sustainable fibers

index
NEW PRIORITIES........................... A PARADIGM SHIFT......................... RENEWABLE MATTER......................... RUIN TO REPAIR........................... FOREVER-WEAR...........................

THE HISTORICAL......................... THE VINTAGE............................ THE CONTEMPORARY....................... ECO SWATCHES..........................

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ORIGINAL CLOTH After man lost his natural fur in the course of evolution, clothing became a necessity as similar to food and housing. The first clothes consisted of natural animal pelts and were worn some 135,000 years ago in the middle of the Stone Age. Soon this type of clothing was no longer sufficient, and man started using fibres from natural plants for fabric. With the rising quality of life and the growing world population, the consumption and the demand for textiles went up continually. During this time, the population had to be fed so that a conflict of interests arose, and how to use available agricultural land. Finally, priority was given to food-producing agriculture in order to ensure direct survival as well as to the detriment of sheep farming and flax cultivation. A GLOBAL ARGUEMENT Due to this nature of production, only continually decreasing areas were available, for the cultivation of renewable resources for the textile industry. The demand in Europe could be no longer fully be covered with the raw materials availible. Raw sheep wool imported from Australia became ever more important due to this. Linen, that had been obtained from flax cultivation, was gradually replaced by cotton which grows only in subtropical to tropical climates. Most probably, the desire to be independent from transcontinental renewable resources was getting stronger due to military conflicts (which frequently interrupted transatlantic transport routes) Furthermore, requirements for textile production became more sophisticated. As late as in the 19th century, the conflict between agricultural land for food production or for apparel use was still unsolved. One person would need nearly 1 hectare of fertile land if this person was to resort exclusively to natural products. Due to this growing population it became necessary to find other solutions in order to cover the demand for textiles, because of the lack of agricultural areas.

THE SCIENCE OF CHANGE As early as 1665 the Englishman Robert Hooke had the idea to produce artificial fibres from viscous mass. However, it was a long process with many failures before this idea became reality. For over two centuries this goal was merely seen as fantastic utopia. In 1845 Christian Friedrich Schnbein dissolved trinitrocellulose (gun cotton) in alcohol ether, producing collodium. Artificial fibres were produced from this solution for the first time in 1855 by the Swiss Audemars. Based on these experiments, Count Hilaire de Chardonnet achieved, between 1878 and 1884, a breakthrough in the manufacture of the first natural man-made fibre, artificial silk or rayon, from dissolved dinitrocellulose, which was produced industrially from 1890 This was followed by the manufacture of copper rayon from a solution of cellulose in copper oxide ammonia for which, however, relatively costly cotton linters (3.5 mm hairs on cotton seed capsules) were needed as raw materials.

new priorities

TRIUMPH OF THE MAN-MADE Important to this day are the manufacturing of viscose fibres, from cellulose xanthogenate soluble in sodium hydroxide, which became possible in 1885, as well as the acetylation of cellulose (cellulose triacetate) which was first performed successfully in 1865. From 1919 this material was spun into acetate silk on industrial scale, by way of partial saponification. Total independence from the natural raw material cellulose was achieved with synthetic fibres such as Polyamide 66, or Nylon, in 1935, Polyamide 6, or Perlon, 1938, Polyacrylnitril in 1942, Polyester in 1941, and Elastan, in 1958. After World War II the triumph of man-made fibres was unstoppable. With the start of mass production of successful fibres such as: Polyacryl, Polyamide, Polyester, Elastan and Viscose. peoples quality and feeling of life improved perceptibly.That ended the competition between agriculture and clothing industries for limited farmland. Rising fibre production was no longer to the detriment of the populations food situation.

 A fabric, or fiber, to be considered sustainable, needs to be produced without harming the environment, its producers, and without excessively high production costs that will one day cause it not to be economically viable. Many people automatically assume that a sustainable fiber is an organic fiber, or a natural one. The rejection of the use any man-made fibers is based on the idea that they damage the environment. While this is often true, some man-made, or synthetic, fibers can actually be more sustainable than natural ones as they do not use as many resources as natural fibers. In general, the debate over how sustainable natural fibers relates to the water and energy consumption during the production of these fibers. Unless the fibers are Organic, then harmful chemicals that damage the environment are often used, but are also responsible for thousands of deaths a year. The amount of energy used in turning the cellulose of plants (like cotton or ramie) into a fiber can be huge, and very damaging if the energy source is non renewable. The water consumption of growing natural fibers often leaves others without clean water, and can damage the surrounding soil, making it quickly become infertile.

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SUSTAINABLE METHODS

NATURAL FIBER PRODUCTION Natural fibers are produced from renewable resources, but fertilisers and pesticides involved in the production process can damage the environment. Organic cotton has become popular with consumers as it is produced in an environmentally friendly manner. Regenerated cullulosics are produced from renewable resources. Environmentally friendly wools are available.

