9 minute read
Fabrics of Compassion & the Ethic of Care in Fashion
According to Empathy.co, some 35% of us in Britain shop only for “responsible brands” when doing our online shopping (whether guiltily, still wrapped in a dressing gown and seeking a little high from a spot of retail therapy, or not….). While, in comparison to 62% of decisions about food and drink being dictated by their sustainability and eco-friendly credentials, what we buy for ourselves otherwise is 52% determined by ethics, both environmental and humanitarian.
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However, a recent study conducted by The Vegan Society found that 95% of us here in the UK want more vegan fashion. Apparently, 97% of us also want more vegan-certified toiletries and cosmetics, even though, as of August last year, of the 55,611 products registered under the Vegan Trademark, already 24,117 of those were cosmetics and toiletries (circa 43%). Fashionwise, in 2019 the market worldwide for women’s vegan clothing and accessories was worth an estimated £289 billion, and it is predicted that by 2027, that figure will have reached £799 billion.
Countries are cottoning on to the fact that people no longer want to be buying products begotten from animal suffering. With Ireland’s fur ban due to be fully implemented this year (the Prohibition of Fur Farming Bill first passed in 2019), it will become the 15th European country to ban fur. The cruelty of such a trade is evident. Take mink, for example: solitary and highly territorial animals that thrive in watery environs, to place these creatures in cramped cages tightly packed next to other mink, all to harvest their fur, is unconscionable. However, the fundamental ethics of mink fur farms was somehow secondary to fears of Covid-19 spreading through them and potentially infecting more humans, and the mass cull of mink infected with the virus in the Netherlands made headlines. Meanwhile, Heller-Leder – the globally recognisable name in leather – has teamed up with Bolt Threads, makers of mushroom leather Mylo. Really. HellerLeder, the conventional tannery of choice for outfitting Porsche, has not worked with another material in its entire 100year history. Bolt Threads has said that the partnership came about due to Mylo’s “quality, functionality, and durability” comparable to animal-sourced leather. Later this year, we’ll apparently see further Mylo collaborations with Adidas, Lululemon, and Stella McCartney, following the latter’s Mylo bag debut at Paris Fashion Week last year, subsequent to a duo of garments crafted from the material. Mylo’s Director of Sustainability, Libby Sommer, explained the recent success of mushroom leather succinctly: “A planet of 10 billion people cannot live like a planet of 1 billion people”. In other words, needs must.
Certainly, vegan inroads aren’t the remit of haute couture only. Even H&M has gotten in on the act, its first collection using alternatives to animal-sourced materials having gotten the nod of approval from PETA. The Co-Exist Story range of clothing from the fast-fashion store claims “the future of fashion is stylish and animal-free”. A key component of H&M’s new range is FLWRDWN, a “cellulosic material created with natural wildflowers”, as used in its newly available puffer jackets, padded trousers, and reversible quilted shoulder bags. Another new material is VEGEA, which comprises upcycled grape skins, stalks, and seeds from vineyards. And ECONYL fibre has been fabricated from regenerated nylon sourced from discarded fishing nets and scraps of fabric.
Yet, what of “vintage” finds on the high street, as can be sourced by the pennies-minding consumer looking to craft an identity that doesn’t cost a fortune? Those who loathe mainstream fast-fashion (for atrocious worker exploitation for the most part, if nothing else) swear by thrifting. After all, buying second-hand clothes from charity shops is one way of avoiding waste on this dustbin of a planet we’ve been turning the Earth into. Instead of increasing our carbon footprint, thrifting reduces it, as it diminishes the new products being made. But can one still self-classify as vegan if wearing thrifted wool or leather? When it comes to discovering the holy grail of vêtements on the rack you’ve painstakingly searched through, and it’s made from an animal – whether leather, wool, fur, or even silk – what is to be done? Do you leave the item for another, omnivorous soul to acquire, or do you purchase it yourself? And just how eco-friendly are synthetic materials in comparison? Intention is one aspect, of course. If you’re purposefully out shopping for a leather jacket, then perhaps your veganism is more dietarily than ethically directed. Nonetheless – the new breed of vegan clothing lines utilising sustainable materials aside – wearing polyurethane leather and cable-knit sweaters of plastic in lieu of wool are not harmless actions in themselves. A large proportion of oceanic microplastics come from laundering acrylic jumpers, nylon leggings, and poly-blend jeans. As for the durability of such clothes, some consumers believe if recycled there’s no harm done: quite the opposite. Fossil fuel-derived clothing can take up to 200 years to biodegrade in landfills. Conversely, leather gloves and woollen coats seem to last in a wearable state for decades, and can be handed down to family members, as well, instead of piling up discarded like fast fashion.
