Barcelona:
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Because feeding the brain and knowing the cause well is the key:
Planet Money Makes A T-Shirt – A great 5-part NPR documentary project following the making of a fast-fashion cotton jersey t-shirt. At this point it is almost refreshing to have people almost OK with the industry doing this kind of journalism (as opposed to desperate activists – yes, that’s me – decrying the whole industry as rotten). The frame they are giving is also a curious one: instead of shock and disgust they are at awe with the technological side of the whole affair, from the GMO cotton to container shipping. Overall, very informative for its length, especially the first two chapters on cotton and converting into fabric.
Nixon And Kimchi: How The Garment Industry Came To Bangladesh – An additional background story for the above project, giving a glimpse at the Multi Fibre Arrangement (whose expiration in January 1, 2005 caused part of the fast fashion boom as we know it), the calculus that big industry players make when taking decisions and reasons why entrepreneurs bring garment jobs to places.
Our Guide to Caring for Your Clothes and Caring for the Earth – A reminder on garment- and environment-friendly washing practices. You can find my take on the topic here but basics are the same: wash less, wash in cold, and upgrade your detergent.
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How is your summer wardrobe doing? Are there things that seemed like a great idea in January but have betrayed your hopes of becoming summer staples? Or the other way around?
Hi Iza!
The article on Bangladesh’s garment industry was very interesting. I see part of the big picture better now although I still have a lot to learn.
Funny that you asked about summer wardrobes. I have been testing my first capsule this summer and it has been quite an experience already 😀 As it’s been super hot, I have worn my jeans only a few times. One dress is completely unwearable thanks to its thick polyester lining (bad, bad idea). Yesterday I found out that another dress which I had been wearing the most is actually full of holes in the back! I have literally loved it to pieces…I ended up digging up a dress from storage to have something to wear. Well, I think the biggest problem with this capsule has been that despite of all the dresses, it was still not adapted enough to the heat. My lesson is that material is so so important! Synthetics have nothing to do in a summer wardrobe (not in any I’m starting to think).
Hi, Madame M!
Well, wearing things to pieces is a good thing, although it makes harder to say goodbye to them.
Inspired by your comment, I just went through my wardrobe excel… While I do have several synthetics-only or weird mixed-fiber pieces, I consider none of them to be summer garments, even if they are short-sleeved. Because, as you noted, you won’t reach for them when it’s hot. Good that you had a storage back-up!