The Importance of Garments and Textiles in the Modern
World..
Garments and textiles have an important role in the modern
world, even if you don’t think about them on a daily basis. Garments are worn
by people from all walks of life, of all ages, and are crafted from textiles
which are often made with the highest quality and most advanced methods
available today. When you decide to purchase garments or textiles, you’re
making an investment that will last you years to come. When it comes to quality
and style, don’t settle for anything less than the best!
A brief history of garments
People have been wearing garments as long as they’ve
existed. Humans first wore animal skins, which were draped over their bodies
for warmth, protection from sun and even to show off their strength and wealth.
Clothes evolved over time into loincloths and skirts; when humans moved
indoors, they started sewing clothes out of plant fibers like cotton and flax.
General wear today
Today, garments have become a necessity rather than an
accessory to help us look good. In fact, we spend over one trillion dollars
annually on clothes; there is no doubt that garments are powerful not only
culturally but economically. It’s hard to imagine living without garments when
you can wear them for practically any occasion. What’s more, fashion has truly
become a global phenomenon with popular brands headquartered around the world
including Canada.
Health risks with unregulated production
Because many garments are produced in countries with lax or
nonexistent labor laws, those who work in textiles production face a number of
health risks. Low-income workers are often forced to work long hours without
overtime pay and have little access to safety equipment. The U.S. Bureau of
International Labor Affairs estimates that more than 300,000 people are killed
annually due to occupational injuries and thousands more die from illnesses
related to environmental hazards caused by unsafe workplace conditions.
Lack of regulation leads to exploitation
All over Southeast Asia, workers are working under subhuman
conditions. They’re forced to work longer hours than they’re contracted for;
their wages are withheld, or not paid at all; they’re exposed to hazardous
chemicals; and their rights are completely disregarded. In sweatshops like
these, garments, textiles, and modern world all take a backseat to profit
margins.
What can be done about it?
Garments and textiles may not be on your mind as you go
about your day, but they’re everywhere. Yet despite their prevalence, it can be
hard to distinguish between natural fibers like cotton and polyester. For
example, polyester is often considered a modern world material because it’s
cheap to produce; however, cotton has been around for a long time.
New fabrics, new innovations
So where do garments come from? As you might expect,
textiles—those fibers that make up fabrics—are made by weaving or knitting
yarns together. This process starts with materials like cotton, wool, or silk.
Because every garment is unique, it may require a specific blend to meet its
intended purpose. For example, a raincoat will likely have more material than
something like dress pants but not as much as outerwear for skiing.
By learning new skills you become happier and more
fulfilled
Finding fulfillment is an important aspect of a healthy
life. One way to find meaning, purpose, satisfaction, or even happiness is by
learning new skills. Most people don’t have time to learn a new language or
instrument but that doesn’t mean you can’t add to your repertoire.
DIY projects are eco-friendly and fun
Do-it-yourself (DIY) projects are a lot more enjoyable when
you’re eco-friendly. Making things on your own can help you save money, too.
The main benefit to DIY projects is that they are eco-friendly. Often made from
recycled items, crafty crafts help divert old items from landfills into
something useful for everyday use.
If you produce your own clothes it will improve your
health, wealth and happiness!
Have you ever considered making your own clothes? If not, it
might be time to consider it. Although many people are happy with off-the-rack
options, there are significant advantages to doing things yourself. Not only
will making your own garments improve your health, wealth and happiness but it
will also save you a great deal of money!
50% of the clothing we buy is dumped within 6 months
With numbers like these, it’s no wonder that we have a
problem with clothing waste. What can be done about it? With more than 50% of
clothing ending up in landfills, there is an urgent need to make people aware
of how their habits can help reduce textile waste. By encouraging them to buy
less but better garments, they will be able to take care of what they already
own longer.
Each garment contains around 60,000 fibers
The average garment contains around 60,000 individual
fibers. About half of these are cotton, with wool or synthetic fibers making up
most of the rest. Plus, clothes can contain as many as 20 different dyes, all
made from a vast array of chemical compounds. Imagine what all those chemicals
do to our skin!
Positive Impact on Environment
Today’s world is filled with garments which are made from
artificial fabrics. In fact, today, it’s a challenge to find clothes that are
not made up of synthetic materials. But these modern clothes might be more
harmful than beneficial for human beings as well as environment.
Challenges Faced by the Manufacturing Industry
One challenge faced by manufacturing companies is that they
are often accused of being polluters. Pollution can occur from emissions from
industrial processes, but it also stems from waste streams, effluents,
discharges or any other substance or material that’s released into water, soil
or air.
Globally 20 million tons of clothing are produced
annually
almost one ton per inhabitant on earth. On average, people
throw away 72 pounds of clothing every year. This translates to a large volume
of garments produced that are not recycled or even reused but discarded into
landfill sites or incinerated after first use.
Trends in Garment Production
In 2014, garment production reached an all-time high of 1.6
billion tons worldwide. The recent growth is a continuation of a 40-year trend
that’s seen garment production grow by 6 percent annually to reach new highs
every year, with no end in sight.
Benefits of Garments and Textiles
Did you know that garments and textiles have had an integral
part in shaping our modern world? Without these staple products, daily routines
would be inconvenient to say the least. Consider for a moment what it would
mean if we couldn’t wear clothing. High levels of greenhouse gas emissions
would occur because we wouldn’t use climate control systems to keep us warm
indoors during cold weather or cool air conditioning when we were hot.
Historical Aspects
Today, most items we purchase are made from materials like
cotton, silk, wool, nylon, polyester, acrylic etc. However, despite their
status as key components of everyday life for billions of people around the
world, it is safe to say that most individuals know very little about their
history.