PLASTIC
is fantastic
Yes you heard right! BUT (a big BUT here), ONLY if it is produced and used responsibly. Unfortunately, in today's world, plastic is so excessively used that it is suffocating the planet.
In 1907 when the world’s first entirely synthetic plastic (Bakelite) was created, it was incredible, and through human manipulation over the following decades, plastics proved to be exceptionally useful without having to rely on natural sources. Through science, it was made flexible yet so durable it could last forever! It could even be recycled to be used again to make more products. Revolutionary right?!
The problem was man created single-use items. Plastic is not disposable. This increased demand for larger varieties of cheaper plastics to make cheaper products, exploiting the planet’s resources whilst doing so.
Polyester is a prime example of plastics gone wrong. It can be made so cheap that it feeds fast fashion. Not only does the production consist of using toxic chemicals that harm the environment and workers exposed to them, the end product of the fabric when washed will release plastic microfibers into the water stream, into the oceans, into the stomachs of our marine wildlife.
Making matters worse, excess amounts of cheap polyester clothing head straight for landfill without even seeing a store, never mind being worn.
As I see polyester as ‘bad’, I have chosen not to source and stock any polyester fabrics at this store. However, I will choose to stock Recycled PET Polyester thread - through personal experience, I have found that Recycled PET Polyester thread has proven to be stronger than say cotton thread. Therefore, garments created will last longer.
I do not choose to stock Recycled Polyester fabrics though, as there will be a vast amount of surface area that will release plastic microfibers when washed, and the fabric cannot be recycled. However in some instances where polyester fibres are a necessity for the structure and handle of a specific fabric, we will attempt to make sure that that portion is derived from recycled materials.
This is an incredibly brief look at plastics, and is my personal opinion based on various research articles I have read.
I keep my personal haberdashery bits and bobs organised in plastic containers that are made free from BPA and phthalates, which I imagine if looked after properly will last me forever. Don’t immediately disregard plastic, as with everything, use it responsibly!
Please note that all our packaging is plastic free, reusable and recyclable. We avoid using compostable/biodegradable materials as most of these products are not suitable for home composting, and require commercial environments that are not easily accessible - this would mean the products would most likely end up in landfill unable to break down. More about our sustainability commitments.
We do however re-use packaging we receive from our suppliers to pack up our orders to you. In this instance this re-used packaging could be plastic.
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Add your voice to this petition: Stop Ocean Threads - Microfibres Campaign to call for legislation that will see washing machine manufacturers fit microfibre filters in all new domestic and commercial machines, by law, by 2023 and retrofitted in commercial machines by 2024.
Recommended materials about the war against polyester and fast fashion:
Books:
- Loved Clothes Last (2017) ed. Sarah Ditty, Fashion Revolution
- Money Fashion Power (2017) ed. Sarah Ditty, Fashion Revolution
- Slow Fashion, Aesthetics Meets Ethics (2016) Safia Minney, New International Publications Ltd
- To Die For, Is Fashion Wearing Out The World? (2011) Lucy Siegle, Fourth Estate
Documentaries:
- The True Cost (2015) Directed by Andrew Morgan
We are not affiliated, associated, authorised, endorsed, or sponsored by any of these recommendations. These are purely materials I have personally read/watched that have given me a greater insight into the damaging nature of fast fashion.