its a waste of wool for sure but probably factors as `what is at hand` , what costs so much (sometimes wool can be very cheap an can be seen as a waste or filler material......) depending on the available quality of the wool. There are pretty low end qualities wool as well that are good enough or add to other fibres as filling/warmth /isolation but just not good enough to make up the majority of a fabric/yarn i guess
Its no exaggeration to say that learning about fibres and fabrics has changed my life - here is a quick summary: COTTON / LINNEN these are dehydrated plant fibres, given any opportunity they will re hydrate. This makes them great for absorbing sweat but terrible on cold damp days as they will absorb moisture out of the air - this is why jeans are cold WOOL / CASHMERE these are fibres designed over billions of years to keep animals dry and insulated. AND insulation works both ways, it keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer. Also the tightness of the weave is more important for warmth than the thickness of the weave as air leakage is the primary cooling factor. SYNTHETIC this is plastic, heat it with a lighter and it will turn back to a blob of plastic. You know the mesh bags onions come in? You are wearing a fine version of that since I learned about the properties of different fabrics there is no such thing as bad weather - all weather is enjoyable now and I spend way more time outside.
I’m not getting rid of any synthetic clothes I have now, but I am definitely not buying any more. It will be phased out over time, already mostly gone, with the exception of workout clothing.
Linen does a way better job than cotton to feel dry and comfortable when damp but it is a pain to iron and can be finiky and uncooperativ when sewing and cutting. Still I prefere it by far for the comfort is totaly worth it.
Im falling in love with wool and silk. The way they feel when worn is just so much nicer then plastic. Converting my wardrobe (on a tiny budget) is a slow process tho. Sigh.
I will say, though, that while avoiding synthetics costs a premium for sure, in menswear we can still do it at least. I've been shopping with my partner, and it is *near impossible* to completely avoid synthetics in womenswear, it seems. Unless one goes directly to the tailor, I suppose, but few people are willing to spend that much on clothes. In fact, even designer clothes at astronomical prices are often made with considerable percentage of synthetic fibers...
true. im a women and prefer to make my own clothing. 100 percent woolen clothing nearly impossible to find, YET in second hand shops still largely available. I ll tell you worse. In my country, Belgium, one after the other fabric shop is closing down because somehow people dont like to make their own clothing anymore. Its also a cultural thing, people rather spend money buying things then making things themsleves, which, unlike the Netherlands is not a cool thing to do. The fabric shops still existent have an ever swindling wool fabric collection, with very boring colors and patterns (if they have patterns at all), let alone decent tweed. I have to go to our dutch neighbours to find some decent wool....
Nice video! It remembers me the time I was in the forest with some friends, who were all shivering despite their nice outdoor polyester clothes. I, on the other hand, with a long wool coat, wool jacket and wool sweater, was perfectly fine.
*I BOUGHT A LODEN CLOAK* at a second hand shop to play Star Wars in - it has become my favourite dog walking coat. It is totally waterproof, can be put on in seconds - no annoying zips, fully wind proof, super warm, I love it to bits. EDIT - Everyone should own a Loden cloak..!!!
When I first started my vintage wearing journey, I would only wear it during summertime. And when cold weather comes I would, unfortunately, switch back to jeans and hoodies. And only last year when I started sewing myself and actually learning about fabric properties, I decided to only have natural fibres in my wardrobe and donated all my polyester clothes. Best decision ever!
As someone with various skin problems, I also started transitioning my wardrobe to more natural fibres, and even tho this sometimes is pretty heavy on my tiny budget I just love the feeling on my skin. Also works great in summer when I need full coverage but don´t want to be cooked alive.
I also started transitioning my wardrobe to clothes made only from natural fibres. It proves to be challenging though, since many woollen outer garments (coats/jackets) reveal to have a polyester lining. Very frustrating. But since I'm getting into tailoring, I might just design and create my next clothing pieces myself. Will also be cheaper in the end hopefully.
So often you see linen jackets with polyester lining. Why? Just why? You choose linen as a summer garment because it is supposed to keep you cool. Polyester lining defeats the purpose.
not sure if you can get cheaper... (actually, I know you can't. I've done the maths for myself, I work for a small company that developes and produces textile products for customers, I see what materials and labour cost...) you have to buy small ammounts of fabric. mass discounts for materials are one of the ways big companies can bring the price down. there are other points in the process where they save money, but materials is one big one. still, when you have properly fitted basic patterns for your own body measurements and can make whatever piece of clothing you like out of them... it will look 100times better than any standart size. just because the fit is good.
silk is usually said to be the best, but depending on the weave can be too hot as well. For hotter weather suits it’s best to get it half or unlined, you can also look at cupro which is a more breathable woven form of viscose made specifically of cotton, or just viscose/rayon which is a cellulose fiber but produced via chemicals. There’s also some other silk substitutes like spider silk fabrics that are in development but aren’t available for mass market yet
it will be cheaper if everyone would do that. the costs of cleaning up the pollution synthetic fibres and materials is a thousands times higher then the costs we will spend at choosing natural products, and buying less.
Since I spend my free time with living history I got to know the advantages and the beauty of natural fabrics. In the meantime I have replaced all synthetic garments with garments made by natural fabric (as far as possible). The same I did with kitchen tools and other things of everyday life. I don't need and I don't own lots of clothes but what I own has to be of natural fabrics and of good quality, also at home. That makes me feel good.
I was fairly delighted when I saw you posted a new video; I confess I quite missed not hearing you anymore. Happy you found a nice place and are now settled. About the topic, definitely natural fibers; the feel and fit are way different. Greetings from Belgium, Sandro.
You make an excellent point in saying 'if it is considered something special when a synthetic garment is designed to be breathable... why not stick to wool and cotton where it is just the norm?' The other problem with so called 'technical' garments is their designers don't feel the need to create attractive designs anymore-it is a 'technical' and 'functional' garment after all-next thing you know, you have a proliferation of people wearing hideous hiking/mountaineering garments in the city.
I was really really really lucky and found some lovely leather Chelsea boots that only had minor wear on the heels. I'm waiting for holiday money to take them into the local cobbler to get the soles redone
Nice to see you again ! Hope everything goes well. I 100% agree with you ! I try to avoid synthetic fibers as often as I can... except for underwear !... natural fibers like wool, linen are so much more pleasant to touch !!
I can agree that natural fibres are the best, after getting my first bespoke suit from saving up since my parents didn't like to shell out so much money on tailors and prefer off the rack. I can say strongly natural just feels better. However, for winter clothing I do not have a natural fiber winter coat mainly because 100% natural winter jackets are only available at high fashion brands and it's rare to find affordable ones here, unless I can find one at a vintage store. I currently have a winter jacket which are wool blends and would like to invest in a higher quality but I also find it not a very wise investment since where I live 90% of the time it's hot and you will only take out your jacket around December or January and that's it.
Absolutely. I used to hate wool as a kid for some reason, now I love it and can't stand synthetics (which, I've realized, were the main reason for me sweating so much). In fact I've basically banned them from my wardrobe, except for actual performance gear solely meant for sports. That being said, shopping for clothes became much harder and certainly it became much more expensive - though I realize this is because I had been conditioned to spend much less on cheap low-quality, non-durable synthetic clothes. For example finding a 100% wool coat, without synthetic lining, and at a price I could afford was extremely hard - finally found a 300€ coat on a black friday sale at Brooks Brothers' Outlet, down from 900€ listed price. By the way, I have in fact tried vintage shops as a way to save money on better clothes. Unfortunately, in my area, they do not even have good quality clothes most of the time. However, in the last year I've found a lot of amazing stuff for relatively cheap on Vinted, the problem is you never truly know whether it will fit (even if you ask measurements, since people are TERRIBLE at measuring, not to mention it doesn't account for thickness or softness of material).
@@thomasjaggi3291 ich zieh zum Skifahren nen dünnen Woll-Seide Rollkragenpullover als Unterhemd und nen dicken weißen Rollkragen Wollpulli drüber. Drüber nen alten Trachten Janker. Und ein klassisches Halstuch noch über den Rollkragen gebunden, damit der Hals auch gut geschützt ist. Als Hose einfach ne extra weite Flanell Hose. Aktuell fahr ich noch nen Armada JJ, aber den ersetz ich bald durch Ski von Unique aus Wien. Die sehen aus wie klassische Ski, aber moderne Technik. Nur bei den Skischuhen hab ich noch keine zufriedenstellende Lösung gefunden
@@capitanobarbanera5819 Danke für die Antwort! Der Trachtenjanker würde bei mir wie ein Kostüm aussehen... ich würde ja am liebsten ein Sportjacket aus Tweed mit Hemd und Krawatte tragen, aber das sieht mit den gemieteten Skiern dann wohl auch grauslich aus.... oder vielleicht sollt´ ich das einfach zum Trotz mal wagen? Was meint den Vintagebursche zu diesem Thema?