SYNTHETIC FIBER PRODUCTION Most synthetic fibers are produced from nonrewnewable resources. Production of synthetic fibers also demands water and energy. Much research has been done to lessen the environmental impact of synteic fiber production. A recent development is a polyester fiver that is produced from corn . In addition recycled synthetic fibers reduce the use of nonrenewable resources, eliminate harmful air emmisions, use less energy, and are not sent to landfills.

NATURAL FIBER Fibers which are found in nature and are not petroleum-based. Natural fibers can be categorized into two main groups, cellulose or plant fiber and protein or animal fiber. CELLULOSE Cotton, Jute, Flax, Hemp, Ramie, Abaca, Bamboo, Soy, Corn, Banana, Pineapple, and Beechwood.

PROTEIN FIBER Wool, Silk, Angora, Camel, Alpaca, Llama, Vicuna, Cashmere, Mohair MANUFACTURED from natural materials: Lyocell, Polylactic acid or PLA (Corn Polymer)

RECYCLED Recycled fibers are made from scraps of fabrics collected from clothing factories, which are processed back into short fibres for spinning into a new yarn.[5] There are only a few facilities globally that are able to process the clippings and variations range from a blend of recycled cotton fibers+added rePET yarns for strength to recycled cotton fibres+virgin acrylic fibers which are added for color consistency and strength. HEMP Hemp is a hugely versatile and safe fabric. It can grow in a vast range of climates around the world, making it a widely available family of plant. Hemp, like Bamboo, grows very quickly, and it is up to 7 times stronger than a cotton fibre. This means, when recycled, it produces a better quality of recycled material than recycled cotton usually does. There are records showing its use dating back to 4000BC, proving that its a resilient plant. Hemp naturally doesnt attract insects, meaning farmers dont need to use chemicals on their crops. It also requires little water, making it preferable over organic cotton.

NATURAL SUSTAINABLE FIBERS COTTON Cotton is a plant which produces little fluffy balls of fibres, which surround the plants seeds. This is the fibre that we see spun into fabric and made into clothing. Growing cotton takes a huge amount of water, which would not be used in producing a plastic based or man made fibre. The same is said for the chemical impacts of pesticides, fertilisers and herbicides, which are often used to grow cotton and other natural fibres. Organic materials are guaranteed not to use these chemicals, and so do not damage the environment, or cause water pollution. BAMBOO (VISCOSE) Bamboo is a plant which can also be turned into fibres and fabrics. It grows at a rate of up to 6inches a day, and can be grown in close proximity to other plants, so does not need a large area of land per crop. Bamboo doesnt usually require pesticide or other chemical intervention in its growth, which means that bamboo crops dont tend to be involved in pollution of water or soil. In order for them to be produced from the actual bamboo components, it requires a lot of heat energy, water and chemicals. Although the chemicals can be neutralised into harmless salts and other compounds, they use a lot of energy in their production.

LYOCELL (TENCEL) This material is made from wood pulp. It is a durable and absorbent fabric, which makes it very useful in towelling and bags. Like bamboo fibre production, the problem is the chemicals used in the fibres production. Although said to biodegrade, there are a lot of chemicals involved in Lyocells production, which are not dissimilar to those used in man made fibres.

SYNTHETIC SUSTAINABLLE FIBERS POLYESTER (PET) Although the polyester itself is not sustainable as it is made from oil, the recycled fabric makes use of old plastic bottles and bags. So, although the raw material is highly unsustainable, if we could use old plastics and continue to recycle them into new clothes, then perhaps we can make the best of an environmentally damaging fabric. The use of plastics in forming these fibres also prevents the plastics going into landfill. is recycled extensively. Production of recycled polyester is significantly less damaging to the environment than producing it from new raw materials. Products made from recycled polyester tend to be more expensive than those made from virgin fiber products. JUTE Growing Jute requires 1/10 of the energy needed to make the same amount of synthetic fibres. It is grown in tropical environments and relies on human labour to grow. It also helps to employ agricultural labourers, when most synthetic fabric manufacturing is increasingly mechanised. A hectare crop of Jute produces around 11tonnes of O2 a year, but it also absorbs 15 tonnes of CO2, a small, but notable, Carbon Dioxide sink. Jute is not yet used widely in clothing, but has a use in handbags, shoes and industrial manufacturing. Because it is a natural fibre, it is totally biodegradable, so once youre done with your Jute bag, you can decompose it. SEACELL This is a new fibre, made from seaweed and wood pulp. It is biodegradable and a breathable fabric that it is ideal for underwear or gym clothes. It can pass nutrients into the skin, in a similar way to that of having a Seaweed wrap treatment at the gym, although there is not yet any scientific validation of this claim. It seems to me to be one of the most environmentally sustainable of the fibres available today. RAYON Rayon is a regenerated cellulose fibre usually manufactured from wood pulp. This straight weave, lightweight quality is an in expensive fabric with good draping qualities and is suitable for multiple uses.

