Cotton Linen Silk Wool
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Ha n n a h Pa t i e n c e
Contents _____C o t t o n 4 _____L i n e n 1 2 _____S i l k 2 0 _____Wo o l 2 8
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Cotton is very versatile; it is used in fashion, in the home, and even the medical field; everyday items such as bed sheets, bandages, and drapes are often ` made using cotton. In fashion, is great for everything from workwear or athletic wear, to evening wear. A somewhat mind-blowing fact is that no one person can avoid cotton day-to-day.
Cotton
But How and When Did Cotton Become Such a Big Deal? _____As far as scientists can tell, cotton is 7,000 years old; bits of cotton were found in a cave in Mexico that are very similar to the fiber we grow today. During 3,000 BC is it was grown, spun and woven into cloth in Pakistan and Egypt. In 800 AD Arab merchants brought cotton cloth to Europe. In 1492 Columbus found the crop growing in the Bahamas and by 1500, it was known throughout the world. In 1556 cotton seed was finally planted in the U.S., in Florida. _____When the industrial revolution began cotton boomed. By the late 1700s a man named Eli Whitney received a U.S. patent on the cotton gin, short for cotton engine, which worked 10 times faster than by hand. He made it possible to keep up with demand; people just couldn’t get enough of the soft, luscious nature of cotton fabric.
In fact, within ten years the value of cotton went from $150,000 to over $8 million.
However, with this machine came social criticism. It is said that his oh-so-efficient machine contributed to the rise of slavery in the United States and poor working conditions; more and more slaves were used to pick, harvest, and produce cotton. Thankfully, by the 19th century, slavery ceased. _____But cotton production did not. Today, cotton may be found in tropical and subtropical regions around the Americas, Africa, and India. The industry continues to grow too; the process of creating cotton is a $35 billion industry. It is not surprising that half of all textiles are made of cotton.
The price of cotton raised in 49 years from $.26/lb. (1969) to $.78/lb. (2018)‌ it tripled!
6 But what exactly is cotton and why is it so great? _____Cotton is a soft staple fiber that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant, Gossypium Herbaceum. The plant gets spun into yarn or thread and is made into a soft textile. It is the most practical of all natural fabrics; it drapes well, does not pill, is very durable, breathable, soft, does not cling, and can be woven or knitted to be thick, light, or almost silky. When cotton fabric is left untreated it has a natural matte finish, soft texture, and drapes elegantly. _____Cotton dyes beautifully and it is easy to care for your cotton items. When washing your dyed cotton items it is best to do a cold wash in order to keep the vibrancy for as long as possible (warm wash is best for white cotton materials). The color will last forever! However, cotton is susceptible to shrinking if it is not pretreated, so be careful when using the dryer! And be sure to keep your white cotton shirts out of the sun for a long time because sunlight causes the cotton to oxidize, turning it yellow over time.
Cotton Net Fabric 48” 100% Cotton Slight stiffness disappears when washed
Cotton Velveteen 44” 100% Cotton Woven with a short close weft pile in imitation of velvet
Combed Cotton Lawn 100% Cotton Soft, high quality semi-sheer lawn Best for blouses, christening gowns, lingerie, and fine sewing needs
Cotton Bubble Gauze 100% Cotton Crinkle gauze Great for skirts, tops, or anywhere you want light and airy
Cotton Jersey 60” 100% Cotton Jersey PFD Ready to Dye Good for skirts, dresses, tops, and kids’ clothing
Cotton Voile 100% Cotton Fully combed, optically whitened 70 threads/inch thread count
8 So if cotton is a natural fiber, it’s good for the environment, right? ____Not quite. Cotton is a very pesticide-intensive crop. After getting washed out of the soil, these pesticides leak into rivers and groundwater. As a result, pests and their natural counterparts are extinguished, ruining an ecosystem. Cotton cultivation also requires a lot of water; it effects the abundance of some bodies of water. ____Cotton also contributes to climate change. The fertilizer used on the crop takes a lot of energy to make and releases a lot of carbon dioxide. The constant use of nitrates on the farming land transforms it into nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that is 300 times more destructive than CO2 when it comes to climate change. Soil degradation contributes to the greenhouse effect as well. ____But don’t hate cotton! Practices are being put into place by some companies to grow and produce sustainable, organic cotton. This means they do not use pesticides or insecticides and use less water and energy. While only 1% of the cotton produced is considered sustainable, hopefully more farmers will start considering the environment more (and not just be profit driven). ____If you care about how much impact your cotton items are making on the environment, consider shopping at transparent companies like Everlane, who explain where they source their cotton from, or even H&M, who is one of the biggest users of cotton in the world.