@@thomasjaggi3291 Krawatte würde ich auf jeden Fall nicht anziehen! Aus authentischen sowie Sicherheitsgründen. Wenn sich die Krawatte irgendwo verfängt, dann wird sie schnell zum Galgen. Schau am besten mal bei Pinterest was es so unter 'Skifahren 1920' gibt. In den Archiven sind mehr Aufnahmen als man denkt
I agree with you completely and I'd love to migrate my whole clothing collection to natural materials. However, style, comfort and Sustainability are not the only factor that plays into that. The biggest factor for me is the price tag. I'm just a student and can't afford high quality clothes on a regular basis. If I can buy a nice polyester jacket or coat for 30% or less than a wool one, the decision is clear. Yes, you could get away with second hand material, but if the most common sizes don't fit, it's hard or at least harder to find adequate pieces.
I just bought my first Tweed 3 piece classic suit in brown and a pair of leather boots at Johny Crocket in Cologne. After that i paid a little extra to rid of the Beltloops and to ad one extra Button on the Jacket so its closed higher. And because its cost a lot,(Quality cost its Money). i really take care of it. Specialy the Boots after walkig/hiking in wet weather. I`ve also got to pair of Trousers made of moleskin(!). These are my favorite" i can do everything in them" , from hiking to just chilling on my sofa and having a cigar and fall asleep:-)
I still use my double breasted overcoat in a wool blend from c&a because it's the warmest clothing item i have. I also don't have to worry too much about it getting damaged because it's super thick. I have an overcoat in a wool cashmere blend, but it is much more delicate. So I'm very glad to have my durable cheaper coat, which I could easily replace. By adding an extra button to fold one lapel over, I also made it even more protective. Overall it's just my most functional coat.
Even in sports that demand top performance from a fabric, such as mountain climbing, natural fibers are making a comeback. Properly treated woolen undergarments, for example, are warmer, wear drier and retain warmth better when wet
@@Vintagebursche by the way, I'd love to hear your opinion on single or double vents. Perhaps even a video about the right situation for each and the formality of them! I'm watching a lot of Downton Abbey right now and I see a lot of single vents used there.
The new wool fabrics are astonishing. I have a pair of trousers in a wool so fine its like a silky shirt cotton - but its incredibly warm, wind proof, and very crease-resistant. Its also so water repellant you can literally run it under the tap and the water will just drop off the surface - yet its 100% wool. Its just the manufacturing process.
I have a dress made out of cotton like that. I even manged to spill coffee on it, and later the dried coffee wiped right off. (Slightly tricky to iron though)
I wish I wasn't so horribly allergic to wool! It's such a beautiful fibre and used in so many historical and vintage garments that I love. I've tried every kind of wool and I react to all of them (sheep, alpaca, goat, rabbit, camel). I can't even use doonas/quilts with wool fibres in them without breaking out in a severe rash. Does anyone else have this problem?? I will just have to admire the beautiful tweed outfits from afar. And I happily stick with clothes made from linen, hemp, cotton, silk, and bamboo.
Short functional jackets are the worst! Buststill, for skiing I am happy for my polyester trousers. But in the city, especially in Vienna, the Lodenjacket is best against wind. For hiking, the best shirts are also from wool. Still, I like that you center your attention on style vs using polyester clothes when you actually need them like mountaineering.
This can also apply to hiking and camping where a waxed cotton Barbour jacket is a better choice than modern polyester jackets. I'm a new subscriber, I love this channel and have been going through your videos which are excellent cheers.
Thank you for this, I am currently moving through my wardrobe and ethnically dressing in my own style again. It's so important, as I add any new (as opposed to upscaled or/and thrifted) items to always keep away from artificial fabrics.
Hey guys don’t forget the silk! In your intro I saw a waist coat with buttons in a V formation. Stunning! I would love to see a closer look at it. Do you have a video on it?
I couldn't agree more on all Your points🙂 Also I was raised with the idea that utilitarian clothing is for utilitarian activities - hard, dirty physical labour where every item needs to be useful with little to no maintenance required. For a white collar job city dweller - why in the world wouldn't one want to wear an elegant (and toasty warm) wool coat during cold weather if their budget allows? My only concern with natural fiber outerwear is that if they do get really wet, they can take absolutely forever to dry. I didn't know about the option of waxing cotton canvas items when I had these experiences though. Also, now I'm wondering if some sort of lanolin treatment would be possible for a woolen coat ( I currently live in UK, it rains a lot 😆)
Natural fibers for the win! They are so much more comfortable and versatile not to forget way better for our enviroment. They feel better in the hand, they feel better worn, they have more depth and character, they breath . . . they are more expensiv to get your hands on, but it is totaly woth it. No matter the cut and style or a garment, it will just look and feel so much more valuable and special, if it is made from a high quality material.
I would love to own more lorden. But even though I live in Bavaria, it's hard to get a hold of. Maybe I should peak into the men's departments... I do own a lot of wool and leather already, thank the Lord. I hold onto one polyester jacket that keeps my head and upper body dry when I go for a jog when it's raining or snowing (yes I'm one crazy bastard). I also own skying gear that must be complety out of synthetic material. I will use it until it's in shreds, but I am looking for more traditional skying gear.
I try to stick with natural fibers because i like the feeling on the skin better. However.. I embrace the polyester in my thrifted 80s fancy dresses - if I could find those fluffy shiny things in cotton or silk (or rayon), I would totally prefer them!
@Vintagebursche That is quite a homily :) But I concur compelety. And you nail the German style issue like noone else (I live in Germany too). Your conclusion at 8.30 speaks my mind. And your thoughts on sustainability are so relevant for modern life, no, for the future of mankind. So I could not agree more with what you say. And which garment did George Mallory wear when he climbed Mount Everest (or rather tried)? Garments made of wool of course! Well, over here, tweed clothes and whisky are where its at for now here, keeping me warm:) I raise my glass to you! FWIW, I have just purchased heavy tweed pants by Pike Brothers and I am in love with them already now.
Yes.. the leather part of the shoes maybe last a lifetime.. but not the plastic part! 🙈 I have to say goodbye soon to my nice brown leather boots. 😢 They already got a new sole, but now the connection between sole and heel is breaking.. I asked the shoemaker about it, he just said he could put superglue on it.😕 Well.. this i can do by myself. But I guess it won't preserve them too long.. 💔
I’ve had the same issue I can go for a good hiking outfit sometimes which you make it look good but what I’ve started doing is I have a L.L. Bean shooting coat and I use that with a nice heavy wool sweater underneath and a scarf and that looks great
I find natural fibers generally more comfortable to wear. However, I do have outer jackets for both summer and winter, which are made from synthetic fibers. The summer jackets are strictly waterproof and easy to care for, for which I am grateful on a regular basis. I don’t have to worry about them getting dirty or always remember to bring an umbrella everywhere I go. My winter jacket is a little longer, about halfway down my upper thigh. It is stuffed with feathers and, of course, highly waterproof. This jacket is considerably warmer than my wool coats, which is why I love to wear it for very cold winter days. It should also be said that I come from a sailing background, which is why my outer wear has to be suited to cold, windy and rainy days on the baltic sea, rather than casual strolling through the city, for which my wool coats are great. So I wouldn’t trade my polyester jackets for natural fibers. Shoes however are a totally different deal. Nothing equals a good leather boot, which can be absolutely stylish. I loathe the current sneaker trend and have no pity for those, who get wet and cold feet every winter again, because they „can’t afford“ winter boots, but wear the latest sneakers every six months worth a high quality leather shoe each. Also it should be noted that I do not wear suits, so I can’t comment on that behalf.
A little polyester prevents or discourages wrinkling and is visibly undetectable. Fine shirt merchants like Brooks Brothers make shirts with some poly content. It’s harmless.
My only comment along those lines are sometimes price point, but also a military/ems back round I do prefer some performance clothing in the sense of stretch and weight reduction vs protection. But in casual settings nothing beats medium to heavyweights high quality wool, leather, and corduroy in fall and winter, and linen, cotton/linen blends, cotton, or tropical weight wool in summer. For the price point sometimes I may compromise some in Poly blends, but not 50/50s. Now underwear and undershirts I prefer modal or some polyesters fabrics well over cotton. Comfort reasons.
I agree, but some of us are broke students so some lee lay is given to having synthetic blends. and yes if you shop vintage that is no issue, But yeah natural is all that is good, i have been lucky enough to have pure natural from the local shops.
I would like to buy natural material for my suits, I would like to consider environmental and social aspects when buying a new coat. But after all you must be able to afford this kind of products. So dressing-up is often a compromise, when you can't sew them by yourself and also don't have the time to do so.
