Fashion and reducing waste By Hannah

Fashion in Australia Australian’s know what they want to wear and their choice may vary considerably from what European and American people wear. They want to be comfortable in a variable climate and natural fibres which are breathable reduce perspiration and are warmer in cold conditions. Australian people favour casual attire when not dressed professionally for their workplace. Australian designers are innovative and have been recognised on the worldwide stage.

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Denim History Denim was first made in the 16th century by the French, but Indian sailors were also wearing the same type of fabric at the same time. For hundred of years as work clothing cotton was warn, then around the 1940s started to be used as many different types of clothing like; wet weather and sports gear. A couple of years later in the 1970s it started to be used in fashion particularly in American areas. First uses of denim Denim fashion styles in 1970

How has cotton been improved? Newer fabrics have been improved so they are now washable and dryable in machines Other new fabrics are now waterproof, fireproof, mould proof, shrink proof or are wrinkle resistant Cotton can now be mixed with other fibres to make a wider range of products. Synthetics blended with cotton help keep the fabrics shape. Wool blended with cotton makes a warmer fabric but also it is light and extra comfy.

Latest Trends Using Cotton All of these images are just a few choices you have in cotton clothing

How are cotton fabrics used There are different types of woven and knitted cotton fabrics. Woven fabrics are strong and have a longer last to them mainly used for outside clothes like trousers or work clothes also the stronger ones are used for things like sheets and tents. Knitted fabrics are stretchy and soft they are usually used as tighter clothes or like sports wear.

Beneficial characteristics of cotton Cotton is cool to wear because it lets air through if needed, but also can conserve the heat Cotton absorbs at least 21% of it’s weight in water before you can feel the moisture on your body. Cotton is a very comfortable fabric, also the fabrics won’t irritate your skin or create static electricity. Cotton is not affected by washing or dry-cleaning in machines, also washing with bleach won’t ruin it either. Cotton is not broken down by sunlight, so materials can be used for curtains and tents. Cotton is 100% natural and contains no manufactured chemicals Cotton is renewable so we can grow crops to replace what we use

Interesting Facts Did you know that 227 kilogram bale of cotton makes; 216 pairs of denim jeans or 1200 t-shirts or 4300 pairs of socks or 690 bath towels or 249 bed sheets? Cotton can be used for padding vehicles and furniture. Jeans and many other cotton products are actually blended materials

Fashion waste Australia’s textile industry has 680 firms They supply to consumers and other manufacturing sectors. Production undergoes many processing steps and each step has its own environmental consequences. The main sustainability issue is that textile waste is sent to landfill This is a great cost to industry and the economy. Both industry and consumers produce textile waste According the Australian Bureau of Statistics each person in Australia produces about two tonnes of rubbish per year.Accpording to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, every Australian contributes around two tonnes of waste each year - a mixture of household garbage and industrial waste Australian Bureau of Statistics, every Australian contributes around two the Australian Bureau of Statistics, every Australian contributes

Reducing fashion waste There are many ways to reduce fashion waste, these include:- Reducing the quantity that we purchase. Only buying what you will wear regularly. Also we should purchase products with less packaging. Recycling-giving clothes that you will no longer use to charity shops so they can be sold second hand, or giving to other people, rather than throwing them out. -repurposing clothes by using them to make other clothes. -making rags for industry e.g. Mechanics. Choosing natural fibres like cotton, as they breakdown in landfill more quickly than synthetic materials

Fashion Less Waste Competition This fashion design competition raised awareness of sustainability in fashion. Entrants made an outfit on a natural history theme, using recycled non-clothing materials. Fashion less Fashion Less Waste Competition Fashion Less Waste Competition This fashion design competition raised awareness of sustainability in fashion. Entrants made an outfit on a natural history theme, using recycled non-clothing materials. Competitions like this one encourage people to recycle clothing by showing that it can be glamorous