As concerns surrounding global warming and climate change continue to grow, consumers and textile manufacturers are making more of an effort to play their respective part in altering the negative impact textile industry processes can have on the environment. By reducing their carbon footprints and supporting more sustainable fabrics and practices, its a win-win for all!. Enter the sustainable magic of Crypton Green fabric
What Is Sustainable Fabric?
Every once and awhile as we conduct research online for information, new innovations and stories within the textile industry to develop and share with you, we stumble on unique individuals and companies doing interesting and often times fascinating things with fabric around the world. One such company is Tosheka Designs.
'Mushroom dress' created by Dutch textile designer Aniele Hoitink. Courtesy Aniela Hoitink / Neffa
At first glance Dutch textile designer Aniele Hoitink’s ‘Mushroom Dress’ looks to be made of some kind of light tissue lame or crushed sheer, but mushrooms? What’s next!?
Known as ‘muskin’, this leather like material is made from spores extracted from the upper button or ‘hat’ of the phellinus ellipsoideus mushroom through a process similar used for animal leather but without the use of tanning toxins or other chemicals, making it 100% natural. In addition to the material from the hat, the fleshy underpart, or root of the mushroom yields a fine, thread-like fabric of cells called mycelium. Found in several other variety of mushrooms, this wearable fiber has been weaved to create everything from clothing to accessories.
If you didn’t get a chance to stick around and check all the big wins this past weekend at the 2014 Golden Globes Awards, maybe you at least got a sneak peak of the red carpet styling as designers vied for celebrities to dress, fashion police made arrests, and talk show hosts selected their best to be put on display. The only thing missing….a few good firemen to put out the flames as ladies on fire lit up the runway!
I have been doing some sewing for several new babies that have come into my life over the past year. It’s so fun to make the tiny clothes and cuddly blankets for each new bundle of joy that makes his or her grand appearance! At each baby shower I’ve attended, several of my friends or relatives have crafted handmade gifts for the babe on the way. Each one has such a personal touch it’s hard for the new momma not to shed a tear as she imagines finally holding her little one. The love and hours dedicated to crafting something with your own hands is a gift that has no price.
Looking for something fun to do with fabric that will completely captivate your family? Check out this (magical) fabric dye, you just paint it onto your fabric and expose it to the sun to obtain desired depth and color! Completely awesome. So what exactly is this fabled dye? Inkodye is light-sensitive dye for textiles or any natural fibers, including wood and raw leather. A company has even formed using Inkodye, see video at bottom of post!
Fabric dye changes the color of the craft and the mood of everyone involved!
Throw pillows. Everyone loves them and loathes the overstuffed pricing often attached! There is no need to latch onto those pillows long after you have tired of the pattern just because they were “so expensive”—but do not throw them out! Just create pillow covers and change them as often as your mood desires using our arsenal of fabrics. Find your favorite fabrics online and get inspired to transform the look and feel of your furniture.
Here are 10 of our favorite pillow fabrics… in no particular order:
Connect the design dots your own way with these delightful disco dot fabrics! With an arsenal of color pallets available, you will be inspired to integrate these bold patterns into your next fabric craft!
The large dots are appealing and the bold colors create a modern medley for either home décor or fashion purposes! Without further ado—here are our top 5 Disco Dot fabrics:
5. Disco dots in Caribbean. This is an ideal fabric to drench your surroundings in the brilliant hues of the marbled blue and green Caribbean! Create a bright curtain and you will find yourself on a mission to acquire more items in these gorgeous colors!
Positive to positive, negative to… cotton? Scientists and Cornell University have created an electromechanical transistor with cotton fibers. “Creating transistors from cotton fibers brings a new perspective to the seamless integration of electronics and textiles, enabling the creation of wearable electronic devices,” says Cornell University fiber scientist Juan Hinestroza, who was part of the international team that developed the transistors using natural cotton fibers.
So what the heck does this mean in laymen’s terms? The advancement of this technology would result in fabrics that could sense body temperature, automatically heat up or cool down, track heart rate and blood pressure in high-risk patients, and monitor the effort being put forth by high-performance athletes. Cotton was chosen as a base because it is naturally comfortable, durable, sustainable, and relatively inexpensive.
Recently, a number of organic clothing lines have sprung up promising that their processes are easy on the environment as well as bright and trendy. However, all too often companies only follow through with the organic aspect of that promise. We at J&O are happy to say that IMAGINE GreenWear breaks the mold and comes shining through as an answer to the prayers of the fashion conscious consumer interested in reducing their carbon footprint.
