#How to Find Garment Manufacturers

[power-chords]

Defying boundaries of taste and time, Martin Greenfield made suits for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the gangster Meyer Lansky, Leonardo DiCaprio and LeBron James. Men skilled in the arts of power projection — along with fashion writers and designers — considered him the nation’s greatest men’s tailor.

For years, none of them knew the origins of his expertise: a beating in Auschwitz.

As a teenager, Mr. Greenfield was Maximilian Grünfeld, a skinny Jewish prisoner whose job was to wash the clothes of Nazi guards at the concentration camp. In the laundry room one day, he accidentally ripped the collar of a guard’s shirt. The man whipped Max in response, then hurled the garment back at the boy.

After a fellow prisoner taught Max how to sew, he mended the collar, but then decided to keep the shirt, sliding it under the striped shirt of his prison uniform.

The garment transformed his life. Other prisoners thought it signified that Max enjoyed special privileges. Guards allowed him to roam around the grounds of Auschwitz, and when he worked at a hospital kitchen, they assumed that he was authorized to take extra food.

Max ripped another guard’s uniform. This time, it was deliberate. He was creating a clandestine wardrobe that would help him survive the Holocaust.

“The day I first wore that shirt,” Mr. Greenfield wrote seven decades later, “was the day I learned clothes possess power.”

[…]

The culmination of his hopes and efforts was his business, Martin Greenfield Clothiers. It managed the improbable feat of thriving by doing the opposite of the rest of its industry.

Local garment manufacturing had been declining for decades by the late 1970s, when Mr. Greenfield set up shop in the East Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, in a four-story building that had housed clothiers since at least 1917. He refused to manufacture overseas and never changed his standards.

As a result, Greenfield Clothiers was able to offer services that New York’s designers and wealthy suit-wearers could hardly find anywhere else. It is now New York City’s last surviving union clothing factory, Tod Greenfield said in an interview for this obituary in March last year.

[mayakern]

Why are the clothes you sell so expensive :( I totally understand you need to make a living and all but I don’t think I can drop $50 on one shirt

i totally understand!! and it’s a fair question. thanks to big retailers and, in recent years, fast fashion, most people have been intentionally distanced from the cost and labor that goes into making our clothing (and just about everything else we consume)

basically, when you are making something, the more you make of it, the less it costs to make a single unit of that thing. that may seem counter intuitive, but this is for a couple reasons: 1. the more you make of a single thing, the more streamlined the process becomes and the faster and more skilled workers become at a particular task 2. when you make a lot of something you can buy your materials in bulk, reducing the cost to manufacture a single item 3. when someone places a really really big order for something, they have a lot of bargaining power because if they like what they get, they are likely to return with another large order in the future, and if they put the factory under contract, that is steady, guaranteed work and reliable pay.

i typed this up for a different question recently but it applies here as well so i’ll just copy paste:

of course, if you sell a higher volume, you can not only negotiate a lower PPU (price per unit) based on volume of sales (a factory will make more money from your business if you buy 10,000 shirts for $10/piece than if you buy 1,000 shirts for $12/piece*) but you can also get away with a lower margin because you’re expecting to sell more units to customers. imagine selling 10,000 shirts for $25/ea instead of 1,000 for $35/ea. even with a profit margin of $15/ea instead of $23/ea, you would only need to sell about 1,534 shirts of your 10,000 to make the same net profit and you’d have almost another 8500 shirts you could keep selling.

*these are not real numbers just an example for easy math and to show how stupid manufacturing math is

it’s also much, much cheaper to buy pre-dyed or stock fabric than it is to custom print designs. most large retailers use fabric that has been bulk produced. each of our garments is custom printed because manufacturing bulk custom printed fabric usually STARTS at around 500 yards (way more than we could use for a single design) and a fabric printer starts around $15k and takes up a bunch of room and uses a lot of electricity.

i run a small business with my wife. we do our best to find ethical labor and to pay our employees well, which contribute significantly to our overhead costs. we’re never going to compete price-wise with fast fashion or walmart or even with target. we couldn’t even fathom functioning at 1/100th of their volume. it’s totally understandable that not everyone can afford this or will think it’s “worth” the cost and the things i make are not necessities. i won’t even be offended if people call me overpriced because i know that most people just don’t know what goes into this stuff.

anyway this was long but i hope you found it informative!

[raptorific]

Even putting aside the public jackassery of the manufacturer’s head and the myriad technical issues, I always notice how unflinchingly ugly Tesla cars are. They’re trying for “sleek and streamlined” in their aesthetic but instead they’re giving “low-poly rendering of a car from a video game without the budget to include details beyond the general shape of the car.” Like they don’t work properly and definitely don’t look cool but people buy them anyway because they’re fanboys for the jackass LARPing being in charge of the company. It’s like, imagine if you met somebody who wore the absolute ugliest jacket you’ve ever seen, and you looked up the jacket and found out that it fails to keep you warm and gives the wearers horrible rashes and also instead of buttons it has little electromagnets that you need to charge daily or else you can’t put the coat on or take it off. And when you ask the person why they’d wear such an ugly, poor-quality, hostile-to-the-wearer garment, they’re like “the designer is such a genius visionary” and you look up the designer and you find out he’s just some rich borderline neo-nazi with too much money who keeps trying to cyberbully people but he’s so bad at it that he always ends up the butt of the joke

[selkies-world]

Sign the petition to demand the creation of a new international law requiring fast-fashion garments to come with a statement of the human cost and environmental harm caused by their creation.

We all know fast fashion is bad for the planet - slave labor, environmental waste, air and water pollution, and unsustainable practices are just a few of the ways they impact our planet, our health and our lives. To date, the fast fashion industry is the 2nd largest consumer of water and is single-handedly responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions (that's more than all international flights and maritime shipping across a year combined). Even the simple act of washing these clothes releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into the ocean each year - that's equal to 50,000 plastic bottles. Fast-fashion is the 3rd leading cause of the climate crises we face, yet is rarely addressed.

Knowing these stats is one thing, and understanding them is important. Being aware of them is somewhat informative. But as long as we keep turning a blind eye to the issue, the stats are only going to get worse, and nothing will change for the better. Ignoring the issue or brushing it under the rug won't help anything. So what if we could see the real-world damage done by each of the garments we buy?

In the same way that cigarette packets have shown the harm their products do to our bodies ("SMOKING KILLS", lung cancer visualizations, etc.), what if fast fashion manufacturers & retailers had to show the harm their products do to our planet?

[Image ID: A type-writer font has been used on a brown craft paper background. The text reads: "32 animals lost their habitat to the field where my crops were planted - 2 of those animals are already endangered species. 2,700 litres of water were used in my production. I was made in a sweatshop enslaving men and women aged 16 - 45, and children aged 6 - 14. I contain 0.22kg of carbon dioxide dye." End ID.]