The social pmpacts have some highs and lows as well While the production of cotton provides income for 250 million people around the world, there are many unfair and/or illegal labor practices. Issues such as unfair wages, child labor, and awful factory conditions are only a few problems that the industry is reputable for. Thankfully there are large organizations like the World Wildlife Fund that work hard with global partners to make sure the production of the cotton is as safe and responsible as possible. The growing importance of social responsibility for companies should also help create change for the better.
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Luisa Beccaria Spring 2018
Gucci Pre-Summer 2017
Thomas Maier Pre-Summer 2017
Cotton in Fashion ____Considering the fact that 57% of all cotton produced is used for apparel it shouldn’t come as a surprised that cotton is very popular among designers. From the classic Burberry trench coat to spring dresses, it is the ultimate go to. It is seen on the runway every season; likely due to the beautiful way it hangs on the body, flows, and easy care. Off the runway, one may find cotton being used for shirts, jeans, or even shoes.
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While linen possesses it is much more unruly. fact that it is very summer wardrobe. It is used in the home for and other things like
Linen
similar qualities to cotton, But that doesn’t change the luxurious and great for your easy, breezy, and tends to be linens and sheets, fashion, canvases or luggage.
When did people come to love this rich fabric? ____Over 8,000 years ago linen was harvested, from flax, in Mesopotamia, making it the oldest cellulose fiber used in textiles. Egypt, Greece and Rome wore linen almost exclusively due to it’s comfort in heat. Egyptians even used it to wrap mummies despite the fact that it was so valuable and worshipped it was sometimes used as currency. And rightly so; there are pieces of 6,000 year old linen that are as structurally perfect as linen fabric made today. ____The Phoenicians, of the eastern Mediterranean, systematized the production of flax by the 12th century. They brought their expertise of linen to Ireland, which was no new concept for Europe; Germany and Switzerland had already been producing linen for 5,000 years. Ireland, to this day, is known for a long past and wide expertise in linen production. ____However, linen was not as prized in the United States; in fact, production of the fiber stopped because cotton was so much less expensive. Now, linen is typically grown in Canada, Russia, and Ukraine and continues to be used primarily for clothing.
14 But what exactly is linen and what makes it so luxurious? ___Linen, which comes from the Latin word for flax plant, linum usitatissimum, is harvested from the stem of the flax plant. The soft, yet strong, fibers are spun into long threads, which get woven. The weave is very loose, making it very breathable and lightweight. The fiber also becomes hydroscopic, meaning it absorbs moisture well leaves the wearer dry. This makes it perfect for the hot summer heat. The material also keeps it’s shape and color for a very long time, is durable (won’t pill!), and strong. ___Naturally the linen material is an off-white color, but it dyes very well. In order to best care for one’s linen products, it is best to wash on cold or warm and hang to dry (and don’t worry, it is stain resistant). Steaming or ironing may be necessary because the fabric tends to be forever-wrinkly.
Bleached LInen 100% Linen 3.8 oz per square yard Beautiful soft fabric
Bleached LInen 100% Linen 3.8 oz per square yard Beautiful soft fabric
Heavyweight Linen 100% Linen 15.5 oz
Linen 100% Linen Cool, comfortable, and great for tops and dresses
Linen 100% Linen Optically whitened 6.8oz
Essex Linen 55% Linen/ 45% Cotton Slightly textured with a linen look 51 x 49 thread count
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So cotton is not the best for the environment, but what about linen? ___Linen tends to have less of an environmental impact than cotton. ___Linen requires less water and the water used is not as toxic. While pesticides and fertilizers are still used, not nearly as many are used on linen. Most of the linen produced is considered organic, too! However, with the use of machines and chemicals for processing the fiber, energy is used and waste is produced. Not to mention the amount of ironing one needs to do to keep linen as wrinkle-free as possible! ____If you are concerned about the impact of linen on the environment, think about buying products made from recycled linen. Furthermore, you can also recycle the linen items you have already. Like cotton, one should also be careful about the companies you support and consider businesses that are doing good by the environment.
The social impacts are similar to cotton as well . . . ___Similarly to other fibers, there are many unfair and/or illegal labor practices in the cotton industry. Issues such as unfair wages, child labor, and awful factory conditions are only a few problems that the industry is reputable for. ___The growing importance of social responsibility for companies should also help create change for the better. On the positive side, the linen industry is not as bad as many other fiber industries.
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Bikini Society S/S 2018 Kitx Spring 2018 Matalan S/S 2018
Preen by Thornton Bregazzi Spring 2018
Linen in Fashion ___Since linen is so unruly, it is not as common among designers as cotton is. On the contrary, the designers who do use it find beauty in the fact that no two pieces of linen will be the same and that a garment can change looks. It is also such a naturally-technical fabric that it is impossible to avoid. Many summer and spring dresses, skirts, pants, and shirts are made from the cooling fabric. For that reason it will always be found on the runway. Designers have also been trying to make the fabric “cool� and ditch it’s frumpy image behind.
