The High Price of Cheap Cloithing
[Note: Blog post about what we're actually paying in the long run, for inexpensive mass-produced throw-away after one season clothing....]
[Would tie into Value/Cost/Price page]
Most people do not realize that an extraordinary amount of harmful chemicals are used in the production of mass-market fabrics, like cotton. In fact, almost half of the agricultural herbicides and pesticides used on U.S. crops are applied to industrial cotton. Petrochemical textiles contribute to a host of health and environmental problems.
Hemp and bamboo, by contrast, grow like grasses, with soil stabilizing root systems, and they require relatively little water and no pesticides!
Lycra is spandex, it is what gives all fabric their stretch, and it is mixed into all these fabrics, making them very comfortable.
Some fabrics are died by hand to achieve specific colors.
Buttons are collected from far and wide, including the National Button Society.
There is virtually no waste from the sewing studio. All scraps that are not used to embellish other garments are used as stuffing and fiberfill for meditation cushions.
References:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/03/business/cheap-clothing-fast-fashion-climate-change-intl/index.html