This is a mock-up of a label / statement for a single T-shirt, with researched statistics and educated estimates for the information I couldn't find a calculated answer for.

Now imagine labels / statements like this for every single piece of clothing: how many toxic chemicals are in those new jeans? How many litres of water did that shirt take to make? How many animals were skinned to make those cute fur-trimmed boots? How many children made that jumper? How many people were forcibly removed from their homes, so production companies could plant crops to grow the materials used in clothes manufacturing? How many families were evicted for no reason other than corporate greed? How many trees were cut down? How many animals were displaced or killed?

Would you really want to buy those items of clothing if the answers to those questions were staring you in the face?

If this information was stated in clear, accessible ways on both the website and the ticket on the actual garment, this would dramatically reduce the number of people buying fast fashion items. It would also reduce the profits being made by fast fashion companies, and could lead to many of them being forced to choose between changing and becoming sustainable, eco-froendly and ethical brands, or shutting down due to being boycotted.

Who would really want to knowingly buy things that are made by slaves, or which cost a family their home, or which contributed to deforestation? Who would continue to buy fast fashion items knowing this is the damage caused by them, when sustainable alternatives are an option?

Whether it's second-hand fashion at affordable prices, or investing more money in sustainable products which were made with high ethical standards and which cost more money due to the fact their price accounts for the time it took a person to make that item... we can say for certain that sustainable shopping is going to become much more popular if people know how important that change is. Sustainable items last much longer than fast-fashion items, which by design are created to self-destruct, as they are made to be worn a few times and then discarded in order to be replaced by the next trend's items - and as trends speed up, these items become weaker and weaker. This then leads to people spending more money in order to keep up with the newest trends, and to keep replacing clothes they throw out after a few washes.

In contrast, buying sustainable items which are designed to last years means people won't have to spend money on new clothes every few weeks, which means they'll ultimately save money in the long term and actually be able to afford those pricier items which will last much, much longer.

Now, despite the amount of harm the fast-fashion industry causes to people and the environment, the last thing we should be doing is getting angry at those who continue to buy them. Being the target of anger doesn't make large populations change their behaviour - even a cursory look through history books will tell us that much. Neither does being the target of resentment or blame.

But guilt? Shame? Those are two of the most powerful emotions to magnify when you want change to happen in waves.

And frankly, if people feel ashamed of buying something, or if buying something makes them feel guilty... they're going to stop buying it.

Those aren't the only emotions that should be felt, though. Because only feeling guilt and shame leads to feeling hopeless, scared, anxious and depressed. And we don't want that. No matter how bad things get... we don't want that.

The only other emotions to provoke are hope and pride.

If there's no hope for the future, how can anyone be expected to imagine a better one?

You wouldn't think it, what with all the climate crises and disasters we experience around the world and the total lack of commitment made by billionaires, multimillion-dollar companies and corporations and politicians.

But it's true. Scientists in Scotland have discovered bacteria which eat plastic and speed up the decomposition of it. ‘Ecocide’ is now punishable by law. Some countries within the EU are already close to meeting their 2030 goals years ahead of schedule! Thanks to scientists and small, individual changes made on a massive scale by ordinary people who are making small adjustments to our everyday choices, we can and are healing most of the ozone layer before 2050. That is something we should all feel incredibly proud of.

So imagine how much we could speed that process up if more people made those changes. Imagine how much sooner we could heal our planet if billions of people made those changes, rather than millions. Imagine how much sooner we could be seeing the effects of a healthier planet if fast fashion companies were forced to choose between going green and transparent, or closing altogether due to a lack of interest from consumers. Imagine the changes we could create if corporations made massive changes in a short amount of time, in order to save their own profits.

Imagine more labels like this, sitting alongside each other on every single piece of fast fashion clothing. A statement like this beneath every item of clothing on fast fashion websites, which transparently states the harm done.

If every single fast-fashion company and store had to display this on their clothing, on their racks, on their websites, and if there were legal punishments for those who tried to evade or lie... fashion would turn a lot greener very quickly. We'd start seeing more and more labels with "I'm made from 6 plastic bottles! I used to be a newspaper! I had 0 pesticides used on me in my production! I only contain natural dye made from berries, beans and sustainably grown flowers. I was made from apple skins and corn! The people who made me get to go home to their families every night, have days off and the adults made £150.35 each in 1 week! The animal who made the wool for me is free-range and well-cared for! I came from a small family farm, and was created with a closed-loop water system!”

That'd be a much better civilisation to shop in, don't you agree?

That is hope for the future.

That is motivation, which can fuel ordinary people to do extraordinary things and create changes they thought were impossible.

If you want to be a part of creating this change, sign the Change.org petition which demands the the creation and implementation of an international law which will require all fast-fashion products to be displayed with a statement which states the harm done to people and the planet by that garment being made & shipped.

[dresshistorynerd]

I don't keep up with fashion, but I've understood Selkie is the newest favorite brand of everyone and it's supposed to be like pretty high end? The dresses cost several hundreds of dollars? I've seen they are pretty fairytale and historical fashion inspired and now their new collection came into my dash. You are meant to pay a lot of money of these??

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the styles and the broad designs, I actually think they could be really cute, but the quality is absolutely abysmal. This is why I'm not fan of history bounding going into mainstream, because you will get these absolutely sloppily slapped together completely ill-fitting flimsy mass-manufactured stays imitations and they'll still be expensive. Honestly they look absolute dogshit. The cuts are predictably sloppy and give no shape to these garments. They will fit very badly to 99% of people by the virtue of being mass-manufactured, like with any other ready-made clothing, but with laced garments it's always (sometimes literally) painfully obvious. The materials are nowhere sturdy enough to work in any way with a garment like that and there is clearly no reinforcements in the construction, so even if it had a shape from quality cutting, it would not matter because it couldn't hold that shape anyway.

I just hate how piss poor quality even these expensive clothes are. With the current state of the fashion industry you really can't get quality even by paying more. If you want to get these corsets from Selkie (or like just want something similar), consider looking up stays/corsets from Etsy that cost the same amount. You'll probably find plenty options and get them custom made to your measurements and they will extremely likely be much better looking and so much better quality.

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Research comes to the rescue to make firefighters' clothing safer

A pair of new University of Alberta studies show how to make firefighters' clothing safer to wear, maintain and manufacture. One study revealed that some fibers used in the protective gear break down when exposed to warm water, showing what can happen to the garments over time, during real-life firefighting scenarios and laundering. The other study analyzed the water used in the manufacture of fibers, identifying a handful of harmful dye compounds leaching from the fabrics that could weaken their protective qualities. "The findings of both studies show vulnerabilities and potential ways to improve the materials currently being used in firefighters' clothing, and for maintenance," says Saiful Hoque, who conducted the work to earn a Ph.D. in textile and apparel science from the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences (ALES).