Another case in point are jeans, our beloved denim. Whereas jeans once were dyed with indigo from the Indigofera plant, now it is synthetic indigo that is employed, a manmade replacement that consists of chemicals, including formaldehyde. Some 40,000 tonnes of indigo are massproduced each year for the jeans industry, a single pair requiring 150g and using up 7,600l of water through the process. As it degrades, formic acid and carbon monoxide are released into the atmosphere. And the factory that produces the dye? Often, the run-off pollutes the local water supply, killing aquatic species and sickening local people.
That said, in the autumn last year Wrangler released a line of sustainable denim in collaboration with the Infinited Fibre Company that utilised recycled “Infinna” fibres (made from cellulose and textile waste) foam-dyed by an in-house developed “Indigood” technology. As a result, the company claimed a 99% reduction in wastewater and 60% reduction in energy usage. Infinited Fibre Company’s aim is to “unlock a new level of circularity in the textile industry” as a whole.
Considered from these angles, it’s clear that coveting a cashmere cardigan at an Oxfam shop doesn’t mean that that tofu katsu was a fruitless choice for lunch. Rather, it respects the fact that an animal’s life was lost for the garment, a life-in-fabric that shouldn’t languish on the rails. Circular fashion before the term was made popular; a circularity to mirror the cycle of life itself. Furthermore, thrifting counteracts wastefulness and an entire era of disposability that has to a certain extent landed us in the environmental (toxic) mess we’re in.
Bio Resonance – finding the root cause of your health issues
Are you feeling less than 100% and fed up with your doctor telling you there is nothing wrong, that your bloods all look fine..? Sound familiar? Then, perhaps it’s time to look at an alternative approach with Bio Resonance. First, though, it’s helpful to understand a little about how it works.
Quantum physics has revealed that all particles of matter vibrate and emit electromagnetic waves at frequencies that can be measured and influenced. Each cell and group of cells in the human body has its own specific frequency which can be detected and measured using Bio Resonance equipment. Researchers have recorded optimal, healthy frequencies which can be compared to personal frequencies. Variances between the two values can then help practitioners identify health issues, thereby finding the root cause of health issues. Subsequently applying a corrective frequency can help restore function and reduce stress-related inflammation, thus helping the body to self-heal.
Applying a known frequency to particles in order to achieve a desired result is nothing new. When a specific frequency is applied to water molecules, they get excited and oscillate (vibrate) at a faster rate, causing them to heat up. We generally use this to our advantage in the form of a microwave oven. And did you know that many reservoirs, lakes, and ponds are kept algae-free by installing a device that emits micro waves at a frequency which excites the molecules in the algae’s cell walls? This damages the structure, causing the algae to die off and leave the water clear. EfficientSonics.com make a device that does this.
Bio Resonance equipment can be used to collect the frequencies your body is emitting and can also detect the presence of mould, fungi, bacteria, parasites, or viruses, all of which produce toxins, in addition to our daily toxin exposure from our environment. This challenges our immune systems and compromises optimal health. Bio Resonance equipment is used to send a corrective frequency back into the body to disrupt specific pathogens, thus helping the immune system return the body to optimal health.
The German scientist Dr Alfred Pischinger postulated that the main causes of ill-health are the accumulation of different kinds of toxins in connective tissue, the space between the cells in the tissues of the body. In this scenario, our cells’ ability to receive oxygen and nutrients and to eliminate metabolic waste is compromised and the toxins eventually enter the cells and cause chronic illness. However, one of the great advantages of Bio Resonance is that, by testing for specific frequencies, practitioners can guide you in taking appropriate action and thereby restore your overall health.
Peter Jackson
CNM Nutritional Therapist & Bio Resonance Practitioner
I have been in the health industry for most of my life and much of that as a nutritional therapist. In 2015, I got Lyme disease on a trip to Devon. Bio Resonance helped me recover from Lyme disease and this equipment is now an integral part of my daily practice. Many people visit my clinic with symptoms for which they have been unable to get a proper diagnosis: my priority is to find out why someone has the symptoms they do and find the root cause. I rely heavily on my Royonex Bio Resonance equipment to help me achieve this.
Victoria Collar
Bio Resonance Practitioner, Diploma in Anatomy & Physiology
I had a Bio Resonance health screening in 2013 after suffering for years with IBS and Eczema. Frustrated with conventional doctors and seeking the root cause of my health issues, I found Bio Resonance. After completing a course of scans, I had remarkable and measurable improvements in my overall health, especially my digestive and skin issues. For me, this was life- and career-changing. I wanted to help other people achieve similar results, so I invested in Bio Scan equipment and now offer clinics in Bristol and London.
For more infomation email peter@petershealthproducts.com or visit
www.petershealthproducts.com
For a free phone consultation, call 07766 307188
www.victoriacollar.com @NutritionAllergyandHealthscreen
