Peak textiles - Oct 27
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Many more articles are available through the Energy Bulletin homepage
Sustainable wool: Baacodes with a backstory
Julia Levitt, WorldChanging
We have a quick bit of good news … for sheep, in particular. And also for ethical types who enjoy their warm woolens.
As most of us know, shopping to match your values can be a headache-inducing endeavor. At Worldchanging, we've always been major advocates of the backstory principle. In a sentence: be aware of the story behind your stuff. When companies are transparent about their principles and processes, shoppers can be more confident that they don't need to scrutinize the fine print every time they need shampoo or socks. (If you'd like to read more in-depth on the topic, dive into the Worldchanging archives.)
So we applaud our friends at Icebreaker, an outdoor clothing company based in Wellington, New Zealand, for their new adorably-named "Baacode" program...
I like the idea of Baacodes. Might turn into a Moovement.
(17 October 2008)
Bioneers 2008: Reincarnated Clothes Get a Second Chance at Cuteness
by Jaymi Heimbuch, Treehugger
One of the cool things about going to Bioneers was seeing all the clothing on display. There was organic cotton shirts, hemp clothes, clothes from recycled materials. But some of the cutest pieces on display were from Multiple Treads, which sported a line of "reincarnated clothing." ...
...All the clothes are made of old pieces that have seen better days and better styles. Taking them apart, restyling, and resewing them, designer Diane Austen uses up very few new resources while keeping old resources in the consumer stream and saving resources and a massive amount of energy...
(20 October 2008)
'Good' and 'bad' textiles are challenging to spot
Kim Davis, Vancounver Sun
If variety is the spice of life, then many of us could benefit from a little seasoning when it comes to our linens and wardrobe.
Eco-textiles expert Kate Fletcher, in her recently released book Sustainable Fashion and Textiles: Design Journeys, describes how today's fashion and textile industry continues to be dominated by a large number of similar products in a limited range of fibres.
Fletcher writes that "cotton and polyester together account for over 80 per cent of the global market in textiles." While organic cotton and recycled polyester, as well as a growing number of alternative fibres -- hemp, bamboo, soy, etc. -- are increasingly available, Fletcher says it is important to recognize that "no one fibre, regardless of whether it is organic, fairly traded or recycled, can single-handedly transform the practices of a polluting and resource-intensive industry into a more sustainable one."
Just as eating organic corn and wheat is better for us (and the environment), overreliance on these crops both ignores the importance of a diverse diet, and, like conventional agriculture, can create unwanted and/or unforeseen effects both for human health and the environment...
(25 October 2008)
