Organic, Fairtrade and Sustainable Textiles

Do you stock organic wool or fabric? Are you interested in the whole cotton pesticide debate, or fairtrade for textile workers? Why not help us compile the most up-to-date Irish info on these topics. Submit articles, ideas, links, recommend books, write reviews of companies, of products. Or just chat about it here...

Woolly Way wrote:Do you stock organic wool or fabric? Are you interested in the whole cotton pesticide debate, or fairtrade for textile workers? Why not help us compile the most up-to-date Irish info on these topics. Submit articles, ideas, links, recommend books, write reviews of companies, of products. Or just chat about it here...

Hello,

I think that the most salient issue in the debate on sustainable and fairtrade etc. clothing and fashion is the changing of the public mindset. It is imperative that people's attitudes to cheap/disposable clothing are changed. Very often it is possible for a superior product to be made at the same or even cheaper prices in than Ireland than a comparable fashion product. It is possible to get a ready-to-wear shirt made in Ireland for £35. Large chains often sell 'high fashion', in poorer cloth and fit for a multiple of that.

The remaining spinners will only stay open if knitters and crafters insist on using 100% wool Irish yarn for knitting and felting. The woollen and linen mills will continue to weave cloth as long as men and women insist on buying Irish tweed instead of allowing themselves to be fooled by 'designer' muck.

The high-end craft market is not immune to this thinking as well. Very many craft and cloth shops sell 'designer' prints etc. with no indication of origin instead of stocking Irish-made cloth and other European-made fabrics.

Perhaps in the words of Danton, 'Après le pain, l'éducation est le premier besoin du peuple' or 'the first need of the people after bread is education'

Micheál