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Index

Fibres to fabrics 

Clothes

Footwear
Other 

Stats

  • Lots of outrageous statistics HERE


Introduction

Textiles and ultimately clothing start with fibres

Fibres To Fabric

Fibres are short fine hairs that can be twisted or spun into longer thread or yarn. that is then used as string for tying, thread for sewing or yarn for knitting or weaving to make fabric

Natural fibres Are derived from plants like cotton or animals like wool. They biodegrade

Synthetic fibres are man-made. Many are petroleum derived plastic. . Most don’t biodegrade.

Regenerated Fibres The base material is cellulose that is converted through a chemical process into fibres. Some it is claimed are biodegradable. Some are not.

Mixed fibre are a combination of synthetic and natural

Read more HERE

Yarns and threads

Fibres are SPUN into yarns and threads that are then used as string for tying, thread for sewing or yarn for knitting or weaving to make fabric

Fabrics

Threads can be woven or knitted into fabric.
The fabric often takes the name of the fibre such as cotton or wool or go under a trade name such as nylon.Or it can be called something else completely like  denim or crepe de chine.

Read about why I prefer natural fabrics over synthetics here.

Clothing

Clothes are then made out of woven/knitted fabrics or knitted yarn.

Shop Bought

I have started making my own clothes but some things are beyond me. Tee shirts, underwear and Jeans / trousers are all way too difficult as yet. Socks, tights and leggings also fall into this category. Though I am learning to knit socks!!!

Buying Plastic Free – Problems

You might be buying cotton but you still get some plastic. The “cotton” to sew them will be, (polyester), plastic. So will the buttons and other fixings. even the labels. And those beastly coat hangers. Its a minefield I tell you.

So some stuff I have to buy. I have strict rules ( surprise) applied to buying of clothes.

Read more about plastic Involved when buying  ready made clothes and our sustainable criteria for buying (or making clothes) in the  clothing manifesto 

See some plastic-free/reduced , ready-made clothes here

Home MadeClothes
The only way I can buy plastic-free and afford fair trade,organic clothes is make them myself.
And I get to support local fabric shops which is very important to me. As is buying U.K. made fabrics.
Read all about it here.
How to sew plastic free
See The clothes I have made here

How Much? The Fair Share Fabric Project
Ones mans sustainable amount is anothers nothing to wear. So I have decided to use only my global share of fibres and they have to be sustainably sourced. Whats a global share? Share out all that is made by all the people on the planet and it works out, (very roughly), at 11.74 kg per person of which 3.8 kg is natural fibres. As I don’t like synthetics I try to stick to 3.8 kg of natural fibres.
Introduction and yearly synopsis

Read More About It

Lots of outrageous statistics HERE

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