Article on sustainable fashion

[blackcat001]

From the Guardian..

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2020/feb/24/should-we-ration-fashion-lessons-in-sustainability-from-the-second-world-war

Whilst none of us are perfect, those of us who sew our clothes often find recycling an item, or using up bits from a stash, using up the leftover bits of fabric from a project to make something else, an enjoyable thing to do.

As for make-do-and-mend, I already do this, as I make a point of repairing clothes as much as I can out of necessity! I have some items of clothing over a decade old and still going strong

[BrendaP]

An iteresting article.

With so much of the cheap end RTW clothing being made in the far east I wonder what effect the lockdown in China due to coronavirus will have on western clothing/fashion.

[UttaRetch]

The article comes from a completely false perspective.  There simply is not condition that equates to wartime.  Further, this government has no imagination on what sustainability could actually look like and it is certainly not about to interfere in the business of making money.  By all means, people will do what they can but make no mistake, there is not going to be any sort of revolution on how clothing is made and sold.

[Kwaaked]

In today's political climate, "rebellion" or "radical" as terms to change an industry are simply going to put off some of the people, making the movement fail before it starts. 

From the article: "Now, as we accept that we are in a new, long-term, state of grief and emergency, we need to find cultural alignment around meaningful purpose. We need to find a new business model and we need to change together. The fashion industry is a powerful cultural force and with that comes great responsibility. It’s time to overcome elitism and division, and reimagine culture with empathy at its centre."

For one, I don't feel that I am in a state of emergency or grief.  Could things be better in the world?  Sure.  Thing is, doesn't matter where you fall in the world economically, socially, politically or any other way that are used to divide people; the world changes.  Overall, hey, I'm annoyingly happy with my life, even when things take a turn for the worse.

How do we culturally align when cultural appropriation is being tossed about regularly?  And what industry do we follow for this cultural change?  The Muslim world?  The Western?  Asian?  Yes, I am aware this is an article from a Western viewpoint, but the question remains...if we follow anyone else's cultural ideals in fashion, are we then appropriating THEIR culture?  If we stick to Western culture, then aren't we going to prop up a toxic environment (fashion is male dominated) and the cancel culture?  Whatever path taken is problematic.

And really, Fashion is always been about elitism.  It's less now then it used to be, but that was always at its core with the rich making the trends and it trickling down.  Centuries of this is going to be hard, if not impossible, to change.

As to modern changing, their is one in fashion as the younger set wants experiences and not stuff.  Part of this is moving to clothing, slowly but moving.  As they want these experiences, they tend to do new things like visiting a tailor or getting their clothing altered and then moving to bespoke.  This is part of the reason I have a business model that more closely resembles a 1920s modiste then a modern alteration shop.  The want of the experience is forcing a change that is growing, and it is including clothing be it from alterations, bespoke or personal shopping.

[Ohsewsimple]

I’m sure those of us that make our own clothes make them last as we put too much work into them to just toss them away quickly.  And it is great to be able to use up scraps in whatever way we can in future garments. 
What I don’t like is all the dirt cheap clothing that people buy to wear a couple of times and then throw away.  I know someone who used to tell her daughter to buy a cheap bikini for her holiday then junk it before coming home.  Not only wasteful but leaving another country to deal with your problems. 

[jen]

For those of us who sew, cheap, wear once clothes aren't a thing. Some fabrics don't wear well, whereas a good tweed will go on for decades.

[Surest1tch]

I did hear a talk on our local radio yesterday that some of the higher brand names like Levi's and a few others (forgot who they are) are talking about starting to offer a repair service to help prevent clothing going into landfill.

[UttaRetch]

Let's see if it's not just talk.

[Kwaaked]

 In the US, Levi's has always had a tailoring department and you could always get them repaired or custom made.  Some of these shops have been there for years (my dad went to the one in Plano and Santa Monica).

https://www.levi.com/US/en_US/features/tailor-shop

Funny note: my dad was a Teamster truck driver and wore Levi's since he started working at 11.  Hearing them called high end or designer is funny to me because I see the every day of my life.

[Manuela]

An iteresting article.

With so much of the cheap end RTW clothing being made in the far east I wonder what effect the lockdown in China due to coronavirus will have on western clothing/fashion.

China has mostly moved away from garment production over the last 10 years and become ‘too expensive’ for most buyers. Even the big middle men like Li & Fung make losses. The fashion industry has mostly move the countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, etc. where labour is even cheaper. China has largely replaced the fashion factories in Guangdong and Zhejiang province with consumer electronics factories (Apple, Samsung....). I expect we will see the effects of the lockdown there.
Given the cycles in the fashion industry, now would be the repeat order (bestsellers) and development phase. The spring/summer production was mostly shipped before Chinese New year.

[renita]

Here's another article from the ABC in Australia yesterday.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-10/sustainable-fashion-tips/12038770

I find some of the figures in the article to be mind boggling - I'm certainly not contributing much to the pile!

I think we're on the right track as sewing folk.  We can custom-fit and style our garments.  If things don't work out, we can tweak the garment or reuse the fabric in something else entirely.  We have an appreciation of the effort that goes into construction and know that some poor soul isn't being paid sweatshop rates to make our clothes, while we then pay for the tiny label (or sometimes large ugly logo emblazoned) on it.

I've always hated being labelled as a 'consumer' - it conjures visions of locust swarms laying waste to the landscape.  I much prefer being a creator.

[Gernella]

In a clear out, it is always RTW that hits the bag first.  I am loath to let go anything I have made, even if it no longer fits.  It stands a better chance of moving on if it is looking tired.

When newspapers start bandying prices around for what the whose who are (how the heck can they price everything bar their bra and knickers), I wince at the cost.  I know there is fabric and fabric and overheads, but the prices are obscene.

[charlotte]

I have been inspired to darn the hole in my RTW cashmere cardigan, rather than just throwing it on a 'mending pile', never to be worn again...