172 Would We Be Naked Without Synthetic Fabrics‪?‬ Adventures in Sustainable Living

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

Episode 172

Would We Be Naked Without Synthetic Fabrics?

 

What exactly is a Spinning Jennie? Have you even heard of it? Few people these days own a sewing machine but surely we all have a concept of what it is and what it does. And even though not all of us have taken a chemistry class, we have some concept of a chemical concoction? But do you know what all of these things have in common? 

Certainly there can be no argument that advances in technology have dramatically changed our lives. New technology affects every single aspect of what we do, how we do it, and even right down to the clothes that we wear. But have you ever given any thought to what your clothes are actually made of. Are they natural, artificial, or synthetic? Do you even know the difference? 

So stay tuned for E Would We Be Naked Without Synthetic Fabrics?

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E172 which is called Would We Be Naked Without Synthetic Fabrics? 

Good News Story of the Week

Conservationists in the United States just won a great victory in the state of Alabama. Most everyone has heard of the Everglades and perhaps the Great Dismal Swamp, but few people have heard of “America’s Amazon.” It is an area of land also known as the Land Between the Rivers because it lies where the Alabama and Tombigbee Rivers meet.  It is 8,000 acres of pristine wetlands and was just sold for $15 million USD for the purpose of conservation. 

The area is filled with lakes, creeks, and swamps and is home to so many species that is ranks as one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth, ranking right up there with the Amazon. 

The former owners were made an offer from a timber and logging company and decided to sell it for conservation instead. 

Sustainability Question of the Week

What is the difference between a circular economy and a green economy?

 

While most of us may have never heard of a spinning Jennie, I think most of us have heard about the Industrial Revolution. This was a period of time where expanding technology and the invention of new machines forever changed our lives. Just about every aspect of manufacturing and industry was affected by advances in technology. The textile industry was no acceptation. 

The invention of the flying shuttle, the spinning frame and the cotton gin all began to change how textiles were manufactured.  However, it was the invention of the Spinning Jennie by James Hargreaves that is credited for advancing the textile industry to factory production. 

Prior to this the production of cloth from raw materials was a cottage based industry. All of this work was done within people’s homes and often the entire family was involved. The children would clean the raw materials, the woman would spin the materials into thread and yarn and the men would do the weaving. 

The challenge at the time was that this whole process was time consuming. There was often a huge gap between supply and demand. Raw materials had to be dropped off at numerous locations where the textiles were then made by hand. The finished goods then had to be picked up and transported to the merchant. 

The invention of the flying shuttle and the power loom made it possible to weave materials faster. But the spinning of the raw materials into threads and yarn was still done by hand one thread at a time and the spinners were unable to keep up with the increased demand for threads. 

James Hargreaves was eventually inspired to invent the Spinning Jennie, which used eight different spindles powered by a single wheel. This enabled one spinster to simultaneously produce eight threads in the same amount of time it took to produce one. Thus, the textile industry was moved from the cottage to the factory floor thanks to the Industrial Revolution. 

Literally for centuries natural and plant-based fibers were used to make textiles. T