[00:45.85]MADDY:Shall we go through our research for our sustainable fashion project?
[00:49.93]RYAN:Good idea. I think I’ve done enough reading now.
[00:53.09]MADDY:Me too. I’ve learnt such a lot about what sustainability actually means.
[00:58.73]RYAN:Mmm, same for me with ethical fashion.
[01:01.17]I didn’t really appreciate the difference between that and sustainable fashion before doing this research.
[01:07.09]MADDY:I know – most people use these terms interchangeably – but in fact the difference is quite distinct when you think about it.
[01:15.06]Sustainable relates to the environment and ethical relates more to the way workers or animals are treated.
[01:22.02]RYAN:I totally understand why people get confused, though.
[01:25.50]There are so many other terms used – like ‘eco-friendly’, which is actually quite meaningless.
[01:32.14]MADDY:And the way companies use these terms when describing their products doesn’t help.
[01:37.14]They’re often deliberately vague, I think, and don’t provide enough information about how their products are made.
[01:43.39]RYAN:Yes.
[01:44.23]MADDY:It was interesting to read about the debates surrounding wool production and how ethical and sustainable that is.
[01:50.99]It’s generally considered to be sustainable because it’s a natural product.
[01:55.51]RYAN:And it also lasts a long time and can be recycled.
[01:59.35]All very positive.
[02:01.23]But I wasn’t convinced by the argument that wool production is sustainable because it doesn’t use many chemicals – what about all the fungicides and insecticides used in sheep farming?
[02:12.92]MADDY:Good point.
[02:14.56]And I couldn’t find any evidence for the claim about sheep farming being better for the environment than cattle farming.
[02:21.36]RYAN:No – they’re both really bad.
[02:24.28]I read different reports about how unethical it is to even shear sheep.
[02:29.48]Some people say it’s cruel but as long as the sheep are kept in good condition I can’t see anything wrong with it.
[02:36.48]MADDY:Me neither.
[03:26.72]RYAN:Shall we talk about some of the semi-synthetic new fabrics now?
[03:30.68]MADDY:OK, let’s do that.
[03:32.64]RYAN:Let’s start with Lyocell, I’ve been reading about that.
[03:36.80]MADDY:Yeah, that’s the one produced from the pulp of eucalyptus trees, isn’t it?
[03:41.40]RYAN:Yes, and what happens with that is really impressive.
[03:45.89]Over 99% of dissolving agents used in the manufacturing process are used again.
[03:51.49]MADDY:Yeah.
[03:52.89]Now, there are a few semi-synthetic fabrics that I’d never heard of Like Cupro, for example.
[04:00.17]RYAN:Made from byproducts of the cotton industry to create a kind of vegan silk.
[04:05.44]But I’m not sure how sustainable this really is as there are so many reports of pollution caused by the manufacturing process.
[04:13.48]MADDY:Mmm.
[04:14.32]It doesn’t compare favourably with all the other sustainable fabrics we’ve looked at, no.
[04:19.64]RYAN:Bamboo is one fabric we’re all familiar with.
[04:22.68]But I didn’t know that it was only organic bamboo that’s truly sustainable.
[04:27.40]MADDY:Me neither.
[04:28.62]Apparently, the manufacturing process for a significant proportion of bamboo is chemically quite intensive – which obviously can be quite damaging.
[04:39.26]RYAN:EcoVero is an example of a semi-synthetic fabric which is becoming really popular.
[04:44.98]MADDY:Probably because manufacturing causes 50 percent fewer emissions and takes up half as much energy as conventional fabrics.
[04:53.34]That saves production costs as well as being better for the environment.
[04:57.50]RYAN:That’s true.
[04:58.94]I think demand for cork will continue to grow.
[05:02.22]It works really well in vegan shoes and bags.
[05:05.46]MADDY:Mmm and it’s the only fabric that’s fundamentally sustainable – the cork trees it comes from are renewable and the product itself is both recyclable and biodegradable – which is unique.
[05:18.46]RYAN:And the harvesting process is actually good for the trees.
[05:22.78]There are no downsides to using this source at all.
[05:26.62]MADDY:Hemp is another really good sustainable fabric from a natural source.
[05:31.18]RYAN:Yes.
[05:32.06]Did you know that clothes made from hemp protect the wearer from the sun and it’s also antibacterial?
[05:38.78]MADDY:No, I didn’t.
[05:40.67]But I did read that it’s quite hard to grow, so perhaps that’s why it’s not as common as you’d think.
[05:46.71]RYAN:I’m sure that’ll change.