Read more.

[sybilius]

Old Internet Fridays #11: Fashion's Unseen Stories

Transform Trade Unseen Stories Project

What’s this?

What’s this website?

A UK based advocacy organization for better trade, that prioritizes workers and environmental sustainability. Originally known as Traidcraft Exchange, it split off from Traidcraft Plc to focus entirely on advocacy.

The "unseen stories" project is a 2023 project about textile homeworkers in Tirupur, Tamil Nadu, India. They were trained on photography and given nice cameras to document their own lives to raise awareness about homeworkers and their roles in the garment industry.

Okay, how did you find it?

Looking mainly for information about textile industry imports and fast fashion. I came from DuckDuckGo trying to find out where a lot of clothing manufacturing happens. This article from the BBC prompted me to research Bangladesh, which led me to this article, which then led me to the excellent but dense report on conditions post early COVID-19 and unfair practices from buyers, from Transform Trade. It's a bit too much to be the main topic of a post in this series, but here's a highlight of statistics that made me go "mmmm":

How's it doing on Internet Archive?

Kind of flabbergasted I got the first save, ngl! I'm not sure if this is because the stories were added recently or what, but happy to be a part of it.

What delighted you the most?

Okay, "delight" is a strong word-- this one was a thinky topic and no mistake. Regulars on my blog might know from the #math skirt tag that I'm making my first garment, and as a result, I'm thinking a lot of the clear and absolutely fucking absurd undervaluing of garment-making labour. Skimming that report netted me the knowledge that the minimum wage for textile-workers is $2.50 USD in Bangladesh. This is less than half of the urban living wage cited by this study, if you're wondering (and that's already hedging for a modest family).

The delightful part is how clearly the homeworkers are proud of what they do, and happy to be the ones with their hands on the camera. I liked that there was clearly enough freedom left to the individual artists to allow for pictures like this, literal time to smell the roses (from K. Selvrani):

Thanks for reading this far if you got here. I truly hope in my lifetime that textile-production and the way that garments are created, compensated, purchased, repaired and cherished undergoes major changes (fast fashion die challenge). I hope for the return of a certain amount of everyday savvy for basic repairs, and respect for the good work a local tailor can do for you. I hope every corner in the world can afford the time or is given the resources to have clothing that they cherish and can take care of. I have a lot of hopes, you see. <3

[marshmallows2345]

Spoiled Rotten(Connor Rhodes x fem! reader)

Content Warning: suggestive content, otherwise its just connor buying lingerie for you ;)

“Don’t worry about prices, darling. nothing could put a price on you feeling absolutely beautiful,” he purrs as he handed you his black American Express card. “Whatever you want.”

“Are you sure? This is…”

“I meant what I said. Come on, let’s go shopping. I think someone deserves some pretty things.”

You took his card as he pulled you into some fancy store with a name that you can’t even pronounce. Every garment that hung on the racks or was dressed on the mannequins looked like it cost more than your groceries for the month. He guided you in, hand on the small of your back as he takes you around the store. Your eyes raked over each piece, every bra, every panty, every garter belt, and your breath was taken away by the level of detailing and luxury of the pieces. On your dime, you could never afford any of this, but with Connor’s money, you were able to.

“Pick out what you like. I saw some beautiful red pieces that would look perfect on you.”

There were a few pieces that stood out to you as you had made your way around the store. One was a delicate red set, composed of a bra with beautiful, chantily lace, with satin along the band and straps. The panty was similar, except with thin straps on the sides, lace adorning the front and back. Neither one was composed of the cheap, rough lace that most bras were manufactured with; nothing in this store was. Everything not only looked expensive, but it felt expensive as well. You also laid your eyes on a stunning navy blue silk slip, the same expensive lace adorning both the top and the bottom of it. As your fingers feel the silky smooth material, you can feel Connor’s chest against your back.

“Excellent choice,” Connor murmured as his eyes raked over your pick. “One that I would have gotten for you myself.”

“Connor, I can’t-“

“What did I say before, princess? Whatever you want means whatever you want.”

He found your size, and he plucked the slip off the rack for you to try on. You smiled as you watched him thoroughly peruse . Connor was always thoughtful like that; he learned your tastes, your sizes, even your measurements so that he could find the best clothes for you. He also knew your favorite colors, what silhouettes looked good on you and which ones didn’t. You counted your blessings that he was so good at fashion; he always helped you make decisions on what to wear.

By the time you were able to make it to the fitting room, you were laden down with pieces, and the price tags on everything made your head spin. But Connor reminded you to pay no mind to anything other than how the pieces looked and felt on your body. You repeated his words to yourself as you slipped into the fitting room and

“Put on a fashion show for me, sweetheart,” he softly said as he stood outside the room. “I wanna see every piece.”

You giggled as you closed the door so you could change, opting to try on the slip first. The expensive silk felt like heaven against your skin, the soft material gently caressing your body. You cracked open the door and peeked your head out.

“Connor?” You asked, and his head whipped around to look at you. “I have on the slip…”

“Come on out, let me see you, darling,” Connor replied, and you stepped outside to stand in front of him. “Oh my God…”

“Does it look okay?”

His hands ran up your sides, feeling both your curves and the slip, and you pressed yourself into him. You could hear the hitch of his breath as his hands rested on your upper back. Connor’s gaze was warm and tender as he admired how perfect you looked. His hands roamed your body, even sliding up underneath the slip. You gasped as his strong hands gave your cheeks a squeeze.

“It looks perfect, like it was made for you,” he breathed as his eyes raked over your body. “God, I…don’t even try on the other things. I know you’ll look beautiful in them. Take them all.”

“But that’s too much, I-“

“No, sweetheart. Nothing’s too much for you.”

“I can’t possibly accept it all,” you replied, face red as your hand ran through your hair.

“You can, I promise.”

“But…”

“We’ll take it all,” Connor said as he ushered you back into the fitting room. “And I’m buying you that in every color.”

