage the environment, and more immediately, the factory workers. A closed-loop system (where the chemicals are kept in the factory and re-used instead of becoming run-off), is cost-effective and keeps most of the chemicals (about 95%) from entering waterways, but it doesn't help the workers who still face exposure. This results in respiratory conditions, cancers, rashes and other skin issues, and birth defects. The best way to combat this is through the purchase of garments made of organic fabric. This is a huge selling point and will usually be marketed and visible. However, (there's always a but) the organic industry is new and there are still many words that don't have legal definition. Again, contact the company directly for more info. The more often they receive feedback and questions from customers, the more likely they are to do something about it.
A special note on bamboo...This is my personal favourite fabric - it breathes well, yields about 3 times more per acre than cotton while using half as much water, it doesn't require replanting every year, and it's naturally anti-bacterial so it doesn't need pesticides. However, most bamboo fibre is processed like regenerated fibres (think acetate and tencel) and therefore uses a lot of really nasty chemicals to process. The new way to get yarn is to process it like linen, which uses the raw bamboo fibre, and can be chemical free. The result is called bamboo linen, however, this is not a labeling requirement and you may still need to contact the company for further info.
3. Regenerated fibres. This includes acetate, tencel, rayon, modal, ingeo, and some bamboo. The source of these fabrics is wood chips that have been broken down into something soft and pliable. I, personally, would also include fabrics made from recycled bottles in this catagory, though some people might list them under synthetics. Stuff like Eco Spun takes old PET bottles and processes them like other regenerated fabrics to make a yarn similar to polyester. For a much better explanation go to:
4. Synthetic fibres. Polyester, polyamide, elastane (i.e. spandex and lycra), etc. Some people swear by synthetics because they're easy to clean and maintain, are dyed in the spinning stage and therefore do not fade, and are very wrinkle resistant. I say, it's all oil so shut up and stop placating people! That's right - synthetics are made of oil. Like what you put in your car. Just like what you put in your car. You're wearing that. Do I need to say any more than that?
This is obviously very simple, surface information. The rest is up to you. I'm not asking you to go out on a crusade against polyester (that's my job!), I'm simply asking you to ask...Ask what your clothing is made of and what that may mean to the world around you. I find that clothing companies will often write you back when you request info - so do that. Arm yourself with information and ask the questions that get noticed. And most importantly...PAY ATTENTION!
Fashion will never be sustainable as long as it is trend-based...