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Silk is a classically sexy, fiber. It is also the the world, which is why different purposes; it is or miscellaneous things bicycle tires. Silk comes has a deep, rich history.
Silk
luxurious, and sought-after strongest natural fabric in it can be used for so many used in fashion, home dĂŠcor, like parachutes or even as no surprise that silk also
What is the history of silk? ____Supposedly, according to legend, Empress His Ling Shi discovered the abilities of silk accidentally around 3000 BC. One day she was having tea under a mulberry tree when a cocoon fell into her cup and started to unravel. She was so intrigued by this occurrence that she developed sericulture, the cultivation of silkworms, and invented the reel and loom. So it began! ____By 200 BC the silk road began. This “road” refers to the 4,000 miles of trade routes between Eastern China and the Mediterranean Sea. Merchants traded many different goods on these paths like tea, glass, gems, cotton, and, the most valuable commodity, silk. At this point silk was considered more valuable than gold and became such a popular luxury fabric that it was even used as currency. The Chinese kept the secret of silk and sericulture hidden for 3,000 years; people who were caught trying to smuggle eggs, cocoons, or silkworms during this time were executed. ____In 200 BCE Korea began it’s own silk industry after Chinese settlers came to town. By 300 CE sericulture was spread to Japan, India, and Persia. It reached Europe in 500 CE and became a significant source of trade in Italy in the 13th century. ____In the 19th century cheap Japanese silk became popularized and manmade products like nylon began to dominate traditionally silk products. Today, China is now the largest producer of silk, again, and produces two thirds of the silk created; 275,577,828 lbs. of silk are produced around the world every year.
22 But what makes silk such a hot commodity? ____Silk is a natural protein fiber produced by mulberry silkworm. Sadly, the silkworm, the bombyx mori mother larva, needs to be killed before it ruins the cocoon. The cocoons are then cooked, turned into long, smooth thread, prepared for dyeing, and then weaved, knitted, or spun. ____Silk fiber has a prism-like structure which allows light to refract at multiple angles and created a shiny look. Silk is soft, but not slippery, smooth, and tends to be very strong. It is also very lightweight (in fact, it is the thinnest natural fiber!), breathable, and hypoallergenic. Not to mention how beautifully it drapes! However, some big downsides to silk is that it tends to lack stretch and is damaged by perspiration. ____Silk is also one of the most difficult fabrics to care for. It loses 20% of it’s strength when wet, so dry cleaning is usually recommended. If one needs to wash it at home, it is okay to fill a bucket with cold or warm water with the smallest bit of detergent and swish it around.Must be hung or laid down to dry. The silk will keep its beautiful color!
Organza 100% Silk Very sheer, transparent, stiff, gauze-like fabric
Silk Knit 45� 100% Silk Jersey 3 oz Soft hand with nice drape, great for silk underwear garments and scarves
Sand Washed (Sueded) Charmeuse 100% Silk Beautiful, soft, luxurious
Silk Gauze 100% Silk Wide weave Very light, sheer, beautiful
Silk Chiffon 100% Silk Elegant, sheer fiber with a soft beautiful drape and a crepe like texture
Raw Silk Thicker than other silks Dyes well Good drape
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Silk can’t be good for the environment if living organisms need to be killed to make it, right? ____That’s right. The production of silk will never be “right” because it prays upon the killing of the silkworm. Also, due to breeding and domestication, the creatures no longer have the ability to survive on their own, cannot live in the wild, cannot fly, are blind, and only live a few days. They cannot even eat. ____However, people promote and India uses the process of wild silk (or raw silk), which is made from the cocoon of wild or semi-wild silks moths. PETA is one of the main groups working to rid the silk industry of inhumane habits. ____Silk is never produced locally either, which leads to a lot of pollution from transportation. Silk also needs to be cleaned with harsh chemicals, which pollutes water. Furthermore, it is not very efficient; it takes about one acre of mulberry trees to produce only thirty-five pounds of silk. ____But don’t hate your silk quite yet. It has much less impact to pollution than many other fibers and is a highly renewable resource.
The social impacts are bittersweet as well . . . ___While it provides jobs to so many people around the world, the process of producing silk is very labor intensive and requires many workers. As such, the industry is known for hiring child workers and underpaying workers. Many riots took place in the past and unions formed in reaction to poor practices in this industry. ____Since it is not typically grown domestically, it is also hard to control how great the working conditions are from the United States. This makes it hard to know whether the silk one purchases is socially ethical or not.