[dreamdripdistance]

I'll always love a good Dizz tag rant about how much plastic fabrics suck ass <3

FVDSHKFBHDSUGDEWHJKFBZXJK im glad i have a brand!!! because like if someone doesnt need polyester for a specific purpose for its specific properties, why WOULD you prefer it over a natural fibre for an everyday use????

like. ethically sourced leather (which is a byproduct of the meat industry, cows are always going to be killed or will die for one reason or another, wasting their skin when it could instead be a Really good textile is STUPID and ILLOGICAL) or wool (something that will always be available as long as sheep roam this earth, and DOES NOT harm the animal and actually is integral to their survival!!) or cotton or linen or silk or whatever will always be a better, more ethical and healthier choice!!!!!

like just off the top of my head, linen is always going to be a better choice for bedding than anything else, especially in the way its literally a Stronger textile when wet, and its breathablity and antibacterial properties. all things you want when using and caring for your bedding????

cotton is GREAT for underwear and clothing kept close to the skin because of its breathablity. by the fucking way, ppl with vaginas? if youre wearing polyester underwear Every Day, i hope you know youre literally just inflicting yeast infections upon yourself??? like wearing cute lacy undies is great once in a while, but pleaaaaase. wear (loose fitting) cotton underwear to sleep, especially.

and also, wool is the greatest insulator that you could possibly get, and is key to making sure you dont also sweat (which can be dangerous and also gross even when its extremely cold), and is a great thing to use in your doonas if you can afford it (WHICH I CANT AND I CRY EVERY TIME)

like, yeah theres ethical issues regarding natural textiles, like leather dyeing processes (and that its an animal byproduct, which im not gonna talk about indepth bc idgaf), and the historically (and currently) evil practices being used to farm cotton, and the widespread fast fashion-ification of Everything rn even with natural textile garments.

but like. think about it in comparison to the mass manufacture and discarding of polyester fabrics, and the microplastics going loose in every single wash, and how polyester waste is literally just PLASTIC waste, so when your PU leather coat disintegrates, thats just going to go in the bin, where as a coat made of real leather is going to last for however as long as you can keep it conditioned and protected from damage (which can be fucking DECADES)

also, synthetics are Fine. like they have a time and place especially in the medical field and in situations where you reaaaally dont want anything coming in or out of what youre wearing. nylon was fucking revolutionary as the first entirely synthetic textile so like. i dont hate polyester? but again it has a time and place!!!

like, polyester is cheap as fuck, and if polyester or "cotton rich" (aka poly blend) bedding or clothing is all you can afford or find, then cool! im sorry about that, but i have no qualms about it! ive bought polyester clothing, like, my work pants are all polyester, because they were the cheapest dress pants i could get at kmart that were my size after trying and failing to find smth in an op shop! but like !!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUGHGHGHGHHGHGHGHGHHHHH IF SOMEONE HAS THE MEANS TO BUY ACTUAL LEATHER (WITH NO QUALMS WITH REAL LEATHER OR W/E) AND THEN GOES TO DROP HUNDREDS ON A PU LEATHER (AKA PLASTIC) COAT, IM GONNA MAUL THEM!!!!!

anyways in conclusion, as i always say:

[embroidery-pro]

All about sewing tools

Sewing Tools for Professional Results As with any profession or hobby, using the right tools can make all the difference in the world and can make the difference between amateur or professional results. Even if you’ve only sewn a few projects and collected some basic sewing tools, it may be time to learn about some of the advanced sewing tools designed to give your project that professional edge. Most sewing projects can be completed without the following tools, but as you improve and fine-tune your skills and develop an affinity for quilting, home decorating or clothing construction, you’ll find these tools indispensable for saving time, increasing accuracy and simplifying tasks Cutting Tools Needlework Scissors and Snips Small, 3"- to 5"-long needlework scissors or snips are indispensable for clipping close to the stitching line or trimming intricate areas of a project. They can be used wherever your large bent-handled shears can’t reach. Snips have spring-loaded handles. Keep a pair alongside the sewing machine, at-theready to cut stray threads. Rotary Cutter Used with a self-healing mat and a clear plastic ruler, rotary cutters are ideal for straight cuts in one or more fabric layers. Look for blades that can be easily removed and replaced and a handle that is comfortable. Rotary mats and rulers are made specifically for rotary-blade cutting, and the materials don’t dull rotary blades as other products might. Both the mat and the ruler feature gridlines and angles for cutting accuracy. See more about: rotary cutters Measuring & Altering Tools Grid Board Use a large grid board under the fabric and pattern to align the fabric grain while pinning and cutting. A padded grid board allows you to pin into it when stretching or blocking fabric. Some have ironing surfaces that are also helpful for fusing large fabric sections. Consider a rotating grid board if your space is limited. Mats and wide rulers used for rotary cutting are actually modified grid boards used both underneath and on top of the fabric. See “Rotary Cutter” above. French Curve or Fashion Ruler These rulers have a variety of curves to mimic the body’s curves and are used when altering patterns. It’s helpful for the simplest length adjustment and indispensable when actually changing the style of a garment. Depending on how you turn the ruler and what segment you use, one ruler gives you all the curves necessary to complete pattern lines when altering or drafting patterns. Marking Tools FabricMarking Pens The space-age chemicals used to make these clever pens become more high-tech every day. The disappearing ink allows you to mark most projects at the exact location needed—even on the fabric right side— without fear of staining or discoloration. Look for an ink color that is in high contrast to your fabric, and for accuracy select a fine tip. Choose a water-soluble pen for long-term projects, when you want the markings to remain until you remove them with water. Air-soluble pen inks disappear within a few hours and are ideal for fabrics that can’t be washed or dampened. Some air- and water-soluble pen manufacturers caution against exposing marked fabrics to sunlight or the heat of the iron because heat may set the ink permanently. Always test the pen on a scrap of the fabric before using it on your project. Pressing Tools Tailor’s Ham Resembling a ham, this pressing tool is used as a base or a mold when pressing curved or shaped seams. It’s available in several sizes and should be covered on one side in cotton and the other in wool. The ham’s curves are designed to mimic garment curves and are used to set the shape of collars, lapels, sleeve caps and more. Point Presser & Pounding Block The raised points of this wooden tool allow you to press deep into a corner without creasing the surrounding fabric. The base is used as a pounding block, or clapper, to flatten seams. Needle Board A flat, flexible board with a bed of short needles placed very close together, a velvet board or needle board is used for pressing napped fabrics, such as velvet and corduroy, without crushing the fabric’s pile. A lessexpensive, and less-effective, version of a needle board features a canvas backed fabric with a raised pile front that takes the place of the needles. Sewing Tools SewingMachine Needles Sewing needles are designed for the type of fabric, thread and stitches you’re using. Using the right size and type of needle will greatly improve your sewing success. For more information on choosing the best needle for your project . Tip: A stitching problem, such as skipped stitches or looping or shredding threads, at firstmay appear to be a problemwith themachine when actually it’s a call for a new or better-suited needle. Bodkin Used for drawing elastic, cord or ribbon through a fabric casing, bodkins are available in several different styles. The pincer is usually the shortest with teeth at one end designed to clamp down firmly on ribbon or elastic and pull it through a tubular casing. Longer versions have a safety pin style closure at one end, and the slimmest version, designed like a large sewing needle, has a large eye for feeding narrow cord in narrow casings. A bodkin’s ball-point end comes in handy for turning fabric tubes right side out. Point Turner A point turner is a hand-held, pointed plastic tool designed to poke into tight corners. For crisp, sharp corners and points, use this tool to push out the corners of collars and cuffs before pressing. The opposite end is flat or rounded; use it to hold open seam allowances while pressing, so you don’t burn your fingers.Basting Tape Much faster than hand basting with needle and thread, use narrow, paper backed basting tape to hold zippers, bias tapes and trims in place while stitching. Fray Preventer A drop of this liquid on the cut edge of a woven fabric will bond the edges and prevent the fabric from raveling. Before using, test the product on a scrap of the actual fabric, or in an inconspicuous area of the project. Allow the test piece to dry thoroughly. Then wash, dry and press it as you would the finished project, to be sure the product doesn’t discolor the fabric. Read the full article

[wearmiho]

What Is The Role Of Sustainable Cloth Manufacturer In Fashion Industry?

