Clothes With A Conscience

Posted on Wed May 14 2008

By: Hilary Feldman in Daily Green Tips, Environment

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There’s nothing worse than feeling wasteful these days. Every excess is scrutinized, from driving gas-guzzling vehicles down to the corner store to using endless plastic bags. So it is timely to find some people turning their creativity to recycling.

Katherine Soucie is a young Canadian artist and designer. She has focused on using unusual materials to produce textiles and clothing at her Vancouver-based company Sans Soucie. From used nylon pantyhose to dryer sheets, along with reclaimed wool and silk - as well as more sustainable materials like bamboo, soy, and organic cotton - her work includes both art pieces as well as wearable fashion.

Taking run-of-the-mill nylons, fabric preparation involves dyeing, cutting, and silk-screening. Used nylons are taken apart and reset using heat, and the end result is a more durable and machine-washable material.

Photo credit: http://www.recyclethis.co.uk

The company is committed to sustainable practices and environmental awareness, including using low impact dyes and printing inks. It is particularly satisfying to take a discardable item, such as nylons with their tendency to form runs and become trash, to create something more enduring. Consider the habits of the past, where women would take extra nylons to work in case of developing an unsightly “ladder.” Times are changing and such practices should be reaching the end of acceptability.

Since the 1960s, nylons have been easily available. Prior to this time, cotton, wool, and silk versions have been made since the invention of the knitting machine in 1589. But as fashions shortened and women showed more leg, nylon rapidly outpaced more expensive silk stockings. Nylon itself was patented by DuPont, requiring coal tar, water, and alcohol. Later developments have included Lycra and seamless knitting, among other concepts.

With Sans Soucie, each piece is unique - even down to the socks. Traditional techniques include cutting by hand, along with custom sewing and fitting. Whereas nylons have been seen as a form of clothing to be endured - the symbol of the working woman - the new creations are comfortable and attractive. Most of the garments are one-of-a-kind. However, socks, tights, and headbands are available, and certain garments are made with limited production twice a year.

Like nylons, dryer sheets are intended to be used once and then discarded. The material is not biodegradable either. However, these too can be processed to yield a more resilient and reusable fabric.

The idea is remarkably simple yet innovative. Recognizing the potential and appeal of these items, there have been a number of awards, including the fashion category of the 2008 Design Green Project. Other winners include Landor Associates for their One Degree branding campaign, as well as the Soapbox Films building designed by Lettuce Office. All the recipients combine environmental awareness with recycled materials, waste reduction, and modern design features.

Rather than an endless cycle of production, consumption, and eventual discard, the time is ripe for imaginative ways to reuse, recycle, and improve.

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