2022 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

Laura_Elsewhere

@Nonnadiluca, slatternliness, schmatterliness!  

Wool was never meant to be washed all the time - its structure at a cellular level means it really doesn't need it, unless (as @PipneyJane says) it's being worn next the skin. Even then I wouldn't wash it every wear - I have a couple of cashmere vests I wear next the skin in winter, and I wash those once a week, so each is worn, on alternate days and hung up between, perhaps 3 days each between washes. Socks I wear 2-3 times depending on the socks... 

And I never ever use any detergent on wool as it doesn't need it - our washing machine has a 'rinse' cycle I use for all my hand-knitted woollens - 19 minutes, cold-water only, no detergent, and a 1400rpm spin cycle... very convenient!

CAFCGirl

Mrs_Salad_Dodger said:

I am a lurker on this thread but thank you CAFCGirl for the links to Jambats. One question, do the sizes come out small or large? 

Thank you again.

MrsSaladDodger aka MrsSD 

I have found they come up small BUT I have a pear shape, and I'm 'vertically challenged' so my hips and bum took a little bit of wiggling (no different to say a pair of jeans) but once on, they are very comfortable and have a lovely shape without being overly fitted.
They do have a more shaped 'bib' that some other brands but I quite like that.

I'm an 8 (but the hips and bum are closer to a 10) and I first ordered the XXS but they were HUGE for me, so exchanged them and got a XXXS and they are perfect.

Also their customer service is absolutely flawless

CAFCGirl

flamingo747 said:

That sounds beautiful @Laura_Elsewhere I'd love to see a pic

Getting tempted by She!n jumpers  but I dread to think what their ethics are

Theres an upcoming documentary on She!n coming up - I want to say Dispatches Channel 4 but I might be wrong...

PipneyJane

CAFCGirl said:

flamingo747 said:

That sounds beautiful @Laura_Elsewhere I'd love to see a pic

Getting tempted by She!n jumpers  but I dread to think what their ethics are

Theres an upcoming documentary on She!n coming up - I want to say Dispatches Channel 4 but I might be wrong...

Really? I have never heard of this brand, but now I am curious.  What’s the issue(s)?

- Pip 

Laura_Elsewhere

@PipneyJane, I'd never heard of it either but a read-through of their Wikipedia entry shows problems with copyright, and racism, and fascist symbolism, tax evasion, horrifyingly toxic levels of lead in toddler clothing and women's handbags, and a whole raft of other issues...! 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shein_(company)

I think I'll leave it well alone - oh, and over 6 million customers had their data stolen from a security breach a few years ago, too...! 

maryb

As I have mentioned I am treating this year as 1939 and stocking up on good quality clothes while they are still available and affordable.  I have lost a significant amount of weight and there is rarely anything I would buy in our local charity shops (which seem to have mostly fast fashion tat which they charge more for than when it was new). Yesterday I bought a new Barbour jacket in John Lewis as they were doing a promotion - 30% off!  You very rarely get offers on the classic jackets let alone one so generous.  I bought it with an eye to it being sustainable - you can rewax them and send them back to be patched - and classic.  I expect it to last me for 20 years which is what my old one clocked up.  At my age that should see me out!

flamingo747

@CAFCGirl thanks, I'm part way through it. I think Shein and I might have to go out seperate ways, which is a pity because I love some of their clothes, probably 30% of my wardrobe is Shein because they make pretty things for big girls that other places dont

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Thanks for the information CAFCGirl. I will conduct an investigation 😉

CAFCGirl

flamingo747 said:

@CAFCGirl thanks, I'm part way through it. I think Shein and I might have to go out seperate ways, which is a pity because I love some of their clothes, probably 30% of my wardrobe is Shein because they make pretty things for big girls that other places dont

I haven't started it yet I must admit.

Could the alternative be to buy their products secondhand so you're not creating the demand for them in the first instance, and saving it from being wasted but are still able to source it?

It's a shame that no-one sees the glaring window of opportunity to serve a section of the population but do it ethically!
I imagine that profit guides that fundamentally...

PipneyJane

Laura_Elsewhere said:

@PipneyJane, I'd never heard of it either but a read-through of their Wikipedia entry shows problems with copyright, and racism, and fascist symbolism, tax evasion, horrifyingly toxic levels of lead in toddler clothing and women's handbags, and a whole raft of other issues...! 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shein_(company)

I think I'll leave it well alone - oh, and over 6 million customers had their data stolen from a security breach a few years ago, too...! 

Thanks for researching them @Laura_Elsewhere.  I’ve read the Wikipedia page and I’m horrified.  I’m not a fan of fast fashion anyway, but they are the worst of the worst.

Talking of fast fashion, there’s a podcast to which I’d like to draw your attention:  Threads from the Australian Broadcast Corporation (Australia’s BBC).  It’s an expose of the fast fashion industry.

- Pip