Sustainability has become a hot talk in the fashion industry because consumers now demand more environmentally friendly and ethically manufactured clothing. Fashion brands have already started to join hands with sustainable clothes manufacturers to provide sustainable clothing for customers. Additionally, it helps them contribute something to creating a sustainable future and reaps various other benefits.

But, still, many fashion stores and brands do not realize the importance of collaborating with sustainable cloth manufacturers. It is because of a lack of awareness about them and what they actually do for the betterment of the future. In this article, you will get a chance to know about the sustainable cloth manufacturers. It will change your perspective and let you join hands with them.

A glance at the impact of conventional cloth manufacturing

Before knowing the importance of sustainable cloth manufacturing, it is necessary to understand how traditional manufacturers affect the environment. It will be an eye-opener for everyone who thinks that the traditional method is advantageous. From raw material cultivation to clothes production and distribution, this traditional practice consumes huge amounts of energy, resources, and water. 

Let’s take cotton production as an example because it is the widely utilized fabric in the fashion domain. The production of cotton demands heavy usage of water and pesticides that damages soil and water. Further, the energy-intensive processes involved in manufacturing contribute much to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

These are the major reasons for fashion brands give importance to sustainability and look for reputable sustainable fabric manufacturers. Scroll down your eyes to know more details about those manufacturers.

Role of Sustainable Clothing Manufacturer

Sustainable clothing manufacturers play a major role in promoting environmentally friendly garments. This practice reduces waste and energy consumption greatly because eco-friendly materials are used in the production.

On the other hand, manufacturers give priority to accountability and transparency. Thus, consumers get all the information about the supply chains and production practices. It helps both consumers and fashion brands to take informed decisions and give their support for sustainability. 

The sky-rocketing growth of the fashion industry has impacted the environment greatly. Upon adopting sustainability concepts, fashion brands can put an end to the environmental problems caused by traditional cloth manufacturing. 

Top brands in the fashion industry have started sustainable cloth production by joining hands with sustainable garment manufacturers. It helps minimize their carbon footprint and water usage. When all the brands integrate sustainable practices into their manufacturing, the environment will be saved.

In addition, they can offer better working conditions for their employees and pay them good wages. It also maximizes productivity, boosts sales, and minimizes turnover rates at the factories. Overall, sustainability does big magic in the fashion industry.

Tips to find a sustainable cloth manufacturer 

Finding a sustainable cloth manufacturer is the best way to change your business practice. The first thing to do is search for sustainable cloth manufacturers in your preferred search engine. 

Prepare a list of the manufacturer that suit your brand objectives and check their website for display trust seals and authenticity verification. Review their product specifications and contact them to get a quote. 

Compare quotes of various manufacturers to choose the right one suitable for your budget and expectations.

[palvichemical]

The Role of Corn Starch in Textile and Paper Industries

Palvi Chemicals is your trusted Corn Starch supplier in Bahrain, who can fulfil all your Corn Starch requirements. Maize starch, which is also known as corn starch, has emerged as a solution that is both versatile and indispensable in the ever-changing landscape of industrial applications. In today's article, we dig into the intriguing world of how maize starch has played a crucial role in revolutionising the paper and textile industries.

Understanding Corn Starch: Nature's Gift to Industries

Our company, Palvi Chemicals, is extremely proud of the fact that we are the most successful Corn Starch manufacturer in India. The endosperm of maize kernels is the source of maize starch, which is a natural and renewable resource that has made its way into a wide variety of businesses due to the exceptional qualities it possesses.

Corn Starch: A Versatile Pioneer in Textile and Paper Industries

For new-age Industries, maize starch stands out as a component that is both adaptable and important. It plays a transforming role in the textile industry as well as the paper industry. The endosperm of maize kernels is the source of this natural substance, which has become an essential component in the development of new ideas, the maintenance of sustainable practices, and the improvement of product quality. Let us dig into the myriad ways in which maize starch has contributed to these two businesses that are of critical importance.

Textile Industry: Weaving Innovation with Corn Starch

Textile Sizing and Strength:

One of the primary applications of Corn Starch in the Textile Industry is in the realm of sizing. Sizing, the process of applying a protective coating to yarns before weaving, is crucial for enhancing strength and durability. Corn Starch, when employed as a sizing agent, imparts commendable qualities to the fabric. It improves the tensile strength of the yarn, reducing breakages during the weaving process. The result is a more resilient fabric with enhanced weaving efficiency.

Environmental Sustainability:

As the world becomes increasingly conscious of environmental impact, the Textile Industry seeks sustainable alternatives. Corn Starch aligns seamlessly with this paradigm shift. Being biodegradable and sourced from renewable corn, it becomes a green solution in an industry notorious for its ecological footprint. Manufacturers adopting Corn Starch-based sizing agents contribute to the reduction of environmental impact, making a significant stride towards sustainable textile production.

Versatility in Fabric Finishing:

Beyond sizing, Corn Starch finds application in fabric finishing processes. It imparts a smooth, refined finish to textiles, enhancing their overall aesthetic appeal. Whether in the production of garments or home textiles, Corn Starch's versatility is evident in its ability to cater to various fabric types and finishes, making it a go-to solution for textile manufacturers aiming for excellence.

Paper Industry: Corn Starch Paving the Way for Sustainable Solutions

Paper Manufacturing Excellence:

Corn Starch plays a pivotal role in the manufacturing of high-quality paper. Its binding properties enhance the cohesion of paper fibres, resulting in a smoother, more robust finished product. The incorporation of Corn Starch in the papermaking process contributes to improved paper strength, ensuring that the end product meets the stringent quality requirements across various industries.

Sustainable Packaging Solutions:

In an era where sustainability is at the forefront of consumer and industrial concerns, Corn Starch emerges as a key player in the production of sustainable packaging materials. As a Corn Starch supplier in Bahrain, Palvi Chemicals understands the significance of eco-friendly alternatives. Corn Starch-based packaging is not only biodegradable but also compostable, presenting a viable solution to the mounting environmental challenges associated with traditional packaging materials.