I hold on to my plastic sport and rain cloths, for I already bought them and replacing them would be expensiv, it aint worth it at the moment. But I would not buy anything new in their like. Same goes for formal dresses and working thousers (it is mendetory and when it comes to haveing a tool stuck in my leg . . . yes I play it safe there). Other cloths I own are already as much natural fiber as possible and I am working on getting rid of the last 5 procent elastan. My fabric stach is all natural though and as fare as possible I try to sew everything I need myself. It goes slow and steady but so I ensure that I am very conscious of material, the value of the time and effort I invested and will take proper care. It also ensures that I do not horde a lot of cloths I will probably not wear just because they are exiting and kind of enforce some level of minimalism. As a beginner with an almost non existent buget, my first projects are skirts, very simple sleeveless blouses/chemise undergaments, things like that. Once I have a halfway decent weardrobe, skilllevel and buget I will most definitly sew a long coat made from a woven loden and similar outerwear to compleat it, but for now I keep it simple und wear a thrifted wool coat that does not fit exactly and aint as warm and heavy as it could be, but well enough for modern standarts. Everyday wear is more forgiving and versatile, but at some point I do want to replace everything.
I wanted to get into historical clothing with History Bounding and I have been paying attention more to what my clothes are made of and I have noticed that most of them was at least some kind of polyester blend. I do want to try and buy more natural fiber clothes, but I also want to know how do you clean them and how often? A wash after every wear or 2nd or with things like undergarments and sparingly clean the outer layers? I heard that its not good to use a washing machine with hot water and to never tumble dry them with the drying machine with things like wool or linen. Most of the time on Tags it says to Dry Clean Only and I heard that Dry cleaning uses harsh chemicals to clean clothes so its not good for the environment either. I would like to know how other people clean and treat their natural fiber clothes and the daily routine to wear them regularly.
Wool can be spot cleaned and either hang dried or layed flat. This means it takes a long time to dry after cleaning, but it's cheaper than the dry cleaning. Linen can be washed on the gentle cycle and hang dried. It dries really quickly.
Interesting video and I agree with most but think that there are many nuances to be made when we go deeper in to the rabbit hole. As a tailor I have many clients with all their specific needs and how cloth relates to that might it be a focus on drape, usability or combinations of these needs is essential in bespoke tailoring. Polyester is a huge family of fibers it is not one per se. I must admit that I am critical about the use of it but there are some developments tah surprised me. Holland & Sherry has developed a fiber named Techlana, mostly used to make the fabric lightweight and to add performance. To my surprise it drapes beautiful and clients confirm this to. But, and that is a large but for me, the feeling and touch is crispy as we often see with high twisted yarns. It just does not give that snug feeling and depth of color radiation a 11 ounce/340 grams worsted cloth would provide. It is a choice and at the end up to the principal. Do you pet a cat or dog with a practical hair fiber, I think not. So lets stay natural for now but let's see what the near future will bring.
I'm from Russia, currently it's 0 -2 outside and I'm good in my woolen peacoat, however I think I'l have to put on a down jacket when the real frost hits
The last year I have been shopping for a wool coat. And sad to say, within my budget the best I could find was 70% wool, 30% polyester and polyester lining. I was so annoyed by this, and if I remember correctly I had to repair the polyester lining pocket at least a few times during that one season...
I like natural fibers, though i stick to working with, and wearing plantbased fibers since I'm vegan and find leather gross and wool way too scratchy. (I have yet to find a plant wool alternative or try some new plantbased faux leather).
I prefer wearing synthetic fiber clothing when practicing sport, mainly for their practicality, but still, as t-shirt, the ones made of wool are much better. In other situations, if possible, i prefer wearing natural fiber clothings
Ich benutze sehr viel Funktionskleidung aus Naturfasern. Empfehlen kann ich die so genannte Juja oder Juscha (Jungenschaftsjacke), eine Jacke aus entweder Baumwolle oder Walkloden. Sie ist aus den 20ern und kommt aus der Bündischen Jugend. Sie ist die wasserdichteste und atmungsaktivste Jacke, die ich besitze zudem ist sie feuerfest und sehr robust. Sie ist sehr groß geschnitten und bietet viel Platz für viele Wollpullover im Winter. Als Hose verwende ich eine Cordhose (Zunfthosen) und Baumwolle Cargo pants. Diese Klamotten sind geringfügig schwerer als Polyester Zeug allerdings überwiegen die Vorteile. Ich stand mit diesen Klamotten bereits auf über 3000m und auch der Everest wurde mit ähnlichen Klamotten bereits bestiegen. Man sieht für Wochenend-Alpinisten und Eifel-Wanderer sind diese Klamotten vollkommen ausreichend und ich würde sie meinen Polyester Klamotten jederzeit vorziehen. Gut für Extremsportler sind diese Sachen sicher nichts aber das sind ja die wenigsten, die mit völliger funktionsklamotten-materialschlacht am Wochenende in die Eifel zum Wandern fahren.
I definitely prefer natural materials and hate polyester with passion, but as it can be difficult to get a hold on any kinda clothes that are made purely from natural materials, I sometimes end up with clothes that have polyester in them, much to my dismay. Like my "wool" duffel coat and many sweaters have 60-70% polyester in them. I think polyester is terrible mostly because it's not breathable, and I hate elastane because I'm allergic to it. Probably the only man-made material I'm actually quite fond of is rayon, but that's not plastic. As far as I know it comes from pine trees? Rayon isn't particularly common in modern clothing either though, nor is it very insulating. Bottom line is I love wool but it's difficult to find in modern clothes. My newest winter coat is actually a fur coat though, which I intend to wear much more than my polyester coat. Fur is arguably not very environmentally friendly, but it sure has a lot of the practical properties sometimes associated with natural materials, like being very insulating, breathable and not easily soaking up water. I found it at a thrift store, so I didn't buy it new, and it seems to be kinda vintage, but hard to tell because of the lack of tags/labels. I figure I could quite easily alter it to make it look like the "raccoon coat" that was briefly popular in the mid 1920's, as I'd only need to exchange the broken clasps for buttons, which need to be exchanged anyway. Otherwise it looks very similar in style. It may even be raccoon, but more likely mink. As for shoes, I have a pair of leather boots that will last me forever, so I've ditched the plastic for that type of winter garment at least. Although I still often wear sneakers in the spring, summer and fall. On occasion I wear leather loafers and sandals though. So all in all my wardrobe is a mix of plastic and natural materials, but I greatly favor natural materials. Even for regular t-shirts, jeans and hoodies I try to look for cotton as much as possible.
Hey love your channel! I have hung onto a patagonia Puffer and a ralph lauren Puffer vest. For a winter camp in Canada i use my Puffer jacket as a camp pillow. Its so light weight plus good for emergency. My winter camping clothes are now all wool. The down jacket is almost useless to me now since it can burn close to camp fires and I hate the sound I make when wearing it. The down vest does get some use though. When it's above 0 degrees here I want to expose my arms to the sun. So I use the vest for this. I usually wear tweed sports coat and an overcoat in winter. I suppose I need a tweed vest
I can't seem to ditch my love of loud hawaiian print shirts. one of these days, I'm going hunt for outrageous printed cottons and make my own so I won't need polyester versions anymore
Better quality Aloha wear, including men's shirts, is made of cotton or cotton lawn. Not only is it better for the environment, but cotton shirts, unlike synthetics breath. Hawaiian shirts are an enduring tradition in the Hawaiian Islands dating back over 80 years. High quality makers include Tori Richard's, Reyn Spooner, Zig Zane, and Manuheali'i.
I have a heavy wool coat that I wear over my suits. But when it gets under -10c, I stop giving a shit how I look and just wear a warm down jacket. I mean I love tailoring and natural fibers as well but I refuse to suffer just for style.
Thanks for the good video! Some examples would be nice. Especially for outer clothing. And: I find it good, that you do not promote several brands. But: some advices how and where to get the right clothes would be helpfull never the less. Thank you.
Thank you for this video - I’m afraid many people don’t realize that synthetic materials are not good for a human bodies and harmful or the environment 😢
There are a couple of benefits to synthetic fibres you shouldn't dismiss: they are lighter when compared to natural insulating materials, they don't rott, are immune to pests, are more water resistent, dry quickly, resistent to acids and other hazards, can be extremely flame retardant, are easy to clean and hold their Form and color far better than natural fibres. Just to give a bit of a counterpoint to all the negatives. Depending on the application, synthetic fibers have clear advantages over natural ones. Otherwise we wouldn't be using them. p.S. Oh and one more thing: some people don't want to kill or harm animals for their clothes.
