[MUSIC] In this video, we will talk about sustainable sourcing and manufacturing and how it is not only effective for startups and small businesses but how it benefits the community as well. Fashion is a creative and rewarding industry to be involved in, especially during moments of progress. Artisanal and local made by hand design and craftsmanship are all part of the contemporary evolution in fashion and are influencing the design process. This provides a counter method to the standard of mass produced machine made design. But before we jump into our discussion of where fashion is going, let's go back to the beginning and look at the history of clothing. Scientists are still debating when humans started wearing clothes, but what is certain is that clothing has been around for a very long time. Some research suggests that the invention of clothing may have coincided with the northward migration of Homosapien out of Africa Estimates Range between 50,200,000 years ago and as far back as 540,000 years ago, the Homosapien adoption of clothing. What archeologists do know is that early clothing was made from for leather leads and grass. These rudimentary garments were draped, wrapped or tied around the human body. Drought insane techniques emerged as part of clothing between 34,000 and 30,000 years BC. Over the centuries, humans have created an astonishing array of styles and functions for clothing. The most obvious usage is to protect the wearer from the elements, but clothing is also a socio-cultural artifacts. Clothing is a symbol of status, gender and religion, and occupation. It's also an artistic statement and an expression of, whereas personality most people today take for granted the labor that goes into making clothes. When done by hand, It's tedious and labor-intensive process starting with fiber making, then spinning and weaving. The Industrial Revolution of the late 18th century cut production time down substantially. Inventions, including the power loom, the role of spinning machine, and the multiple spool spinning wheel make clothing production quicker than ever before. In 1717, Richard Arkwright invented a spinning wheel powered by water known as the water frame. This invention produced stronger threads and made it possible to move textile production from individual homes or shops to large factory-like settings. The power loom was patented in 1784 by Edmund Cartwright. The loom was a mechanized device used for weaving threads into cloth. Later improvements in speed and efficiency meant that women began to replace men as weavers. Just a few years later, the first sewing machine was invented only, further streamlining clothing production into the 19th century and up till the present. By the 20th century, clothing was easier to produce and readily available to consumers. This gave rise to fashion hubs like New York City, Department stores Rose is the ideal model for showcasing large amounts of mass-produced goods. These stores were huge, beautifully constructed buildings that offered everything from consumer goods to restaurants and tea rooms. While 95% of America's clothing was still made in the United States in 1965, this number drastically decreased in the latter part of the 20th century. The Western textile and garment manufacturing industry went from a domestic enterprise to being outsourced to more cost-effective and geographic locations such as China and Bangladesh. These locations are for cheap labor and little manufacturing restrictions, which in turn led to fewer worker and environmental protections. Today there are serious questions regarding the sustainability and equity of the fashion system as it emerged in the late 20th century. Clearly, the fashion supply chain in its current state is unsustainable and problematic. So what are the alternatives? First, designers and brands can consider reshoring in the late 1980s, of our clothing, was made in the us, now it's only 2%. That's a shocking statistic. So the solution is to manufacture in your own country when you can, this helps local economies and minimizes environmental stress that comes with shipping. For example, the common production chain might look like this, fiber is shipped from India to Japan to be made into fabric. The fabric then ships from Japan to China for sewing and the garments are then shipped to the US. That's a long process with reassuring comes less shipping, less carbon footprint, and a stronger localized workforce. The second alternative involves textiles, designers can make an effort to buy from sustainable textile mills. There is unfortunately not yet a huge market for these and for a small-scale brand they're not always the easiest methods to accomplish. What you can do as a designer or business owner, however, is to educate yourself on the different global impacts of textiles. That way, when you're not able to find the fabrics you need, you can select fibers that have less damaging costs to both the environment and the community. For example, when we compare organic cotton versus non-organic cotton, it's helpful to realize how the latter causes harmful pollution for farmers and their communities. Thankfully, there are organizations working to certify fibers and textiles that will hopefully lead to the transparency needed for consumers to make better choices. In conclusion, in the early years, clothing was made by hand and produced locally. Then the Industrial Revolution drove the fashion industry to a mass-produced machine-made model and increased consumer demand. So how can we return to a more sustainable sourcing and manufacturing method while creating a smaller footprint with a more positive impacts? While larger companies have an easier time demanding that their fabrics be more sustainable, they often have a hard time keeping an eye on how their production is conducted. Smaller brands are restricted on where they can produce, but in turn, they're better able to manage where and how production takes place. Hopefully, with some education and work sustainability can be part of your consumer message. Thanks for watching everyone. [MUSIC]
