Textiles Manufactoring and Sustainability

How Jeans are made

Bulk production of textiles merchandise is much different to what we do here in the classroom. Making clothes at home or in the classroom is very time consuming, and takes a lot of skill and concentration. In factories, hundreds of products are made simultaneously by cutting out fabric in bulk and having a production line of people construct the clothing. The You Tube video to the right demonstrates how jeans are made in Mexico.

Question: In what ways does the factory manufacture of garments compare to how you make your products in the textiles classroom?

​Environmental  impacts of producing cotton t-shirts

There are five phases in the life cycle of textiles products, and each have their own impact on the environment:

• ​Material - where the fibre is manufactured (including growing of natural fibres or creating synthetic fibres)
• Production - where the product is made
• Transport - is part of all stages where products are transported around
• Use - where the consumer uses the product (for example, washing and drying the product)
• Disposal - where the product is discarded at the end of its life cycle.

Assignment: Investigate each of the five phases of the life cycle of the cotton t-shirt. Produce a poster to present your findings.
​

Societal impacts of the fashion industry

The conditions for the workers in the Mexican denim jeans factory (above) are good compared to what workers in other countries go through. The conditions for workers in countries such as Bangladesh are terrible. Watch the first 6 minutes of 'Counting the Cost - Bangladesh: The cost of Fashion'.

Questions: Have a look at the labels in your own clothing at home - where are they made? How do you feel about wearing clothing that is being made under these conditions overseas?