Reducing Environmental Footprint:

Corn Starch, as a renewable resource, aids the Paper Industry in reducing its environmental footprint. Traditional paper production methods often involve the use of chemicals and non-renewable resources. By incorporating Corn Starch, manufacturers contribute to a more sustainable and responsible approach to paper production. The shift towards eco-friendly practices not only aligns with consumer preferences but also positions the industry as a responsible steward of the environment.

Why Choose Palvi Chemicals as Your Corn Starch Supplier in Bahrain?

Quality Assurance:  At Palvi Chemicals, we place a high priority on quality throughout the entirety of our manufacturing process. That includes quality assurance. By putting our Corn Starch through thorough testing to ensure that it satisfies the highest industry standards, we guarantee that our customers will receive a product that is exceptional in terms of both its performance and its dependability.

Reliability and Consistency:  We, as a reputable Corn Starch distributor, are aware of the significance of reliability in the supply chain. We also appreciate the value of maintaining consistency. Industrial sectors that rely on maize starch for their operations are more likely to choose us as a partner because of our streamlined procedures and our commitment to maintaining consistency.

Innovation at the Core:  We recognise the importance of innovation as a driving factor. We make sure that our customers are able to take advantage of the most recent developments in the industry by ensuring that our research and development team is constantly investigating new applications for maize starch.

Environmental Responsibility:  The concept of environmental responsibility is not merely a passing fad for us; rather, it is a commitment that we have made. Through your selection of Palvi Chemicals as your Corn Starch supplier, you are contributing to a future that is more sustainable and friendlier to the environment.

Closing Thoughts:

In the process of navigating the ever-changing landscapes of the textile and paper industries, maize starch emerges as a shining example of innovation and sustainability. As a dependable Corn Starch manufacturer in India and Corn Starch supplier in Bahrain, we at Palvi Chemicals take great pleasure in our commitment to delivering products of superior quality that enable various industries to reach new heights of success.

Whether you are in the Textile or Paper Industry, our Corn Starch solutions are tailored to meet your specific needs. Join us in unlocking the potential of Corn Starch – a natural, versatile, and eco-friendly solution that is reshaping the way industries operate. Palvi Chemicals is not just a supplier; we are your partner in progress, committed to excellence, reliability, and a greener tomorrow.

[mayakern]

I had a dream that you had been tasked with recreating Famous Historical outfits (a la Marilyn Monroe's white dress) but as accurate plussl size garments as a part of some sort of fashion showcase and it was absolutely stunning I remember being there and seeing the garments up close and being stunned at the attention to the smallest details. So congrats on being in my dreams like that!

fjhbdsjhdsf well i definitely don't feel equipped to handle such a high profile project, as i have no fashion/sewing training, just my experience living in a fat body and having trouble finding clothes i like.

while i am heavily involved in the formulation of our garments, the person who does all the nitty gritty is ash, who first joined us to help us find a new main factory and has since stuck around because she's just am absolute BEAST (positive) at doing just about everything we needed help with.

so while i'll go "i want a faux wrap crop top with a bra strap keeper" or "i want a true miniskirt that's longer in back so it doesn't show my ass," ash is the one who actually figures out how to make those things feasible, makes the sewing patterns, then grades all our sizes, and communicates our plans with our manufacturer. if you’d like to see some of her work, she has a youtube!

but i'm glad dream maya was up to the task!

[tayzakharperez]

@/TAYLORZAKHARPEREZ SHARED ON INSTAGRAM

Thank you @.thewoolmarkcompany for giving me the full farm to fashion experience 🇦🇺 🇮🇹 and for teaching me about the wearability and versatility of wool. I know a bunch of you won’t read past ^that^ and check the pics out, and that’s ok. For those who decided to continue on, thank you 🤠 So, I started doing supply chain trips with @.ecoage last year because I wanted to know more about where our stuff comes from; what it’s made of, where it’s sourced from, and how many hands touch it before it lands in our stores. It was a lot to unpack 💼. Since then I’ve been to a regenerative cotton farm, a diamond mine, and got to follow wool from the farm to the factory and finally to tailor shop. Wild w/ lots of jet lag but totally worth it. As synthetic (mostly petroleum ⛽️ based) fibers are used more and more studies show they aren’t able to biodegrade like natural fibers (wool breaks down in water!! Isn’t that cool?), so with each wash of these polyester, acrylic, nylon, and spandex garments microplastics are released into the waterways. As the fibres are so small, many pass through filtration processes and make their way into our rivers and seas, and then we gobble them up ♻️. While activists push for legislation around this, the manufacturers are saying the washer/dryer companies should add a filter to solve the problem *ahem* 🚬 It won’t, it takes us to think again about what we are buying and show them we are in control, we demand better because we deserve better. And now, we KNOW better. I am not an expert, nor do I think I ever will be, but hopefully you find it interesting enough to stop and think again when we are buying something to put on our body. We do it with food, why not with our clothing?

[adaraprince]

The Club

Chapter 1 here! Chapter 2 here! Chapter 3 here! Chapter 4 here! Chapter 5: Thor Odinson Chapter 6 here!

-> The Club's masterlist

Warnings: This is a +18 story, dealing with topics such as sex, kinks and prostitution. Therefore, minors should not interact.

Synopsis: Our favourite king definitely needs a concubine and to return to Asgard, he really misses it. He misses his life of luxury and royalty, so he decides to go to our favourite girl for comfort.

______________________________________________________________

Turning once more in the mirror, the fabrics swirling around your legs, you had to admit that this particular client gave you access to the best wardrobe.

But then, you gave him access to some high roller perks, for the right price.

You looked like you had jumped off the set of Caligula, the material was so sheer that the outline of your labia was visible between your legs. The intricate belt at your waist was the only thing holding the garment in place; the drape of the fabric across your breasts threatened to give way with any movement.

You twirled again, daring him to move.

"Come on Cinderella, I can't make the man wait all day," Delia popped a bubble gum bubble, deliriously bored with the schedule; this one always booked hours on hours of her time. "You know he gets noisy when he's left alone."

"Never mind Delia, don't you like a bit of fuss? "You joked; she rolled her eyes behind tortoiseshell glasses. As you approached the dressing room door, she held out a paper cup, the contents of which were top-of-the-line pills, manufactured by Stark's pharmaceutical branch. You threw them back like a shot, you'd need them. "Wish me luck?"

"As if you'd need it."

Walking down the aisle barefoot, you made a few final adjustments; pushing her hair back, biting her lips for volume and colour. This client, this Avenger, liked your bare, clean skin; it reminded him of home. He liked a lot of things completely naked, and he paid the astronomical rates to get what he wanted.

That Asgardian gold had an incredible exchange rate.

""----- ϟ ★ ϟ-----""

The God made himself at home in the most luxurious and industrious suite the club had to offer; real fish swam in the pond built in the corner of the room, stone imported from Greece made the platform that held the hand-stitched mattress stuffed with goose down. Even the wine he drank was incredibly rare; brought by him from the casks of his palace.

