licl:clothes

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licl:clothes [2025/12/05 17:20] – created Simon Grantlicl:clothes [2026/03/26 18:33] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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-# Low-impact clothes+This topic is part of [[gt:crafts|Crafts & making]] and [[gt:wellbeing|Wellbeing, home & relationships]]. 
 +====== Low-impact clothes ======
  
  
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 ++
 > "Fast fashion, whilst having increased the accessibility of stylish clothes for millions, has unfortunately resulted in many horrific practices, such as child labour, that exploit millions of people around the world in poorer, developing countries. This something that has to change, and we can all start by reflecting on where our clothes come from." - Philomena Kwao > "Fast fashion, whilst having increased the accessibility of stylish clothes for millions, has unfortunately resulted in many horrific practices, such as child labour, that exploit millions of people around the world in poorer, developing countries. This something that has to change, and we can all start by reflecting on where our clothes come from." - Philomena Kwao
  
  
  
-## What are low-impact clothes?+===== What are low-impact clothes? =====
  
 It's difficult to define low-impact clothes in the same way as topics such as knitting, sewing or weaving, as there are so many aspects to consider. For convenience, we can categorise them in two ways: It's difficult to define low-impact clothes in the same way as topics such as knitting, sewing or weaving, as there are so many aspects to consider. For convenience, we can categorise them in two ways:
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 <caption> <caption>
-If you see a blue field, it's probably flax, used to make linen, which is durable and keeps you cool when it's hot. So, wool for winter, linen for summer?+_If you see a blue field, it's probably flax, used to make linen, which is durable and keeps you cool when it's hot. So, wool for winter, linen for summer?_
  
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-Plenty of people in the world dress without caring what's happening on the catwalks - you could be one of them (if you're not already).+_Plenty of people in the world dress without caring what's happening on the catwalks - you could be one of them (if you're not already)._
  
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-Merino sheep's ultra-fine wool makes possibly the world's warmest jumpers, that will last a lifetime. Merino wool is also used next to the skin for outdoor sports and activities, because it's extremely soft; it wicks moisture away from the body, but retains warmth when wet; and it contains lanolin, which is antibacterial and so reduces body odour.+_Merino sheep's ultra-fine wool makes possibly the world's warmest jumpers, that will last a lifetime. Merino wool is also used next to the skin for outdoor sports and activities, because it's extremely soft; it wicks moisture away from the body, but retains warmth when wet; and it contains lanolin, which is antibacterial and so reduces body odour._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-## What are the benefits of low-impact clothes?+===== What are the benefits of low-impact clothes? =====
  
 The benefits of low-impact clothes are best illustrated by highlighting the problems of the current high-impact clothes industry. The benefits of low-impact clothes are best illustrated by highlighting the problems of the current high-impact clothes industry.
-### Materials+==== Materials ====
  
 The introduction of petroleum-based, synthetic textiles made care of clothes much easier, but your skin breathes through your clothes, and as synthetics are non-breathable, they make you and your clothes smell, which means they have to be washed more often, which requires more energy, water and detergent. On the other hand, recycled plastics can be made into fibres to make clothes. This isn't a good basis for a clothes industry though - the manufacture of plastics involves a lot of pollution, which causes environmental damage and health problems for people who work in the industry. It's also impossible to dye synthetic clothes with natural dyes, and there are lots of synthetic textiles rotting in places we can't see them, slowly emitting toxins. The introduction of petroleum-based, synthetic textiles made care of clothes much easier, but your skin breathes through your clothes, and as synthetics are non-breathable, they make you and your clothes smell, which means they have to be washed more often, which requires more energy, water and detergent. On the other hand, recycled plastics can be made into fibres to make clothes. This isn't a good basis for a clothes industry though - the manufacture of plastics involves a lot of pollution, which causes environmental damage and health problems for people who work in the industry. It's also impossible to dye synthetic clothes with natural dyes, and there are lots of synthetic textiles rotting in places we can't see them, slowly emitting toxins.
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 <caption> <caption>
-The corporate sector has been able to reduce the price of clothing by using sweatshop labour and cheap, synthetic materials and dyes, as well as the usual tax avoidance and economies of scale. It's no wonder that the domestic, natural clothing industry has been decimated. In an ideal world, sweatshop workers would escape to build their own, non-exploitative, domestic clothing industries and economists who support sweatshops would be forced to work in them - but sadly, we don't live in an ideal world.+_The corporate sector has been able to reduce the price of clothing by using sweatshop labour and cheap, synthetic materials and dyes, as well as the usual tax avoidance and economies of scale. It's no wonder that the domestic, natural clothing industry has been decimated. In an ideal world, sweatshop workers would escape to build their own, non-exploitative, domestic clothing industries and economists who support sweatshops would be forced to work in them - but sadly, we don't live in an ideal world._
  
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-Hemp produces strong fibres and durable clothes.+_Hemp produces strong fibres and durable clothes._
  
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 </figure> </figure>
 </WRAP> </WRAP>
-### Provenance+==== Provenance ====
  