@@Vintagebursche well if the weather gets rough I'm going to enjoy my "Friesennerz". As going for a walk at a windy and rainy coast seems to count as some extreme sport. ;)
In my opinion, the construction of the garment outweighs the type of material. As long as the polyester is of a durable weave and thickness, I'd go for it. I'm frickin poor. Everything I wear is either secondhand or made at home and when I do make my own clothes, I often just buy some nice heavy polyester gabardine. I will admit though, ironing natural fibers is much much... muuuuch less of a hassle than ironing polyester. Ironing polyester is heart surgery.
I'm about to move to a warmer state in the US where it gets much more rain than snow. What is your opinion of those classic tan raincoats that people like Humphrey Bogart used to wear? Not sure what they were made of, but I'm thinking about getting one of those since it can be worn over a suit. Thoughts?
The warmest coat is my full length fox fur. The wind does not go through it. I know I have angered many people with the fur, but that is why animals can survive the intense cold.
The only time I wear synthetics is when hiking. I know even that could be, in theory, done with natural materials, but I abuse my hiking gear quite a lot, I don't think the natural materials would last.
I would love to have more clothes/shoes in natural materials, but that stuff is hard to come buy and if I can find it, it's just way to expensive for me. I sew my clothes now for some years and I try to get at least high quality mixture. And when it comes to shoes, it's hopeless. I have wide feet and have a hard time finding shoes that don't look totally revolting and at least mostly made from leather.
Nothing beats natural fibres but unfortunately I've had to make purchases of synthetic fibre clothing out of budgetary necessity. If I could, my wardrobe would be 100% wool, cotton etc. but that would take much more money than I am capable of making
Wool is scratchy to my skin. Is there a way to make it softer? I love that it is warm and it is great for outer clothing. Cotton can be very soft and feels great against the skin but it shrinks in the dryer.
there's no way to make a wool softer that I know of but merino is the softest wool. shrinkage/warping may happen because the fashion industry doesn't do prewashing.
I am rhinking about an alternative for poly swimsuits! A short linnen jumpsuit? Any ideas? Knitted a crochet wool or cotton is a nigthmare ... they suck up water and get heavy with all the embarassement that comes with that.
I don't think cow leather has much of a future, personally. For one, the vast majority of leather used in fashion has a higher ecological footprint than fake leather due to the industrial tanning process, and more sustainable pleathers have been appearing on the market in the past few years especially. Also, plastic shoes don't go in the washing machine, so they aren't pollutants in the same way a polyester t-shirt is for instance. Chrome-tanned leather doesn't actually biodegrade and veg-tan leather is still one of the most ecologically devastating textiles. There's also the human cost, where leather production is outsourced to countries with no worker's rights and the tanners and entire communities downstream of tanneries end up chronically ill from the heavy metal pollutants they're exposed to. Also that cattle farming probably will become totally unsustainable at some point in the future, at least at the current scale of production. I do think wool and linen have a future in sustainable fashion, but cotton is absolutely devastating and there's also no way we can continue to grow so much of it with the climate changes and drought that are going to hit hard within the next generation. But I also think consumer choices are ultimately a total red herring when it comes to sustainability. Total systemic change will solve the sustainability crisis, not telling people to buy eco clothing, priced at a point where it's simply unattainable for the majority of people in developed countries, let alone the rest of the world. Don't get me wrong though, I'm all about that life. I do pretty much all the trendy sustainable things myself, but it just isn't enough and it will never be enough. Even the clothes you don't purchase will just go into a landfill. It won't stop being produced under capitalism, because bulk ordering is part of the business model, and it is more profitable, despite 84% of it ending up in landfills. If they sell more than half of their stock for twice the price they've purchased it for they are still making a profit and when you factor in the unimaginably vast economies of scale for these multinational retailers, it is completely sensible for them to carry on doing it. It's cheaper to burn the rest or throw it out, and also the cheaper the products have to be in order to sell enough of them, the more nylon, acrylic, polyester etc they're going to contain.
For work (in kindergarden) I have a sailing jacket (for winter) made from polyester and I love it, it dries when it gets wet, I can jug it into the washing machine if we get lice and honestly I couldn't be bothered wearing my wool coat. Also my skin is rather sensitive to wool and I tend to wear either jersey or cotton under anything be it wool socks or wool undergarments.
What would you suggest a Person that just dont want to support the leather industry to wear instead of leather shoes? (obviously used marked, but some folks even dont like that approach ...)
I have seen decent faux leather quality on Doc Martens boots. I guess that it will take some more time for a manifacturer to make classic shoes out of this faux leather.
While I agree with the general sentiment, I think you're approaching this problem from the wrong end: I think that nobody will argue the fact that natural fibres are preferable to artificial fibres. What it comes down to is cost and affordability - all the more since we are living in a "fast fashion" age, where a whole industry is built around the idea that people should completely replace their whole wardrobe every one or two years - which is in turn just another ugly aspect of rampant consumerism and late stage capitalism. So the arguement should not be centered around the advantages of natural fibres but around the general consumerist mindset that drives us, as a society, to constantly craving all that new and shiny stuff and the industrial and sociopolitical enviroment that feeds and furthers these urges. Unless there is a major shift in our collective thinking, bio-degradability is probably the least of our concerns.
I agree that something like this would be the best approach to convince people from the fashion mainstream. However, I don't think those people watch my videos. My audience is more receptive to arguments concerning classic style and durability. We don't care so much about the new and shiny stuff.
Shoes made from man made materials are simply irresponsible because they are irreparable for the most part and so quickly end up in landfill where they fail to break down into anything beneficial. I have goodyear welted all leather shoes that I have been wearing and repairing for 30 years. In this day and age, leather must therefore surely be the way to go irrespective of the valuable points you made. When my old shoes finally bite the dust, they will rot away to become compost for something else to grow. Natural materials also have other benefits. Polyester simply looks lifeless draping awkwardly without finesse whereas natural materials drape, flow and recover better. Lastly, natural fibres and leather seem to take a depth and subtlety of colour that eludes man made fibres. This is true whether you are talking of clothing or soft furnishings where say digital printing on polyester never approaches the glory of vat dyed screen printing on linen or cotton. So I guess its all down to the adjectives you seek: man made fibres don't do lovely, glorious, or exquisite.
While fabric shopping, I found one that was 10% wool and 90% polyester. WHY EVEN BOTHER with wool at that point?!
Because you're allowed to call it 'wool blend' then, I guess. One of those dirty advertising tricks.
its a waste of wool for sure but probably factors as `what is at hand` , what costs so much (sometimes wool can be very cheap an can be seen as a waste or filler material......) depending on the available quality of the wool. There are pretty low end qualities wool as well that are good enough or add to other fibres as filling/warmth /isolation but just not good enough to make up the majority of a fabric/yarn i guess
Yep, nothing beats natural fibres. Cotton, wool and linen for the win!
And leather, such a nice material
And silk!
Its no exaggeration to say that learning about fibres and fabrics has changed my life - here is a quick summary:
COTTON / LINNEN these are dehydrated plant fibres, given any opportunity they will re hydrate. This makes them great for absorbing sweat but terrible on cold damp days as they will absorb moisture out of the air - this is why jeans are cold
WOOL / CASHMERE these are fibres designed over billions of years to keep animals dry and insulated. AND insulation works both ways, it keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer. Also the tightness of the weave is more important for warmth than the thickness of the weave as air leakage is the primary cooling factor.
SYNTHETIC this is plastic, heat it with a lighter and it will turn back to a blob of plastic. You know the mesh bags onions come in? You are wearing a fine version of that
since I learned about the properties of different fabrics there is no such thing as bad weather - all weather is enjoyable now and I spend way more time outside.
However, if you live somewhere dry as hell jeans in the winter are somehow almost warm.
I’m not getting rid of any synthetic clothes I have now, but I am definitely not buying any more. It will be phased out over time, already mostly gone, with the exception of workout clothing.
Linen does a way better job than cotton to feel dry and comfortable when damp but it is a pain to iron and can be finiky and uncooperativ when sewing and cutting. Still I prefere it by far for the comfort is totaly worth it.
@@SingingSealRiana "uncooperative when sewing and cutting." OH YES... It runs away from the shears as you try and cut it LOL
@@piccalillipit9211 well, people would do the same ^^
You know you like someone’s aesthetics when you fall in love with the color of their wall
I'm still warm in my woolen three-piece-suit. Even when I'm outside
Im falling in love with wool and silk. The way they feel when worn is just so much nicer then plastic. Converting my wardrobe (on a tiny budget) is a slow process tho. Sigh.
Don’t underestimate thrifting.
