The sustainable side of western wear
You might have seen this image already - a pair of Wrangler jeans left in a field to decompose for over 20 years. All the cotton fibres had dissolved, only the synthetic threads, metal rivets and buttons were left. Looks cool but also scary at the same time, doesn't it?
This image got me thinking - maybe because it looks like a skeleton of something that was once (hopefully) enjoyed and worn, or maybe simply because images have a bigger power to make an impact - and this one did its job. We all know how big of an issue the fashion industry is - and we all take some steps to prevent making it worse - by buying less, repairing, choosing vintage and preloved and so on.
When it comes to western wear, which is often associated with durability, it's easy to think that those items will last forever. They're also timeless and have been enjoyed by generations before, so they will find their loving homes/bodies again and again. And as an optimist and vintage dealer, I agree - but if it was so straightforward, my job here would be done. Wanna know why? Because all the items I resell are the items that somebody decided to ditch.
So, how sustainable is western wear - vintage and new?
Vintage/preloved is the most sustainable choice...
Yes, the best thing you can do is to choose an item that already exists, even if it's made of synthetic fabric. Such an item, although won't decompose easily, bypasses the environmental cost of new production, even if the new one is made of recyclable fibres or natural materials, like cotton, linen or wool. The biggest advantage existing clothes have over the most sustainable new ones is in production - think water and energy usage from the point of producing the thread to the moment this new item arrives at your door (add emissions, resources used for packaging, labels and energy needed for running the websites or warehouses).
...but this doesn't mean you've got the green light to buy anything you want
Impuls purchases, bargains, craving newness, buying without making sure if the item will fit the rest of your closet or not checking the measurements of vintage items (which are never accurate compared to modern size standards), all of these contribute to overconsumption of second-hand clothing, which is a real thing. How to not fall into its traps?
invest in a measuring tape
ask yourself if you'll wear this item often
does it match your lifestyle and the climate you live in?
will you be able to care for it properly and repair it when needed?
are you just bored and looking to feel better/distract yourself?
“Technically anything you wear once is fast fashion, regardless of where you bought it from” (source)
Which era of vintage western wear is the most sustainable?
You'd think that the more advanced we are (as humans), the products we make should only get better with time (wait until you read the next chapter). I've never had to work on a pilled western shirt from the 40s, but almost all of the late 20th-century ones that I get through my hands (anything starting from the 1980s) are full of pills. This is a result of mass production sometime around the late 60s, combined with the increased use of synthetic fabrics and lower-quality materials. While technological advancements have undoubtedly brought benefits, they haven't always translated to greater sustainability, especially in the realm of fashion. Therefore, the most sustainable era of vintage western wear is arguably the 1930s to 1950s with items characterized by durable materials, quality craftsmanship and lack of a smaller amount of synthetic content. It's not a coincidence that items from these eras are most sought-after by collectors.
How ethical are the modern western brands?
Sustainability is definitely not a new topic for brands like Levi's, Wrangler, or H Bar C and it doesn't take much (just a few clicks) to find out how green are they or if they're greenwashing their audience. Thanks to initiatives like Good on you, it's easy to verify if the commitments and big promises brands like to display in bold letters on their websites have any meaning behind them.
For a variety of reasons (often related to laws and regulations), big brands feel the pressure to at least appear sustainable, throwing different campaigns, dropping collections made of recycled materials or being partially open about their working models, but ultimately, the majority of their production remains unchanged.
What's common, is the use of recycled polyester (rPET) - made from post-industrial waste or other post-consumer plastics such as discarded textiles or ocean waste. Though it sounds like an indisputable good idea, this fabric is pretty challenging - it still releases microplastic, it can't be recycled forever (and if blended with another fibre, like cotton, it might be impossible to recycle it at all) and process of recycling PET (before it becomes rPET) impacts the environment, too.
Boots of leather, hats of furs
Animal welfare is another topic that needs to be taken into consideration when discussing the sustainable side of western wear, as cowboy boots and hats are primarily made of leather and fur. These materials come from living creatures and are often called byproducts. I have an issue with this term because it implies that leather is merely an incidental or secondary outcome of the meat industry when in reality, it's intrinsically linked to animal agriculture. Ultimately, the choice is yours whether you're ok with it or not - and I'm not here to point fingers. But if you'd like to find an alternative, what are your options?
The easiest answer and you probably knew it already - vegan leather. Nowadays, everything that's not made of animals is called vegan leather, and if you ask me, I hate it. I find it to be the highest form of greenwashing because many brands won't explain (or if they do, they use a tiny font somewhere on the bottom of the product description) what it means. And by saying 'vegan' they're implying that their products have none or less environmental impact, while in reality, they're full of shit. Is it PVC (most often, your feet will sweat and stink at the end of the day, try wearing a plastic bottle for 8h), or is it recycled plastic? If the boots are cheap, it'll be easy to guess.
But there is light in the tunnel! The more and more popular use of plant-based and recyclable materials promises to bring some hope, so we get a choice of ''leather'' made of apple skin, pineapple, cactus or mushroom, all claiming to be durable and breathable.
So, how can you look cool and be cool?
Just use your common sense - not the most startling advice, I know! Whether you're looking to get a new piece or a vintage one, always check with yourself if you're really gonna wear it (unpopular opinion - western wear looks best when it's rugged and it takes some time to get there, if you know what I mean). When buying online, measure yourself and compare the measurements to the item that you love and which fits you well (shirts to shirts, high-waisted pants to high-waisted pants etc). For vintage items, ask questions and make sure the fabric composition is listed. And when the time comes to pair with an item, by all means, try to give it another life - swap with friends, resell or upcycle. Or hit me up and maybe I'll buy it from you.
That’s a great article. I was shocked to see the Wrangler jeans pic. I never thought about blended fabrics and, as I wear jeans with flex, I guess I’m guilty of having clothes that can’t be easily recycled.
As a leather craftsman I’m 100% with you over “vegan” and faux leather. Leather production is one of the most ecologically sound processes. Almost 100% of every animal is used. We eat the meat, make leather hides from the skins, use the offal for animal feed and fertilisers and the skeleton goes into fertiliser and glue manufacture. We honour every part of that animal’s sacrifice. I also repurpose leather, for example, taking an old saddle and making a bag or other items from it. If we didn’t use the rest of the animal after we take the meat, think of the landfill problems we’d have!