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ruin and repair

Modern finishing processes have reduced the use of hazardous chemicals and of large quantities of electricity and water. Finishing plants carefully minimize the impact on the ecosystem through efficient pollution control and prevention systems and proper disposal of hazardous waste. Research continues to develop ever more efficient finishing methods use of less hazardous chemicals, reclaiming and reusing chemicals, and removing contaminants before discharging them. Nano finishes further reduce damage to the environment. The process of dyeing fabrics can be very damaging to the environment. Also, white textiles must be chemically bleached. The colours, acids, salts and heavy metals used in colouring can cause water pollution. Alternatives to current dyeing and printing processes include use of more natural dyes, use of safer mordants, more effective methods of removing colour during water treatment, reuse of textile dyeing water and limited use of salt and other chemicals. Textile products can be reused, recycled or disposed of. Some companies conduct their own recycling initiatives. Many consumers donate used apparel and furnishing s to charities or other organisations that reuse the garments. Textile manufacturers also recycle textile waste for use as nonwovens, filters, floor coverings, mattresses etc. The invista carpet reclamation center in calhoun, georgia accapts all commercial carpets and has saved more than 370,000 cubic yards of landfill space. Research continues into new ways of diverting textile products.

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IMPACTS OF FAST FASHION Products made by fast fashion companies are cheap because theyre poorly made and arent meant to last for more than one season. This means that these clothes quickly find themselves in landfills. As the demand for fast fashion grows, so does the need for more factories in places with cheap labor. Large factories in countries like China and Bangladesh are where almost all of these clothes are being made. These countries have little to no emission regulations, which have led to a sharp increase in air pollution. A study by Cambridge University found that the fast fashion industry uses approximately 70 million tons of water. Were talking about water that could have otherwise been used for more essential things such as drinking, bathing and growing crops. In 2012, a Greenpeace report revealed that companies like Zara and H&M were selling products that contained hazardous chemicals. Not only were these chemicals contaminating waterways and vegetation, some of them were also cancer causing and hormone disrupting chemicals. Many fast fashion clothes are made with some percentage of polyester, which is a fiber made from petroleum. Its no secret that the extraction of oil and the processes of turning oil into polyester are extremely detrimental to the environment.

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forever-wear
RECYCLED FASHION Fabrics made from recycled items are now becoming more commonplace with recycled polyester made from recycled drinks bottles now being made by companies such as Patagonia , Marks and Spencer, and Armani jeans. Armani jeans have been incorporating eco fabrics and design since the mid 90s. Their first eco project started in 1995 with the development of a process to recycle denim. This was revolutionary for the time and the jeans were displayed at the Science and Technology Museum of Milan. Later that year, Armani Jeans developed new materials using 60% recycled wool and recycled cross dyed cotton and introduced hemp eco washes into the collection. This experimentation has continued with the production of an organic knitwear range, the use of pure alpaca and the engagement with fair-trade cotton projects in Peru and Bolivia and recycled polyester. Some fashion businesses use fabric waste generated during the manufacturing process or material that has been designated as unusable due to minor faults. Companies like From Somewhere specialise in creating collections from this kind of fabric , and refer to this process as upcycling rather than recycling.
(Source: Gary Harvey Recycled Haute Couture)

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pineapple pina cloth

The pineapple plant is native to South America, but has since been introduced to all warmer climates of world. The pineapple plant is not known to be a source of fiber for textiles to most people. In the Philippines, pineapple fiber fabric has been around as long as the plant has been in the islands. In the Philippines pineapple fiber cloth is called Pina cloth after the local word for the pineapple plant. The Spanish introduced the pineapple to the Philippine archipelago in the 1500s when the island chain was first became a Spanish colony. The warm climate in the Philippines was seen as an ideal place to grow pineapples by the newly arrived Spaniards. The making of pineapple textiles has always been a rather time consuming and labor intensive practice requiring decades of practice to master. The fibers of the pineapple leaves have traditionally been obtained by a tedious hand scraping process using a specialized tool made out of stone, ceramic, or seashell. Not surprisingly, pina cloth has traditionally been relegated to either a fashion statement for the wealthy, or garments reserved for weddings and other important occasions. Although pina cloth never achieved large scale production in the Philippines, the craft never died. Although the production of pina cloth has traditionally been a village craft in the Philippines and always produced on a small scale, pina cloth can still be found outside of the Philippines. At this time, Philippine tailor shops serving Filipino communities around the world still proudly advertise pina cloth garments. Custom made pina garments are typically made for special occasions like weddings and baptisms. The city of Honolulu Hawaii still has several Filipino tailor shops that make special occasion pina cloth outfits. Pina cloth is revered by Filipinos to this day, not only because it is a beautiful and ecologically responsible cloth, but mostly because it is a symbol of cultural identity.