@@adamreynolds9816 That's where all my stuff comes from
totaly worth it though
I will say, though, that while avoiding synthetics costs a premium for sure, in menswear we can still do it at least. I've been shopping with my partner, and it is *near impossible* to completely avoid synthetics in womenswear, it seems. Unless one goes directly to the tailor, I suppose, but few people are willing to spend that much on clothes. In fact, even designer clothes at astronomical prices are often made with considerable percentage of synthetic fibers...
i agree on the womans clothing, I am myself trying to make my own jackets from now on, but i get that not everyone has the time or will to go that far
true. im a women and prefer to make my own clothing. 100 percent woolen clothing nearly impossible to find, YET in second hand shops still largely available. I ll tell you worse. In my country, Belgium, one after the other fabric shop is closing down because somehow people dont like to make their own clothing anymore. Its also a cultural thing, people rather spend money buying things then making things themsleves, which, unlike the Netherlands is not a cool thing to do. The fabric shops still existent have an ever swindling wool fabric collection, with very boring colors and patterns (if they have patterns at all), let alone decent tweed. I have to go to our dutch neighbours to find some decent wool....
Nice video! It remembers me the time I was in the forest with some friends, who were all shivering despite their nice outdoor polyester clothes. I, on the other hand, with a long wool coat, wool jacket and wool sweater, was perfectly fine.
sayering and wool for the win ^^
I feel like it was slightly harder to hear you this time, maybe the new room has different accoustics? Other than that, glad to have you back!
*I BOUGHT A LODEN CLOAK* at a second hand shop to play Star Wars in - it has become my favourite dog walking coat.
It is totally waterproof, can be put on in seconds - no annoying zips, fully wind proof, super warm, I love it to bits. EDIT - Everyone should own a Loden cloak..!!!
I have owned my Loden coat for 30 years, and it still looks as good as the day I bought it. They are designed to last a lifetime.
Hi ! What is Loden? Thanks!
When I first started my vintage wearing journey, I would only wear it during summertime. And when cold weather comes I would, unfortunately, switch back to jeans and hoodies. And only last year when I started sewing myself and actually learning about fabric properties, I decided to only have natural fibres in my wardrobe and donated all my polyester clothes. Best decision ever!
As someone with various skin problems, I also started transitioning my wardrobe to more natural fibres, and even tho this sometimes is pretty heavy on my tiny budget I just love the feeling on my skin. Also works great in summer when I need full coverage but don´t want to be cooked alive.
I have been doing the same thing for the same reason! I think it's going to take me a while but I'm already more comfortable :)
@@stephaniepiccioni1047 this sounds great, I hope you have as much fun in the process as I do
I also started transitioning my wardrobe to clothes made only from natural fibres. It proves to be challenging though, since many woollen outer garments (coats/jackets) reveal to have a polyester lining. Very frustrating. But since I'm getting into tailoring, I might just design and create my next clothing pieces myself. Will also be cheaper in the end hopefully.
Yes. The synthetic lining often feels awful too.
So often you see linen jackets with polyester lining. Why? Just why?
You choose linen as a summer garment because it is supposed to keep you cool. Polyester lining defeats the purpose.
not sure if you can get cheaper... (actually, I know you can't. I've done the maths for myself, I work for a small company that developes and produces textile products for customers, I see what materials and labour cost...) you have to buy small ammounts of fabric. mass discounts for materials are one of the ways big companies can bring the price down. there are other points in the process where they save money, but materials is one big one. still, when you have properly fitted basic patterns for your own body measurements and can make whatever piece of clothing you like out of them... it will look 100times better than any standart size. just because the fit is good.
silk is usually said to be the best, but depending on the weave can be too hot as well. For hotter weather suits it’s best to get it half or unlined, you can also look at cupro which is a more breathable woven form of viscose made specifically of cotton, or just viscose/rayon which is a cellulose fiber but produced via chemicals. There’s also some other silk substitutes like spider silk fabrics that are in development but aren’t available for mass market yet
it will be cheaper if everyone would do that. the costs of cleaning up the pollution synthetic fibres and materials is a thousands times higher then the costs we will spend at choosing natural products, and buying less.
Thank you for your shout out for natural fibers. They are so much more durable than people seem to think, and so comfy!!
Since I spend my free time with living history I got to know the advantages and the beauty of natural fabrics.
In the meantime I have replaced all synthetic garments with garments made by natural fabric (as far as possible).
The same I did with kitchen tools and other things of everyday life.
I don't need and I don't own lots of clothes but what I own has to be of natural fabrics and of good quality, also at home.
That makes me feel good.
I was fairly delighted when I saw you posted a new video; I confess I quite missed not hearing you anymore. Happy you found a nice place and are now settled.
About the topic, definitely natural fibers; the feel and fit are way different.
Greetings from Belgium,
Sandro.
Aww, thank you! Much appreciated.
You make an excellent point in saying 'if it is considered something special when a synthetic garment is designed to be breathable... why not stick to wool and cotton where it is just the norm?' The other problem with so called 'technical' garments is their designers don't feel the need to create attractive designs anymore-it is a 'technical' and 'functional' garment after all-next thing you know, you have a proliferation of people wearing hideous hiking/mountaineering garments in the city.
"Just an office building with..." an elevator 😉
Thanks for your thoughts, slow clothing with natural fibres just is so important.
i was thinking the same! 😂
You actually made a winter fashion video!!! I was on the live q&a and I didn't realize you would actually do it!! You're amazing!!
I was really really really lucky and found some lovely leather Chelsea boots that only had minor wear on the heels. I'm waiting for holiday money to take them into the local cobbler to get the soles redone
I love my wool socks. I definitely appreciate the points you make on natural over man-made.
Nice to see you again ! Hope everything goes well. I 100% agree with you ! I try to avoid synthetic fibers as often as I can... except for underwear !... natural fibers like wool, linen are so much more pleasant to touch !!
Informative and fact telling video about fabric. Well done. From personal experience, natural fabrics keep warmth much better than artificial fabrics
I can agree that natural fibres are the best, after getting my first bespoke suit from saving up since my parents didn't like to shell out so much money on tailors and prefer off the rack. I can say strongly natural just feels better. However, for winter clothing I do not have a natural fiber winter coat mainly because 100% natural winter jackets are only available at high fashion brands and it's rare to find affordable ones here, unless I can find one at a vintage store. I currently have a winter jacket which are wool blends and would like to invest in a higher quality but I also find it not a very wise investment since where I live 90% of the time it's hot and you will only take out your jacket around December or January and that's it.
Any clothes I currently have will only be kept for as long as it takes me to be able to afford to buy fabrics made from natural fibres.
Absolutely. I used to hate wool as a kid for some reason, now I love it and can't stand synthetics (which, I've realized, were the main reason for me sweating so much). In fact I've basically banned them from my wardrobe, except for actual performance gear solely meant for sports.
That being said, shopping for clothes became much harder and certainly it became much more expensive - though I realize this is because I had been conditioned to spend much less on cheap low-quality, non-durable synthetic clothes.
For example finding a 100% wool coat, without synthetic lining, and at a price I could afford was extremely hard - finally found a 300€ coat on a black friday sale at Brooks Brothers' Outlet, down from 900€ listed price.
By the way, I have in fact tried vintage shops as a way to save money on better clothes. Unfortunately, in my area, they do not even have good quality clothes most of the time. However, in the last year I've found a lot of amazing stuff for relatively cheap on Vinted, the problem is you never truly know whether it will fit (even if you ask measurements, since people are TERRIBLE at measuring, not to mention it doesn't account for thickness or softness of material).
Mich wundert es auch beim Wandern/Skifahren immer. Die Leute kommen aus der Stadt, um die Natur zu genießen und hüllen sich dann in Plastik ..
Plastik ist praktisch... was wäre deine Idee für ein klassisches Ski-outfit? Und es müsste ja auch zu den Skiund den Schuhen passen 🤔
@@thomasjaggi3291 ich zieh zum Skifahren nen dünnen Woll-Seide Rollkragenpullover als Unterhemd und nen dicken weißen Rollkragen Wollpulli drüber. Drüber nen alten Trachten Janker. Und ein klassisches Halstuch noch über den Rollkragen gebunden, damit der Hals auch gut geschützt ist.
Als Hose einfach ne extra weite Flanell Hose.
Aktuell fahr ich noch nen Armada JJ, aber den ersetz ich bald durch Ski von Unique aus Wien. Die sehen aus wie klassische Ski, aber moderne Technik.
Nur bei den Skischuhen hab ich noch keine zufriedenstellende Lösung gefunden
@@capitanobarbanera5819 Danke für die Antwort! Der Trachtenjanker würde bei mir wie ein Kostüm aussehen... ich würde ja am liebsten ein Sportjacket aus Tweed mit Hemd und Krawatte tragen, aber das sieht mit den gemieteten Skiern dann wohl auch grauslich aus.... oder vielleicht sollt´ ich das einfach zum Trotz mal wagen? Was meint den Vintagebursche zu diesem Thema?
@@thomasjaggi3291 Krawatte würde ich auf jeden Fall nicht anziehen!
Aus authentischen sowie Sicherheitsgründen. Wenn sich die Krawatte irgendwo verfängt, dann wird sie schnell zum Galgen.
