The end of cheap clothes is near (from the Peak Everything files)

[phantom power]

US cotton consumption is set to fall 6.5% from last year to less than a million tonnes whilst EU consumption is expected to fall 11% to about 460,000 tonnes, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) predicts.

At the same time, they are hit by more expensive raw materials and by soaring oil prices, which make their factories more expensive to operate and which pushes up the cost of shipping to foreign markets.

In India, the weaving industry is in crisis. In China, the textile sector is squeezed.

(...)

In the US, ever more cotton farmers are switching to more lucrative crops - soybeans, corn, and wheat - whose market prices are rising even faster.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7362343.stm

[tridim]

1. Yet it's still illegal to grow hemp for some reason.

It would solve much more than just a cotton problem. Hemp can provide fiber, food, plastics, building materials and fuel just for starters.

[phantom power]

7. It's more durable too.

[tridim]

17. Eventually we're going to be forced to grow hemp again

It's just a matter of when we reach a point that we can't afford not to. I hope it's not to late.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

15. my first thought too. nt

[diane in sf]

21. And hemp doesn't need all the pesticides

[Zachstar]

22. We do need to see the return of Hemp

I mean the drug laws are not helping anyone but the drug companies and meanwhile we rely on cotton which sucks the hell out of the soil.

[GreenPartyVoter]

25. It sure would.

[glowing]

2. Please, can we start producing Hemp again?

[orangerevolution]

3. I disagree

Buy your clothes at the thrift store. Name brand, some with the tags still attached, at a fraction of the price!

Only fools and idiots by new from the retailers rack!

[phantom power]

4. Errr, you see the problem with that, right?

[Shoelace]

8. we get all our clothes at thrift stores, what's the problem?

heck, I thought we were doing the right thing since we can't afford to buy new anyway. We do recycle them after we've worn these rags for awhile.
It seems that it would take less energy to do that than buy new.
Please enlighten me?

[phantom power]

10. It's a perfectly sensible practice, but...

what happens when everybody is buying less new clothing, and more people are buying from thrift shops? What happens to the inventory in the thrift shop? After all, it comes from stuff that somebody bought new.

Thrift shops are a great place to shop these days, because so many people are buying so much new stuff, and then donating it to thrift shops. As we pass through Peak Everything, pickings are going to get slim. Donations are going to slow to a trickle.

[Shoelace]

19. yes, we've already seen this happening

and in fact, one of our formerly "best" thrift shops who used to have lots of great jeans, etc., are now kind of empty.
OTOH, St. Vincent de Paul seems to be getting their usual supply of everything from furniture, pots, pans, magazines, clothing, blankets, etc.

Goodwill seems to be doing fine in terms of new items and in fact - hubby just bought a $40 "Woodstock" wind chime for 4 bucks (I love wind chimes!).
Only problem with Goodwill is it's owned by Nabisco last I heard and am a bit dubious about how they treat their workers, having heard some nasty stories about them on that account.

We try to live very simply with few needs so if it all goes south, we will manage somehow. We've learned to be very resourceful, live within our means, stay out of debt, etc. Hell, if worse comes to worse, I'd turn into Scarlett O'Hara, rip the drapes down off the windows, sew up a few new threads, lol.

We also do garage sales. Fun finds like our "new" food dehydrator for 3 bucks!

[Demit]

13. If clothes get more expensive, fewer people can afford to buy new, hence fewer people to donate to

thrift stores. So more people will be frequenting the thrift stores chasing after fewer available garments. What then? Trudging along the streets that line the gated communities of the rich, hoping for a bundle of their castoff clothes and maybe a cup of coffee?

[Warpy]

5. I lived out of thrift stores for most of my life

and now I'm trying not to because I know too many people are still poor and need to live out of thrift shops.

I'm one of the people who donates and allows folks like you to live out of them now.

I do miss walking through them and looking for stuff I need, though. Unlike in retail, the stock is always random and constantly changing. You just never know what you're going to find.

I'll be delighted when cheaply made clothing goes away. I'm at that age when I want durable, classic clothing instead of cheap fashion. The only real classics that I can find these days are jeans.

[melody]

12. exactly -- cheap clothing isn't cheap

The crap never lasts long.

I buy one good $25 t-shirt and it will last me ten years. A cheap one is $5 and lasts less than a year.
This is aside from the impact it has on the sweatshop labor producing them to keep the price low and all
the other ramifications.

[Warpy]

14. Exactly, there is false economy

and even when I was poor, I spent money on shoes, especially. A good pair of running shoes would last 10 years, 5 at work and 5 when they were too funky for work but fine to wear to do house and yard work. Cheap knockoff sneaks wouldn't last a whole year at work and would be too shot to wear around the house as stitching and substandard fabric let go.

[grasswire]

6. I think this spells the end of the shopping mall

All those stores carrying cheap clothing particularly aimed at the teen market -- they'll be gone. Old Navy, Hollister, and all the junky stores. And what will Macy's, J.C. Penney, Sears do to hang on? I was in a mall a couple of weeks ago, and it was EMPTY. Creepy empty.

[tridim]

9. They just tore down a mall near me.

Supposedly to build a better one.

I'm betting it never gets built.

[Benhurst]

11. I knew this government didn't give a damn whether I eat or get decent

medical care; but they are going to regret forcing me to go naked.

It won't be a pretty sight.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

16. LOL!

:rofl:

[Nihil]

20. I am so glad that you posted the first reply to BenHurst ...

... as it looks like the Statue of Liberty in your avatar agrees with his comment!
:rofl:

Thanks to both of your for reviving my sense of humour after the sadness of
this morning's prowl through E/E!
:toast:

[One_Life_To_Give]

18. Less crap and more quality then?

If materials are in short supply. It makes sense from all sides (Manufacturers/sewers, customers) to produce/purchase fewer pieces but higher quality, more versatile and classic designes which don't go out of style.

Although I can just picture the horror of some of todays teenagers. Having to get by on only a couple of outfits.

[baby_mouse]

23. I do really well out of charity shops.

I've been stocking up on clothes in anticipation of this. Can't grow clothes...

[diane in sf]

24. I've been buying my basic clothes at mfg. outlet stores and occasionally Ross

or I buy handmade clothing at one of the local craft fairs (no middleperson and beautiful unique clothes--not cheap but not always real expensive either). Also sew simple things like yoga pants. I like to have a lot of different outfits, but I also don't like to spend too much money.