 The scale of manufacturing is important. If clothes are made on a huge scale, short cuts are taken to maximise returns to shareholders, resulting in not only shoddy goods, but also huge, exploitative sweatshops that are famous for paying workers a tiny fraction of the retail price of the clothes they produce; plus with large-scale manufacturing, pollutants are concentrated, causing problems that nature could cope with and neutralise much more easily in a more dispersed industry of small-scale producers (and especially if they were producing naturally and for a local market). The scale of manufacturing is important. If clothes are made on a huge scale, short cuts are taken to maximise returns to shareholders, resulting in not only shoddy goods, but also huge, exploitative sweatshops that are famous for paying workers a tiny fraction of the retail price of the clothes they produce; plus with large-scale manufacturing, pollutants are concentrated, causing problems that nature could cope with and neutralise much more easily in a more dispersed industry of small-scale producers (and especially if they were producing naturally and for a local market).
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-## What can I do?+===== What can I do? =====
  
-### Buying clothes+==== Buying clothes ====
  
 Possibly the most important thing when buying low-impact clothes clothes is to ignore the fashion industry. That doesn't mean not being creative - it just means not allowing other people to tell you how to dress. It also means avoiding corporate brands, who often try to turn you into walking advertisements for them, especially when it comes to sportswear. The raison d'être of the corporate fashion industry is to build obsolescence into our clothes, and to persuade us to buy more than we need. Over 50% of clothing sold in the UK eventually ends up in landfill. Even in charity shops a huge amount of clothing remains unsold and is baled up and sent to Africa. Although intended to be helpful, this actually destroys the local clothing industry, because you can't compete with goods that are free. Possibly the most important thing when buying low-impact clothes clothes is to ignore the fashion industry. That doesn't mean not being creative - it just means not allowing other people to tell you how to dress. It also means avoiding corporate brands, who often try to turn you into walking advertisements for them, especially when it comes to sportswear. The raison d'être of the corporate fashion industry is to build obsolescence into our clothes, and to persuade us to buy more than we need. Over 50% of clothing sold in the UK eventually ends up in landfill. Even in charity shops a huge amount of clothing remains unsold and is baled up and sent to Africa. Although intended to be helpful, this actually destroys the local clothing industry, because you can't compete with goods that are free.
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 <caption> <caption>
-The colour of next year's fashionable clothes can often be discerned from the colour of this year's Chinese rivers.+_The colour of next year's fashionable clothes can often be discerned from the colour of this year's Chinese rivers._
  
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 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-### Making clothes+==== Making clothes ====
  
 If you're going to make your own low-impact clothes, you're going to need one or more of these skills: If you're going to make your own low-impact clothes, you're going to need one or more of these skills:
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 <caption> <caption>
-Darning means that socks with holes in don't have to be thrown away.+_Darning means that socks with holes in don't have to be thrown away._
  
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 And of course it's good to repair things - darning socks and patching clothes are becoming more common. Ultimately, if low-impact clothes made from natural materials can't be repaired any more, they can be composted or used for insulation. And of course it's good to repair things - darning socks and patching clothes are becoming more common. Ultimately, if low-impact clothes made from natural materials can't be repaired any more, they can be composted or used for insulation.
 +===== Forum =====
  
-## Further resources+This topic belongs to the section [[gt:crafts|Crafts & making]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/crafts).
  
 +It is also in the section [[gt:wellbeing|Wellbeing, home & relationships]] (Forum: [Wellbeing, home & relationships](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/wellbeing)).
  
 +===== Further resources =====
  
-## Specialist(s)+- [SW England Fibreshed](https://southwestenglandfibreshed.co.uk/) 
 +- [Fibershed](https://fibershed.org/) - US 
 +- [Centre for Sustainable Fashion](https://www.sustainable-fashion.com/) 
 +- [600+ clothes upcycling projects](https://jembellish.blogspot.com/p/clothes-upcycling-projects.html) 
 +- [Textile Recycling Association](https://www.textilerecyclingassociation.org/) 
 +- [How to mend clothes](https://lifestyle.howstuffworks.com/crafts/wearable/how-to-mend-clothes1.htm) 
 +- [How to start a clothes shop](https://startups.co.uk/guides/how-to-start-a-clothes-shop/) 
 +- [FairWear Foundation](https://www.fairwear.org/) 
 +- [No Sweat](https://nosweat.org.uk/) - fighting sweat shops 
 + 
 + 
 + 
 + 
 +===== Related topics ===== 
 + 
 +- [Craft production](craf:craft) 
 +- [Felt making](felt:felt_making) 
 +- [Jewellery making](jewl:jewellery) 
 +- [Knitting & crochet](knit:knitting) 
 +- [Leatherwork](leat:leatherwork) 
 +- [Natural dyes](ntdy:natural_dyes) 
 +- [Plant fibres](pltf:plant_fibres) 
 +- [Sewing](sewi:sewing) 
 +- [Weaving](weav:weaving) 
 + 
 +===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
  
  • licl/clothes.1764955201.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2025/12/05 17:20
  • by Simon Grant