Schau am besten mal bei Pinterest was es so unter 'Skifahren 1920' gibt. In den Archiven sind mehr Aufnahmen als man denkt
Happy to have you back posting videos again.
Interesting video as well :)
I agree with you completely and I'd love to migrate my whole clothing collection to natural materials.
However, style, comfort and Sustainability are not the only factor that plays into that. The biggest factor for me is the price tag. I'm just a student and can't afford high quality clothes on a regular basis. If I can buy a nice polyester jacket or coat for 30% or less than a wool one, the decision is clear.
Yes, you could get away with second hand material, but if the most common sizes don't fit, it's hard or at least harder to find adequate pieces.
I just bought my first Tweed 3 piece classic suit in brown and a pair of leather boots at Johny Crocket in Cologne. After that i paid a little extra to rid of the Beltloops and to ad one extra Button on the Jacket so its closed higher. And because its cost a lot,(Quality cost its Money). i really take care of it. Specialy the Boots after walkig/hiking in wet weather. I`ve also got to pair of Trousers made of moleskin(!). These are my favorite" i can do everything in them" , from hiking to just chilling on my sofa and having a cigar and fall asleep:-)
While being a fan of my Burberry Lodenmantel, I still love my army parkas, great winter jackets
I still use my double breasted overcoat in a wool blend from c&a because it's the warmest clothing item i have. I also don't have to worry too much about it getting damaged because it's super thick. I have an overcoat in a wool cashmere blend, but it is much more delicate. So I'm very glad to have my durable cheaper coat, which I could easily replace. By adding an extra button to fold one lapel over, I also made it even more protective. Overall it's just my most functional coat.
Even in sports that demand top performance from a fabric, such as mountain climbing, natural fibers are making a comeback. Properly treated woolen undergarments, for example, are warmer, wear drier and retain warmth better when wet
Glad you're back! The video is a tad bit dark though. Enjoyed the little rant thoroughly.
Yeah, sorry. The new video setup is still work in progress. Next time will be better.
@@Vintagebursche by the way, I'd love to hear your opinion on single or double vents. Perhaps even a video about the right situation for each and the formality of them! I'm watching a lot of Downton Abbey right now and I see a lot of single vents used there.
The new wool fabrics are astonishing. I have a pair of trousers in a wool so fine its like a silky shirt cotton - but its incredibly warm, wind proof, and very crease-resistant.
Its also so water repellant you can literally run it under the tap and the water will just drop off the surface - yet its 100% wool. Its just the manufacturing process.
I have a dress made out of cotton like that. I even manged to spill coffee on it, and later the dried coffee wiped right off. (Slightly tricky to iron though)
I wish I wasn't so horribly allergic to wool! It's such a beautiful fibre and used in so many historical and vintage garments that I love. I've tried every kind of wool and I react to all of them (sheep, alpaca, goat, rabbit, camel). I can't even use doonas/quilts with wool fibres in them without breaking out in a severe rash. Does anyone else have this problem??
I will just have to admire the beautiful tweed outfits from afar. And I happily stick with clothes made from linen, hemp, cotton, silk, and bamboo.
Short functional jackets are the worst! Buststill, for skiing I am happy for my polyester trousers. But in the city, especially in Vienna, the Lodenjacket is best against wind. For hiking, the best shirts are also from wool. Still, I like that you center your attention on style vs using polyester clothes when you actually need them like mountaineering.
This can also apply to hiking and camping where a waxed cotton Barbour jacket is a better choice than modern polyester jackets.
I'm a new subscriber, I love this channel and have been going through your videos which are excellent cheers.
I completely agree that natural fibers are better than artificial, but since I’m young, I just gotta make do with the polyester.
Thank you for this, I am currently moving through my wardrobe and ethnically dressing in my own style again. It's so important, as I add any new (as opposed to upscaled or/and thrifted) items to always keep away from artificial fabrics.
And I'm looking forward to your upcoming content! 🤗
Hey guys don’t forget the silk! In your intro I saw a waist coat with buttons in a V formation. Stunning! I would love to see a closer look at it. Do you have a video on it?
Just one picture on Instagram iirc. This waistcoat is part of our sewing book.
I couldn't agree more on all Your points🙂
Also I was raised with the idea that utilitarian clothing is for utilitarian activities - hard, dirty physical labour where every item needs to be useful with little to no maintenance required. For a white collar job city dweller - why in the world wouldn't one want to wear an elegant (and toasty warm) wool coat during cold weather if their budget allows?
My only concern with natural fiber outerwear is that if they do get really wet, they can take absolutely forever to dry. I didn't know about the option of waxing cotton canvas items when I had these experiences though. Also, now I'm wondering if some sort of lanolin treatment would be possible for a woolen coat ( I currently live in UK, it rains a lot 😆)
Natural fibers for the win! They are so much more comfortable and versatile not to forget way better for our enviroment.
They feel better in the hand, they feel better worn, they have more depth and character, they breath . . . they are more expensiv to get your hands on, but it is totaly woth it.
No matter the cut and style or a garment, it will just look and feel so much more valuable and special, if it is made from a high quality material.
I would love to own more lorden. But even though I live in Bavaria, it's hard to get a hold of. Maybe I should peak into the men's departments... I do own a lot of wool and leather already, thank the Lord.
I hold onto one polyester jacket that keeps my head and upper body dry when I go for a jog when it's raining or snowing (yes I'm one crazy bastard). I also own skying gear that must be complety out of synthetic material. I will use it until it's in shreds, but I am looking for more traditional skying gear.
yes finally you don't know how boring my life has been without any dramatic intros
I try to stick with natural fibers because i like the feeling on the skin better. However.. I embrace the polyester in my thrifted 80s fancy dresses - if I could find those fluffy shiny things in cotton or silk (or rayon), I would totally prefer them!
@Vintagebursche That is quite a homily :) But I concur compelety. And you nail the German style issue like noone else (I live in Germany too). Your conclusion at 8.30 speaks my mind. And your thoughts on sustainability are so relevant for modern life, no, for the future of mankind. So I could not agree more with what you say. And which garment did George Mallory wear when he climbed Mount Everest (or rather tried)? Garments made of wool of course!
Well, over here, tweed clothes and whisky are where its at for now here, keeping me warm:) I raise my glass to you!
FWIW, I have just purchased heavy tweed pants by Pike Brothers and I am in love with them already now.
P.S.: @Vintagebursche "Michelin man´s appearance" - great fun and of course true. I have never seen an uglier outfit than those monstrosities.
Yes.. the leather part of the shoes maybe last a lifetime.. but not the plastic part! 🙈 I have to say goodbye soon to my nice brown leather boots. 😢 They already got a new sole, but now the connection between sole and heel is breaking.. I asked the shoemaker about it, he just said he could put superglue on it.😕 Well.. this i can do by myself. But I guess it won't preserve them too long.. 💔
Yeah, that's the problem with glued plastic compared to stitched leather. I had to learn that the hard way, too.
I’ve had the same issue I can go for a good hiking outfit sometimes which you make it look good but what I’ve started doing is I have a L.L. Bean shooting coat and I use that with a nice heavy wool sweater underneath and a scarf and that looks great
I find natural fibers generally more comfortable to wear. However, I do have outer jackets for both summer and winter, which are made from synthetic fibers.
The summer jackets are strictly waterproof and easy to care for, for which I am grateful on a regular basis. I don’t have to worry about them getting dirty or always remember to bring an umbrella everywhere I go.
My winter jacket is a little longer, about halfway down my upper thigh. It is stuffed with feathers and, of course, highly waterproof. This jacket is considerably warmer than my wool coats, which is why I love to wear it for very cold winter days.
It should also be said that I come from a sailing background, which is why my outer wear has to be suited to cold, windy and rainy days on the baltic sea, rather than casual strolling through the city, for which my wool coats are great.
So I wouldn’t trade my polyester jackets for natural fibers.
Shoes however are a totally different deal. Nothing equals a good leather boot, which can be absolutely stylish. I loathe the current sneaker trend and have no pity for those, who get wet and cold feet every winter again, because they „can’t afford“ winter boots, but wear the latest sneakers every six months worth a high quality leather shoe each.
Also it should be noted that I do not wear suits, so I can’t comment on that behalf.
A little polyester prevents or discourages wrinkling and is visibly undetectable. Fine shirt merchants like Brooks Brothers make shirts with some poly content. It’s harmless.
Very glad to see your videos again! And with a very interesting topic...
I completely agree! Very well said!
Good video! I keep the performance clothing for the snowboarding season 🤙🏻
My only comment along those lines are sometimes price point, but also a military/ems back round I do prefer some performance clothing in the sense of stretch and weight reduction vs protection. But in casual settings nothing beats medium to heavyweights high quality wool, leather, and corduroy in fall and winter, and linen, cotton/linen blends, cotton, or tropical weight wool in summer. For the price point sometimes I may compromise some in Poly blends, but not 50/50s.
