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I have two cute charity shop finds from the past week when I went in search of a dressy blouse. No blouse ever ‘materialised’ (sorry, I had to!), but I found a nice trench coat and an angora blend sweater! The photos are a bit washed out, but the fabrics are not!
My current trench coat is looking worn and dingy and will be upgraded at some point in the future. (I’m thinking about replacing the collar and adding some complementary fabric to the cuffs and piping). Until then, I have this fantastic springy green one to do the job! Once I brought it home, I saw the “dry clean only” tag but since it is only a poly-cotton blend, I decided that it must be able to handle water. I put it on a low temp delicate load designed for sweaters, hung it dry and it was fine! As I placed it on the hanger, I figured out why it says to dry clean: the corners of the jacket bottom are folded, tucked up hems and are not tacked in place. Not a big deal, I just tucked them back up and they held their shape. The photo doesn’t show the cute cherry lining!
Next, I found an angora and nylon blend GAP wrap sweater. It is very cosy and warm and I love the cap sleeves- they’re more versatile for the three similar seasons we get in Scotland. When I first tried it on, I tied it in the back and couldn’t understand why the ties were so long…I envisioned taking it home and shortening them. A few moments later, I tied it in the front in what can only be described as a ‘duh’ moment!
…is the name of a BBC mini-programme which takes 6 young fashion conscious (obsessed) Brits to India to experience life in the garment industry. While it is half reality tv and half documentary, the programme explores the questions of working conditions, wages, and the lack of other options for some skilled workers trying to support their families. If you’re in the UK, give it a try on the BBC iplayer or on BBC3. It may not do much to change the majority of viewers, but a national corporation bringing these issues into general discussion is always a positive step. Here are some video clips from the website.
I adore my crocs. I never even liked shoes until I popped on my first pair of crocs. Recently, I’ve started to wonder what I will do when they eventually wear out completely. I have an old green pair that I use inside as slippers, but I’ll someday have a few more pairs to retire. I just signed on to the crocs site to email them and see if they’ve thought about possibly recycling old shoes, but I learned that they’re already doing that and making new shoes for people who need them! So that’s a burden gone from me- I was starting to worry about my love for them. If only the company would also donate shoes domesticly…but I guess its better than most companies.
I just came across Co-op America’s list of “21 Things You Didn’t Know You Can Recycle”…and while the list of things I didn’t know is much smaller, I’m particularly excited about the lightbulbs at Ikea (number 6) and the idea of the toothbrushes. It is a US-focused list, but a mobile phone recycler, etc, is easily found anywhere I’d suspect. Various organizations certainly compete for our old mobiles in the UK. Back to the toothbrushes, a company called Recycline (located near my alma matter, it turns out) allows you to purchase recycled toothbrushes and return theirs for later recycling. Too bad regular toothbrushes cannot be collected, but it doesn’t seem difficult to get in on the cycle. I’m guessing that since they’re made in the US, if you purchase them there, (my current toothbrush, I just checked, was made and purchased here in the UK) the shipping still comes out better because of the post-consumer content!
I just found this excellent article/blog post at True Stitches about a t-shirt’s ecological footprint. Its better researched and written than my work, so check it out!
These discarded pieces of clothing – perhaps even after years of love in some cases- are my current inspiration. In fact, I cleared through my wardrobe today, searching for items to mend and to assess everything. Interestingly, even after only a few weeks of thinking in a wardrobe refashion frame of mind, I got excited when I withdrew 3-4 garments from the closet. Usually, items like this get donated, or turn into wrag, for these said garments have not been seriously worn (perhaps as pajamas or around the house in a pinch) in serveral months if at all. However, I surged with excitement when realising they were now simply pieces of fabric full of potential for me to refashion! This is hopefully where their lifecycles will take further steps towards completion.