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Elie Saab Spring 2017
Courreges Spring 2017
Sacai Fall 2017
Silk in fashion ____Due to its natural luster and beautiful draping abilities silk is used often in fashion. It is used for everything from pants, to jackets, to blouses. Although some designers are moving away from the use of the fabric because of the social repercussions, it is just too gorgeous for many designers to avoid.
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Wool is a great fabric blankets, boots, or even because of its soft is primarily used in for all seasons.
Wool
for carpeting, clothing, upholstery. It is widely used and durable nature. While it winter,is actually great fiber
But how and when did wool become recognized? ____Long ago, even before 10,000 years ago, wool was a very important fiber to humanbeings. Quickly wool was spun in Mesopotamia and by European tribes. Since sheep are mobile, the Persians, Greeks, and Romans were able to introduce their wool across Europe. Selective breeding was even used to create superior fleeces. Around 1900 BC British manufactures developed spinning and weaving methods. Romans looked up to Britain’s weaving skills and even established a plant Winchester, England to help them improve their methods even further. ____During the 15th to 18th century sheep were prized because of their wool; Spain and England prohibited exports of sheep and raw wool at this time. In Spain there was even a death penalty for disobeying this law until 1786. ____Like many other natural fibers, the production of wool has decreased greatly due to synthetic fibers. However, Australia, which dominates merino wool production, exports about $3 billion of wool products a year and grows 30% of the total world supply.
30 But what exactly is wool and why is it so great? _____Wool fiber comes from animals of the Caprinae Family, mostly the sheep, but also lamb and camels. Prior to spinning, wool is separated and the quality is determined into two classes: woolens and worsted wool. Worsted wool tends to be a lighter, finer, tighter, more expensive fabric; woolens on the other hand are often softer, fluffier, and less expensive. After the class is determined the wool can be spun or made into yarn, which is woven into fabric or knitted into clothing. _____It contains a lot of keratin and has a molecular coil, which makes it very strong, durable, and resistant. The fiber is also very flexible and can be bent about 18,000 more times than cotton or silk without breaking. Furthermore, wool is a temperature regulator because it protects the body in hot and cold conditions. It is a great fabric for all seasons but tends to be used during colder months because it warms the body so well. _____However, when it becomes wet or absorbs moisture it breaks down quickly. _____Wool also dyes very well. In order to keep its color, one should have it dry cleaned or hand wash it in warm water or lukewarm water with a tad of detergent. The fiber should be laid down so the fabric does not stretch (as it would if it were hung).
Virgin Wool Felt 100% Wool Dyes well
Wool/Silk Blend 63% Silk/ 37% Wool Slightly sheer with diagonal weave Soft than wool, warmer than silk
Pure Wool Gauze Twill Fabric 100% Wool Lightweight with a subtle twill weave
Wool 100% Wool Heavier with a subtle basketweave
Wool Twill Fabric 100% Wool Heavyweight with a subtle twill weave
Pure Wool Gauze Fabric 100% Wool Lightweight and semi-sheer
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Wool is made from animal products just like silk. Is it harmful to the environment as well? ____Wool is essentially a renewable resource (a sheep’s coat). Also, Sheep are low impact animals because they can eat practically anything and can live in many places. ____However, sheep are often dipped into poisonous insecticide baths by farmers to keep lice and ticks away. Insecticides and other chemicals like mothproofing and wool dyes can harm farmers, the environment, and could leave residue on the clothing it becomes. Furthermore, cleaning the wool and irrigating the grazing land uses a lot of water. ____As far as animal cruelty, the wool industry can be just as harsh as the silk industry. The process of shearing sheep can leave the sheep battered and even bloody. Mulesed wool should be avoided at all costs because it is a process that cuts chunks of flesh from the backside of the animals so that maggots do not infest. Avoiding this kind of wool is a good first step, but keep in mind that all wool could have been harmfully produced.
The social impacts can be large as well . . . ____Often the reason why animals from the Caprinae Family are abused is because workers are typically paid per the amount of sheep they shear. This way of paying people creates a burden for the workers because they need money but the process becomes rushed, which is when animals get hurt. ____As mentioned before, the chemicals used can also hurt workers in the industry. There must also be some guilt produced from workers about the harmful way they treat animals and people who worry about where their sweater came from.
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Jason Wu Spring 2017
Norma Kamali Fall 2017
Dion Lee Spring 2017
Wool in Fashion ____Wool is a great canvas for fashion designers. In addition to all the technical benefits of it, it is also sleek and elegant, easy to tailor, and has the potential of innovation. While uses most for cold weather items like sweaters, jackets, long underwear or boots, it is also a great fabric for warmer climates. Since it is so flexible and natural, the fabric always has a chance of being spotted on the runway.
Sources
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