Everything in the room was designed to make him feel at home; but the one thing he couldn't find there was you. You were a special talent, always worth the visit. Always worth the price.

"My King," the title dripped from your tongue with all the dreaminess and poise I desired. You appeared behind a curtain of vines, royal ivy, to find the smiling Asgardian resting by the pond. "Oh, how good to see you; I could hardly sneak away."

Satisfied, the god stretched out his muscular arm to call. "If your Mistress had not seen fit to let you go, she would have come and taken you from me. I will not deprive myself of my dearest treasure." You walked towards his touch, his broad hand warm on your waist. "Neither should you be; my King should need nothing; and I will do all in my power to provide."

He liked a very solid narrative; you suspected he had cut his teeth on maids and servants in his youth.

Blue eyes twinkling, he drew closer, the warmth of his chest permeating the thin dots that separated you. He kept one hand outstretched on your back, the other slipping between the slit of your gown. "My maiden, so much you have to give," he purred, familiar fingers slipping and sliding between your folds. "More than you know."

Always straight to the point.

True to your part, you let your head tilt back in sharp breaths, your breasts heaving in a practiced rhythm, before you grabbed his wrist in mock terror. "M-my King! Please, what are you doing! Why are you touching me…. there?"

He grimaced, a false, but sympathetic one. "Oh, my dear, because I wish to," he raked his fingers across your clit, eliciting a very real spasm and contraction. "Because your ass demands that I do, doesn't it?"

Playing along with his fantasy, you relaxed into his arms; weak hands still on his arm. "S-sir, this is wrong-! I am meant to keep myself until …. until I'm married!"

Ignoring his written words, he slid his fingers lower, deeper, teasing your channel. It didn't take much more than a tug with his second hand to bare your breasts to his hungry gaze.

"Maiden, you are destined for much more than a marriage to a poor peasant," he teased, pushing a finger up and into you, swirling and prodding; gleaming white teeth nibbled one nipple at a time. "For a sad life of fruitless pairing and anonymous climax, I've chosen you , little one."

You pushed your breast up and towards his lips, where his greedy tongue was eager to taste. "Chosen, my King?" you gasped, shuddering, just the way he liked it.

His lips pressed to you before he answered, sucking and swirling, blood and arousal rushing to your chest. "Yes," he purred, with a pop. "You will have the honour of carrying the progeny of a God; my royal seed."

Trembling, joy overwhelmed your face - far from questioning the wishes of a paying customer. "Y-me!? But sir…" you lost yourself in a moan with a second finger in your pussy. "I'm nobody! I'm-just a born girl, I'm not worthy!"

His lips curved into a frown, peering up from the valley of your breasts. "Wouldn't a king know what his subjects are worthy of?" he asked, broad palm pressing against your clit. "Wouldn't a god have the best interests of his lamb at heart?"

Fire bloomed in your cheeks under his electric blue gaze; his flowery speech always had some effect on you. "Y-yes, yes my King," you gasped, shifting your hips into his palm obediently. "I … ohh … I am so impressed by this news; to be granted such a blessing…"

The God was always generous; watching your orgasm before reaping his own. He watched with unmoving eyes the way you arched your back, your fingers trembling on his arm, and he'd swear he saw the moan rise in your throat before it left your lips.

Momentarily you let yourself get lost in bliss; those war-worn fingers still flexing and twisting as your pussy clenches around them, prolonging your climax for that much longer. "Oh my King…" your voice was more breath than sound, praise floating like a breeze. "Oh Gods… y-you feel so… so good…"

Humming in approval, he stood, imposing but gentle in the way he cradled you; one arm around you, safe as his other hand would not dare slip for your warmth. "Like you, my dear," his lips brushed your bare throat, the incipient beard scratching you in the best way. "So warm and moist, like sweet summer days; I wonder, "Are you ready now to know me fully? To accept your fate?"

Like Shakespeare, he was.

"Oh, yes, yes, my king," she whispered, wrapping her arms delicately around his neck, careful not to snag his golden mane. He withdrew his hand reluctantly, only to fold his arm under your knees and lift you up as if you were a bride. "I am ready for you, sir."

In three short strides he reached the soft mattress, placing you upon it like a priceless jewel. Your own robe was quickly removed, your cock already thick, hard and jutting skyward. A banter of hammers and dignity crossed your mind, but you fell silent in favour of stunned silence.

"My Maiden, has the sight of your King made you lose your mind?" He joked, moving to kneel above you. "Perhaps you are not as ready as I thought…"

As instructed, he bowed quickly, shaking his head. "N-no, of course I'm ready!" Suddenly emboldened, she wrapped a delicate grip around his length; pulse throbbing beneath her fingers.

"Ah-ahh, feeling brave, are we?" He pinched your thigh but let your expert hand do its work, stroking, remembering every vein and contour, how they felt under your touch.

"Eager, my king," you hummed, shy doe eyes looking up at him. "I'm impressed by the decision you made; to be chosen by such a pinnacle, to be yours so completely…"

Her hips thrust forward of their own volition; ownership was part of her fantasy.

"Please sir, I ache for you," she bent her knees and lifted her legs, skirts falling away to expose her sex. "I wish everyone who looks at me to know that I am yours."

Power crackled in his vision, grabbing your hips with both hands and pulling your ass into his lap. The underside of his shaft pressed between your folds, sliding upwards to enter. "Will you be mine, little one, to give our people an heir?"

Arching up from the mattress, you cried out his title, intertwining your fingers in your dress like a nervous but curious child. "Y-yes my King, please fill me; make me a baby."

Those three words never failed.

Notching the velvety head of his cock at your entrance, it took but one hard thrust to fill you completely; thicker than his teammates and deeper in his fantasy, you could almost feel the electricity coursing through your veins with him inside you.

He had once promised you he couldn't conjure such things with his cock alone; but his godlike powers might surprise you. "Oh-ohh! Oh Gods," you cried, digging your nails into his biceps; he loved the feel of you tensing your muscles, your sex like a vice around him. "Y-sir, you're s-so… ah, I've never felt so full!"

"I would think not," he growled, leaning on his forearms above you. His hair created a golden curtain between you, blocking everyone but him, sight, taste, smell and feel from him. Languid, liquid thrusts filled you again and again; so different from the others, the god always fucked like a lover. "Do you feel complete, little one, am I your missing piece?"

"Yes," you answered fervently, twisting your own hips to meet him.

"Oh, yes… I would live like that, full and pleasing you, if I could." "It's not such a bad life," he chuckled, tightening his shoes; letting his length rest on you a few moments at a time, overwhelming you, filling you to the brim. "I'd keep you like this, always - full of my cock, my seed - divine by injection."