Now underwear and undershirts I prefer modal or some polyesters fabrics well over cotton. Comfort reasons.
I agree, but some of us are broke students so some lee lay is given to having synthetic blends. and yes if you shop vintage that is no issue, But yeah natural is all that is good, i have been lucky enough to have pure natural from the local shops.
I would like to buy natural material for my suits, I would like to consider environmental and social aspects when buying a new coat. But after all you must be able to afford this kind of products. So dressing-up is often a compromise, when you can't sew them by yourself and also don't have the time to do so.
I hold on to my plastic sport and rain cloths, for I already bought them and replacing them would be expensiv, it aint worth it at the moment. But I would not buy anything new in their like.
Same goes for formal dresses and working thousers (it is mendetory and when it comes to haveing a tool stuck in my leg . . . yes I play it safe there).
Other cloths I own are already as much natural fiber as possible and I am working on getting rid of the last 5 procent elastan.
My fabric stach is all natural though and as fare as possible I try to sew everything I need myself. It goes slow and steady but so I ensure that I am very conscious of material, the value of the time and effort I invested and will take proper care. It also ensures that I do not horde a lot of cloths I will probably not wear just because they are exiting and kind of enforce some level of minimalism.
As a beginner with an almost non existent buget, my first projects are skirts, very simple sleeveless blouses/chemise undergaments, things like that. Once I have a halfway decent weardrobe, skilllevel and buget I will most definitly sew a long coat made from a woven loden and similar outerwear to compleat it, but for now I keep it simple und wear a thrifted wool coat that does not fit exactly and aint as warm and heavy as it could be, but well enough for modern standarts.
Everyday wear is more forgiving and versatile, but at some point I do want to replace everything.
I think there is a lot to learn about how to take care for natural materials and - being used to synthetic clothing only - it takes quite some effort.
I wanted to get into historical clothing with History Bounding and I have been paying attention more to what my clothes are made of and I have noticed that most of them was at least some kind of polyester blend. I do want to try and buy more natural fiber clothes, but I also want to know how do you clean them and how often? A wash after every wear or 2nd or with things like undergarments and sparingly clean the outer layers? I heard that its not good to use a washing machine with hot water and to never tumble dry them with the drying machine with things like wool or linen. Most of the time on Tags it says to Dry Clean Only and I heard that Dry cleaning uses harsh chemicals to clean clothes so its not good for the environment either. I would like to know how other people clean and treat their natural fiber clothes and the daily routine to wear them regularly.
Wool can be spot cleaned and either hang dried or layed flat. This means it takes a long time to dry after cleaning, but it's cheaper than the dry cleaning.
Linen can be washed on the gentle cycle and hang dried. It dries really quickly.
I wash my wool winter coat once a year in my bathtub with no-rinse wool wash. (I'm also a knitter.)
Ich habe einen schwarzen Lodenmantel und eine Tailierte Jacke der finnischen Armee, die ebenfalls aus Loden ist. Ich bin mit beidem sehr zufrieden.
Interesting video and I agree with most but think that there are many nuances to be made when we go deeper in to the rabbit hole. As a tailor I have many clients with all their specific needs and how cloth relates to that might it be a focus on drape, usability or combinations of these needs is essential in bespoke tailoring. Polyester is a huge family of fibers it is not one per se. I must admit that I am critical about the use of it but there are some developments tah surprised me. Holland & Sherry has developed a fiber named Techlana, mostly used to make the fabric lightweight and to add performance. To my surprise it drapes beautiful and clients confirm this to. But, and that is a large but for me, the feeling and touch is crispy as we often see with high twisted yarns. It just does not give that snug feeling and depth of color radiation a 11 ounce/340 grams worsted cloth would provide. It is a choice and at the end up to the principal. Do you pet a cat or dog with a practical hair fiber, I think not. So lets stay natural for now but let's see what the near future will bring.
I'm from Russia, currently it's 0 -2 outside and I'm good in my woolen peacoat, however I think I'l have to put on a down jacket when the real frost hits
The last year I have been shopping for a wool coat. And sad to say, within my budget the best I could find was 70% wool, 30% polyester and polyester lining. I was so annoyed by this, and if I remember correctly I had to repair the polyester lining pocket at least a few times during that one season...
Look for vintage coats, they can be found in 100% wool!
I like natural fibers, though i stick to working with, and wearing plantbased fibers since I'm vegan and find leather gross and wool way too scratchy. (I have yet to find a plant wool alternative or try some new plantbased faux leather).
I prefer wearing synthetic fiber clothing when practicing sport, mainly for their practicality, but still, as t-shirt, the ones made of wool are much better. In other situations, if possible, i prefer wearing natural fiber clothings
When I was 18yo I bought myself a real natural vaxed citon umbrela. Soon i find out that poliestera Rain equipment is simply better
Ich benutze sehr viel Funktionskleidung aus Naturfasern. Empfehlen kann ich die so genannte Juja oder Juscha (Jungenschaftsjacke), eine Jacke aus entweder Baumwolle oder Walkloden. Sie ist aus den 20ern und kommt aus der Bündischen Jugend. Sie ist die wasserdichteste und atmungsaktivste Jacke, die ich besitze zudem ist sie feuerfest und sehr robust. Sie ist sehr groß geschnitten und bietet viel Platz für viele Wollpullover im Winter. Als Hose verwende ich eine Cordhose (Zunfthosen) und Baumwolle Cargo pants. Diese Klamotten sind geringfügig schwerer als Polyester Zeug allerdings überwiegen die Vorteile. Ich stand mit diesen Klamotten bereits auf über 3000m und auch der Everest wurde mit ähnlichen Klamotten bereits bestiegen. Man sieht für Wochenend-Alpinisten und Eifel-Wanderer sind diese Klamotten vollkommen ausreichend und ich würde sie meinen Polyester Klamotten jederzeit vorziehen. Gut für Extremsportler sind diese Sachen sicher nichts aber das sind ja die wenigsten, die mit völliger funktionsklamotten-materialschlacht am Wochenende in die Eifel zum Wandern fahren.
I definitely prefer natural materials and hate polyester with passion, but as it can be difficult to get a hold on any kinda clothes that are made purely from natural materials, I sometimes end up with clothes that have polyester in them, much to my dismay. Like my "wool" duffel coat and many sweaters have 60-70% polyester in them. I think polyester is terrible mostly because it's not breathable, and I hate elastane because I'm allergic to it. Probably the only man-made material I'm actually quite fond of is rayon, but that's not plastic. As far as I know it comes from pine trees? Rayon isn't particularly common in modern clothing either though, nor is it very insulating.
Bottom line is I love wool but it's difficult to find in modern clothes. My newest winter coat is actually a fur coat though, which I intend to wear much more than my polyester coat. Fur is arguably not very environmentally friendly, but it sure has a lot of the practical properties sometimes associated with natural materials, like being very insulating, breathable and not easily soaking up water. I found it at a thrift store, so I didn't buy it new, and it seems to be kinda vintage, but hard to tell because of the lack of tags/labels. I figure I could quite easily alter it to make it look like the "raccoon coat" that was briefly popular in the mid 1920's, as I'd only need to exchange the broken clasps for buttons, which need to be exchanged anyway. Otherwise it looks very similar in style. It may even be raccoon, but more likely mink.
As for shoes, I have a pair of leather boots that will last me forever, so I've ditched the plastic for that type of winter garment at least. Although I still often wear sneakers in the spring, summer and fall. On occasion I wear leather loafers and sandals though. So all in all my wardrobe is a mix of plastic and natural materials, but I greatly favor natural materials. Even for regular t-shirts, jeans and hoodies I try to look for cotton as much as possible.
Hey love your channel! I have hung onto a patagonia Puffer and a ralph lauren Puffer vest. For a winter camp in Canada i use my Puffer jacket as a camp pillow. Its so light weight plus good for emergency. My winter camping clothes are now all wool. The down jacket is almost useless to me now since it can burn close to camp fires and I hate the sound I make when wearing it. The down vest does get some use though. When it's above 0 degrees here I want to expose my arms to the sun. So I use the vest for this. I usually wear tweed sports coat and an overcoat in winter. I suppose I need a tweed vest
I can't seem to ditch my love of loud hawaiian print shirts. one of these days, I'm going hunt for outrageous printed cottons and make my own so I won't need polyester versions anymore
Better quality Aloha wear, including men's shirts, is made of cotton or cotton lawn. Not only is it better for the environment, but cotton shirts, unlike synthetics breath. Hawaiian shirts are an enduring tradition in the Hawaiian Islands dating back over 80 years. High quality makers include Tori Richard's, Reyn Spooner, Zig Zane, and Manuheali'i.