the historical
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PINEAPPLE WIDE TRIPLE STRIPE 100% pinapple fiber. 45 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # PF2

Philippines. Pina cloth Blouse. 19th century

PINEAPPLE THIN DOUBLE STRIPE 100% pineapple fiber. 45 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com #PF3

Pina Cloth, Philippine gown, ca. 1940 The Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Pina cloth, ca. 1855 The Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

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halstonultrasuede

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THE ULTRASUEDE REVOLUTION

Roy Halston Frowick, best known as Halston, was an iconic clothing designer of the 1970s. Born in Des Moines, Iowa on April 23, 1932, he started off designing hats. It was his dresses, however, that made him famous. They were sexy and streamlined, perfect for high-strung nights on a disco floor. Wrapping, tying, and folding were all habits of mind for Halston. The designers prized simplicity is evident in his most famous millinery achievement, the pillbox hat. He marketed a new synthetic fabric that he called ultrasuede, which had a soft fine feel and look of real suede. In his Ultrasuede shirtwaist, perhaps his greatest dressmaking success, he offered a versatile sportswear icon in a new material, allowing for countless individual expressions through personal styling. Ultrasuede is a crisp, medium bodied fabric. It feels smooth and can be used to make handbags, accessories, and it can even used for light upholstering. Ultra Suede does not fray or unravel, and is the top choice of our teachers for cutwork and shoe covering, as it is very easy to manipulate without distortion.

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ULTRASUEDE 100% polyester 55 wide. Vogue Fabrics www.voguefabrics.com #SR-ultrasuede-borde

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the contemporary
THE PLANT BASED MAN John Bartlett designs made for a travelogue of Mediterranean and Indian flavors. Designing for the plant-based man, Bartletts all-natural, animal-friendly looks were primarily linentimeless easy pinstripe suits, ties and Bermuda shorts. His line was wholly vegan: Ultrasuede for leather, nylon in place of wool. The tailored suits, rope belts, pleated pants, matching shirts and ties (a John Bartlett staple) and a soft palette of watermelon, avocado, and other flora all added up for a powerful collection perfect for sophisticated, cool and cognizant men. Bartlett is a committed naturalist. Wearable as it all was, it was missing some heft on the runway.

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BLEACHED LINEN 100% linen. 54 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # LIN6

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ULTRASUEDE 100% polyester 55 wide. Vogue Fabrics www.voguefabrics.com #SR-ultrasuede-councr

JOHN BARTLETT S/S 2013

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ECO SWATCHES

BAMBOO RAYON 100% bamboo rayon. 60 wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com #BBF

LINEN, RAYON BLEND 55% linen, 45% rayon. 52 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com #LR

NATURAL ORGANIC COTTON MUSLIN 100% organic cotton. 45 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com #OMUS4

RAYON GEORGETTE 100% rayon. 55 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # RG55

RAYON SATIN 100% rayon. 45 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # RG55

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RAYON SATIN 100% rayon. 45 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # RSAT45

RAYON TWILL 100% rayon. 55 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # RT55

RAYON VOILE 100% rayon. 45 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # RVO45

RAYON LAWN 100% rayon. 54/55 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # RL55

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VISCOSE RAYON LIGHT 100% rayon. 45 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # VRL

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MODAL RAYON JERSEY 95% modal rayon, 5% lycra. 60 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # MJ60

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SOY ORGANIC COTTON JERSEY 58% soy, 37% organic cotton. 60 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # SOCJ

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NYLON PFD FABRIC 100% nylon. 58 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # NF

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ORGANIC COTTON SUEDED TWILL 100% organic cotton. 45 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # OCTW

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VISCOSE RAYON CHALLIS 100% rayon. 55 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # VCL

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RAYON CRINKLE GAUZE 100% rayon. 62 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # RCK

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HEMP/SILK CHARMEUSE 60% hemp, 40% silk. 57 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # HSCH

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HEMP LINEN CANVAS 100% hemp camvas. 60 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # HLW

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HEMP SUMMERCLOTH 100% hemp. 59 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # HM

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PIMATEX COTTON PFD 100% cotton. 45 Wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # PTC

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VIRGIN WOOL FELT 100% virgin wool. 36 wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # VWF

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BENGAL BURLAP NATURAL 100% jute. 46 wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # BLAPN

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HEMP RAYON BLEND 55% hemp, 45% rayon. 58 wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # HR

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HEMP/COTTON JERSEY KNIT 55% hemp, 45% cotton jersey. 52 wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # HJ

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HEMP/SILK BLEND 60% hemp, 40% silk. 57 wide. Dharma Trading www.dharmatrading.com # HS

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morgan mccarty fash 105-05 introduction to textiles professor stephanie foy