You smiled openly in response; he could be funny, when he wanted to be. "What a purposeful life I would live."

He smiled, lowering a hand to your mound, to your clit; mischief behind his eyes. "Oh, of course it would be, my Maiden," he said, tracing circles of light around your excited nub. "Carrying the offspring of your God, your King; there is no greater purpose," the lip caught between his teeth, you saw his plan before you felt it. "Than to be bred by me."

Light and soft as it was, sparks of energy shot through your clit; suddenly her blood buzzed and her limbs stiffened, her orgasm was brought on so quickly by the thrust of her powers.

"Wh-ahhh! Oh God, oh shit!!!" Your hips thrust into his, and you could barely hear his laughter through the blood rushing through your ears. It shouldn't have surprised you, he almost always did this trick, but he always got you. "S-sir what a surge, oh god…"

"I've been told that seed catches faster when a woman finds pleasure too," another pulse, a shock, another miniature orgasm. "So I'll keep you cumming around my cock, and your womb will be more welcome to its duty."

True to his word, with each thrust of his cock, his fingers applied light strokes to your clit; it was almost numb but equally painful, his body acclimatising to the intense and constant pressure. Your mouth had loosened after the third or fourth, drool dripped from the edge of your labia; which he gladly licked. Hundreds of years of experience were spread over your simple human body; for anyone else, it might have been too much.

But you prided yourself on your work ethic.

"Mm… almost there, sweetheart," the God's words came out in gasps, breaking from the pursuit of your impending climax. His onslaught was selfish now, pounding and searching, pinning his gaze on yours as he neared his ridge. "Hnnh … you are the chosen one, my Maiden; you will be my vessel, my promise of the future, all my babies will spring from you…"

Moaning, you could only bear to squeeze weakly once more. "Forever, my King."

Mouth open, a roar rather than a moan echoed from his chest, burying his face in your neck as the strap snapped; he buried his cock as deep as he could, pumping thick, fruitful ropes of his spent length into your core. Warm breath gasped against your skin, the gigantic man bucking on top of you with the intensity and intent of the act.

Still breathless, slide a thick claw down to your belly, still ecstatic with the fantasy, and squeeze lightly. "My children … the future of Asgard."

He wouldn't fuck, he never did, but they both knew it. It was part of the deal.

""----- ϟ ★ ϟ-----""

His pleasure fulfilled, the God became an excellent companion and conversationalist. Pouring you your own glass of Asgardian white wine, you spent much of your time with him talking rather than fucking.

"… And it still didn't work on him! At the end of the day, I ended up lying on the ground, breath escaping from my lungs. I could hardly believe it," he threw back his golden head in a laugh. swirling his glass. "That was the last time I tried to ride a Bilge Snipe."

You laughed, giving him a sympathetic pat on the chest. "Maybe you need to get attached to horses? Not all animals are meant to be ridden."

"Not all creatures are that good," she purred with a wink. He squeezed your arm with his free hand, assessing your figure. "And how are you, my dear, does your work still satisfy you?"

You shot him an admonishing look; he had offered several times to take you to Asgard, to be his only personal concubine. "I still love it, thank you," you took a sip of wine. "Afraid you're going to take me away this time, I've got clients to keep happy, sweetheart."

She rolled her eyes and kissed him on the cheek. "And you still have time for me; you should be a saint."

"Haven't you seen my halo, darling? I'm an angel.

[sanstropfremir]

✨🎥! Oh yes, please do talk about garments and shoes non stop!

My mother was a fashion professor (as in taught young adults how to make clothes from scratch, starting with the pattern and finishing with the final piece) and used to sew a lot so I do have pieces that she handmaded and also a couple of sewing machines at home. In fact, there a full manual sewing machine at my grandma’s that my mother used when she was studying. She passed quite a long time ago but I do remember that as a child she taught me how to hand sew a button. I literally have a drawer full of them, and a bazillion types of threads. In t-shirts/shirts whenever a hole appeared, she would cover it with something embroidered like any sort of figure that would go well to keep using that

Also, where I live there’s a “school” where they teach amateurs how to sew. They literally have a “Make a [insert piece of clothing] in a day” and they’re quite nice. A lot of people keep going back to them to make more so they have a different one every month or so

But yeah, composition of the garment is one of the things that’s says a lot about them. Again, another thing that my mother instilled in me was to go for natural fibres and treat them right. Learning how to read the label of the caring instructions also helps. I try to avoid anything that requires to be hand washed because I’m allergic to an ingredient that is present in pretty much every detergent, so that becomes a hassle for me, but generally I wash either cold or 30ºC max

Shoes are another thing. Some have the worst quality and break so easily without any option to repair them. Like I remember going to the shoemaker to repair the soles or the heels, but with most of the shoes made now, they’re so shitty that it’s not even worth it. And sadly, I have one of the most common shoe sizes for women, but with slightly slimmer feet so if I’m looking for heels, I need to go for something that has support on the ankle or size down, otherwise the heels would fall of my feet 🥲 And that extents to clothes as well. Sizing is so fucking inconsistence, specially for women. There’s items in one store made by the same manufacturer that differ SO MUCH… I hate it because, again, even though I am considered slim, my hips are wider and my waist a bit tinier so things that should fit on my waist do not go up my ass. And my chest is small as well so fitting all 3 is… a nightmare. I always question that if I can’t find things that fit me properly even though I’m considered to be “in the standard”, what about those bodies that are not? GOD, everyday I lose faith in the fashion industry

PD: LOL at the “adulthood is meeting your friends every few months anyways”, literally all of my friends live in different cities now, so we plan in advance when we get to see each other. Sometimes with 2-months notices, especially if that entails to reunite the whole gang and not just the core (10 vs 3)

hahaha so you really did already know everything i said! but that's ok, hopefully it still was some help somewhere.

trying to buy clothes really has been getting more and more difficult because you're absolutely right; the 'standard' body type that fast fashion is made for doesn't actually exist. pretty fucking depressing that a whole industry exists the make you feel unhappy and unsatisfied with how you look so you keep buying more things, but also there are so many of those industries also and capitalism ruins everything i hate it here. shoes are an intertwined problem too bc shoes that are shoddily made of synthetic materials are so bad in every way. even ones that are well made of synthetic materials are STILL bad imo. shoddy craftsmanship is a human constant but at least with natural materials some of that can either be repaired or recycled into something else, but synthetic materials? good fucking luck. i really do recommend to everyone that if it's possible they should get one good staple leather shoe that they learn how to take care of bc it will fit your foot better than any synthetic material and will last longer. there is a REASON that shoes have been made of leather literally for most of time; it's a vastly superior material in terms of physical properties than anything else for what shoes have to do as a functional objects. but the never ceasing cycle of capitalism has made it impossible to actually find something 'trendy' (or even just nice looking) and good quality AND at a good price. i really do hate it here.