I have a heavy wool coat that I wear over my suits. But when it gets under -10c, I stop giving a shit how I look and just wear a warm down jacket.
I mean I love tailoring and natural fibers as well but I refuse to suffer just for style.
Didnt realise how much I missed a good dramatic intro.
I agree.
Thanks for the good video! Some examples would be nice. Especially for outer clothing. And: I find it good, that you do not promote several brands. But: some advices how and where to get the right clothes would be helpfull never the less. Thank you.
Thank you for this video - I’m afraid many people don’t realize that synthetic materials are not good for a human bodies and harmful or the environment 😢
There are a couple of benefits to synthetic fibres you shouldn't dismiss: they are lighter when compared to natural insulating materials, they don't rott, are immune to pests, are more water resistent, dry quickly, resistent to acids and other hazards, can be extremely flame retardant, are easy to clean and hold their Form and color far better than natural fibres.
Just to give a bit of a counterpoint to all the negatives.
Depending on the application, synthetic fibers have clear advantages over natural ones. Otherwise we wouldn't be using them.
p.S. Oh and one more thing: some people don't want to kill or harm animals for their clothes.
Synthetic fibers do have advantages. As I said, they are the result of technical innovations and they do have their use, just not for the average Joe.
@@Vintagebursche well if the weather gets rough I'm going to enjoy my "Friesennerz".
As going for a walk at a windy and rainy coast seems to count as some extreme sport.
;)
Agreed!
In my opinion, the construction of the garment outweighs the type of material. As long as the polyester is of a durable weave and thickness, I'd go for it. I'm frickin poor. Everything I wear is either secondhand or made at home and when I do make my own clothes, I often just buy some nice heavy polyester gabardine. I will admit though, ironing natural fibers is much much... muuuuch less of a hassle than ironing polyester. Ironing polyester is heart surgery.
I'm about to move to a warmer state in the US where it gets much more rain than snow. What is your opinion of those classic tan raincoats that people like Humphrey Bogart used to wear? Not sure what they were made of, but I'm thinking about getting one of those since it can be worn over a suit. Thoughts?
They are called trenchcoats and they're made of cotton gaberdine.
The warmest coat is my full length fox fur. The wind does not go through it. I know I have angered many people with the fur, but that is why animals can survive the intense cold.
Great video. Thumbs up!
The only time I wear synthetics is when hiking. I know even that could be, in theory, done with natural materials, but I abuse my hiking gear quite a lot, I don't think the natural materials would last.
Synthetics are also a lot lighter than wool, especially wet wool, and dry more quickly, both of which are big pluses for hiking and travel.
Ugly jackets? 🤔 I thrifted one navy and one black cape coat out of new wool. 😁✌️ ( I'm so waiting for "Halloween is over!" comments. 😂)
I am about to make a grey wool cape lined in black wool. I live in Canada. Hoping it will carry me through the early part of the winter!
I would love to have more clothes/shoes in natural materials, but that stuff is hard to come buy and if I can find it, it's just way to expensive for me. I sew my clothes now for some years and I try to get at least high quality mixture.
And when it comes to shoes, it's hopeless. I have wide feet and have a hard time finding shoes that don't look totally revolting and at least mostly made from leather.
Nothing beats natural fibres but unfortunately I've had to make purchases of synthetic fibre clothing out of budgetary necessity. If I could, my wardrobe would be 100% wool, cotton etc. but that would take much more money than I am capable of making
I still have polyester simply because it's cheap. I would like to have all my clothing be natural materials at some point though
Also ich bin mit meinem Lodenmantel mehr als zufrieden.
Damit kann man nichts falsch machen und hält immer warm.
I think it a great pity that often we find woollen coats lined with synthetics.
This had to be said! ☺️
what do you call wool barathea in german ?
Have you experimented with unusual natural fiber such as nettle, banana, rose, milk, etc?
Wool is scratchy to my skin. Is there a way to make it softer? I love that it is warm and it is great for outer clothing. Cotton can be very soft and feels great against the skin but it shrinks in the dryer.
there's no way to make a wool softer that I know of but merino is the softest wool. shrinkage/warping may happen because the fashion industry doesn't do prewashing.
I am rhinking about an alternative for poly swimsuits! A short linnen jumpsuit? Any ideas? Knitted a crochet wool or cotton is a nigthmare ... they suck up water and get heavy with all the embarassement that comes with that.
A light cotton or a wool jersey would work.
@@fannyduvillage right! That is a good idea, thank you.
I don't think cow leather has much of a future, personally.
For one, the vast majority of leather used in fashion has a higher ecological footprint than fake leather due to the industrial tanning process, and more sustainable pleathers have been appearing on the market in the past few years especially. Also, plastic shoes don't go in the washing machine, so they aren't pollutants in the same way a polyester t-shirt is for instance. Chrome-tanned leather doesn't actually biodegrade and veg-tan leather is still one of the most ecologically devastating textiles.
There's also the human cost, where leather production is outsourced to countries with no worker's rights and the tanners and entire communities downstream of tanneries end up chronically ill from the heavy metal pollutants they're exposed to.
Also that cattle farming probably will become totally unsustainable at some point in the future, at least at the current scale of production. I do think wool and linen have a future in sustainable fashion, but cotton is absolutely devastating and there's also no way we can continue to grow so much of it with the climate changes and drought that are going to hit hard within the next generation.
But I also think consumer choices are ultimately a total red herring when it comes to sustainability. Total systemic change will solve the sustainability crisis, not telling people to buy eco clothing, priced at a point where it's simply unattainable for the majority of people in developed countries, let alone the rest of the world.
Don't get me wrong though, I'm all about that life. I do pretty much all the trendy sustainable things myself, but it just isn't enough and it will never be enough. Even the clothes you don't purchase will just go into a landfill. It won't stop being produced under capitalism, because bulk ordering is part of the business model, and it is more profitable, despite 84% of it ending up in landfills.
If they sell more than half of their stock for twice the price they've purchased it for they are still making a profit and when you factor in the unimaginably vast economies of scale for these multinational retailers, it is completely sensible for them to carry on doing it. It's cheaper to burn the rest or throw it out, and also the cheaper the products have to be in order to sell enough of them, the more nylon, acrylic, polyester etc they're going to contain.
For work (in kindergarden) I have a sailing jacket (for winter) made from polyester and I love it, it dries when it gets wet, I can jug it into the washing machine if we get lice and honestly I couldn't be bothered wearing my wool coat. Also my skin is rather sensitive to wool and I tend to wear either jersey or cotton under anything be it wool socks or wool undergarments.
I have a "school coat" too for work that I don't mind getting dirty/finding dried up leaves in the pocket of 8 months later.
What would you suggest a Person that just dont want to support the leather industry to wear instead of leather shoes? (obviously used marked, but some folks even dont like that approach ...)
I have seen decent faux leather quality on Doc Martens boots. I guess that it will take some more time for a manifacturer to make classic shoes out of this faux leather.
While I agree with the general sentiment, I think you're approaching this problem from the wrong end: I think that nobody will argue the fact that natural fibres are preferable to artificial fibres. What it comes down to is cost and affordability - all the more since we are living in a "fast fashion" age, where a whole industry is built around the idea that people should completely replace their whole wardrobe every one or two years - which is in turn just another ugly aspect of rampant consumerism and late stage capitalism. So the arguement should not be centered around the advantages of natural fibres but around the general consumerist mindset that drives us, as a society, to constantly craving all that new and shiny stuff and the industrial and sociopolitical enviroment that feeds and furthers these urges. Unless there is a major shift in our collective thinking, bio-degradability is probably the least of our concerns.
I agree that something like this would be the best approach to convince people from the fashion mainstream. However, I don't think those people watch my videos. My audience is more receptive to arguments concerning classic style and durability. We don't care so much about the new and shiny stuff.
@@Vintagebursche fair point. Then again, I don't think this audience here cares too much about "Funktionsjacken", either. 😉
Shoes made from man made materials are simply irresponsible because they are irreparable for the most part and so quickly end up in landfill where they fail to break down into anything beneficial. I have goodyear welted all leather shoes that I have been wearing and repairing for 30 years. In this day and age, leather must therefore surely be the way to go irrespective of the valuable points you made. When my old shoes finally bite the dust, they will rot away to become compost for something else to grow. Natural materials also have other benefits. Polyester simply looks lifeless draping awkwardly without finesse whereas natural materials drape, flow and recover better. Lastly, natural fibres and leather seem to take a depth and subtlety of colour that eludes man made fibres. This is true whether you are talking of clothing or soft furnishings where say digital printing on polyester never approaches the glory of vat dyed screen printing on linen or cotton. So I guess its all down to the adjectives you seek: man made fibres don't do lovely, glorious, or exquisite.