What not to wear/wash? Say NO to fleece.

I prefer natural fibres for everyday use, but fleece has a huge advantage if you are out of doors, in that it will keep you warm even if it gets wet - this was its original selling point back in the 80s when it first started to appear in camping shops. If your woolen sweater & socks and cotton trousers get soaked you will freeze!

Shearing sheep is far from cruel , leaving them with heavy woolly coats is cruel , it weighs them down in wet weather and overheats them on sunny days

The environment isn't very friendly towards us. We'd perish without food, shelter and warmth, all of which until recently we've had to wrest out of the environment (and it killed a good proportion of us in the process).

I think the environment will survive. Whether we do is another matter.

Maw,

Oh the moral maze that surrounds what was once pleasurable.
Now not only
1) do I need this?
2) can I afford this?
3) does my bum look big in this?
but also
4) is it environmentally friendly?
?

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3808980/Washing-clothes-artificial-fabrics-releases-700-000-plastic-fibres-environment.html

It's an old article from 2016 but it might interest some.

Thanks for the link tizliz.

Perhaps the problem is more our throw-away society, rather than what we are actually throwing away.
Only a generation or two ago, people generally had far fewer clothes than they do now.
I’m as guilty as anyone

would washing a fleese inside a pillowcase work at catching the particles do you think? What do you do with the particles afterwards ?

Thanks nanarayner.

Don't forget that fleece clothing is made from recycled plastic. Swings and roundabouts ?

Lemongrove, I agree. At least you had the courage to say what you think.

Shearing sheep is not cruel so I'm not sure what Telly is talking about. Check out YorkshireShepherdess @AmandaOwen8, Herdwick Shepherd @herdyshepherd1, Hannah Jackson @redshepherdess if you want to know how sheep are reared.

You can take things too far!

Does anyone think the UK is responsible for all the ills of the planet, or that, being a tiny country, unless all the world does as we do generally now about plastics to reduce the plastic soup, then it won’t make a lot of difference.
That is not to say we cannot reduce plastic in many ways, but going through your wardrobe to get rid of favourite fleecy things, may make you feel virtuous, but hardly anyone will, because they are light, warm, and wash and dry easily.Go back to heavy scratchy wool? No thanks.

www.surfacepatterndesignguild.org/spdg-blog/green-fabrics-cotton-vs-polyester

This will make you think

Not heard about the micro fiber problem, and I do have one or two fleeces. Equally I try to avoid wool as it does involve cruelty to the sheep. So it seems my options are getting ever narrower......

I’m trying to give up as much plastic as possible and not buy fruit or veg in plastic boxes, use a refillable water bottle , next to tackle the bathroom as there’s so much plastic in shower gels, soap dispensers, shampoo etc. I have bought a shampoo bar from Lush and going back to old fashioned soap and soap powder in cardboard boxes so am making a start. Don’t have any fleeces and avoid polyester, prefer natural fibres, but feel bad about all the plastic in the supermarket.

I recycle as much as the refuse collectors will take, we are quite lucky here as they take practically everything except clingfilm.
Ive stopped using as much single use plastic as I can, but my fleeces will have to last me out, I’m not throwing good clothing away, I shall have to buy the bag. However in future I will try to buy natural fibre clothing and household products, but it’s so difficult, as just about everything has a piece of plastic in it somewhere.
But I am trying to do my bit.

Grannyknot Yes, it is microfibres in anything, including cleaning cloths and similar.

Sorry but I'm not giving up my fleeces for anybody. If they go into a Charity bag someone else will wear them & clothing shouldn't go into landfill. I have several fleece throws to cover my bed & settee (can' teach cat to wipe his paws) to keep them clean. Also snuggly fleeces to keep me warm

I am getting fed up of being told everything I wear/use is harming the planet. I don't use cotton buds or plastic straws & when DD was in nappies I used terry ones rarely disposable ones. I recycle everything that can be recycled by my local Council

May I suggest we go back to wearing animal skins or even our "Birthday suit"

I know fleeces look awful and damage the environment but they are SO comfortable. Cheap to buy, don't make me itch and dry quickly after washing. I and I love my snuggly, warm fleeces dressing gowns. Seems that "they" always come up with news that take the joy out of things people like.

Does this also apply to microfibre e.g. cleaning cloths. I'm confused.

Why not lets go back to slaughtering animals and wearing the fur>

We do happen to live in this century, and like a bit of heat.

Ban gas CH ,wood burners.

the planet was ruined long before us lot came along, and I bet everyone rued the day when something new popped up.

Let us do our best to for the future and grandkids.

The problem with wearing wool is that there is sometimes cruelty involved in the way the sheep are treated. I have recently read some very distressing information about it.

It's a conundrum. I have several fleeces which are just the best thing to keep warm in chilly Scottish winters. Worn with a thermal vest, nothing else comes close.

I can't wear wool, even with a layer in between, as it makes me itch intensely. Anyone who is vegan also cannot wear wool or use down-filled clothing.

I've read that the problem could actually be solved by washing machine manufacturers and sewage plant installing finer filters which would remove the fibres before they get into the watercourses.

Quite agree with sandelf, have a fleece jerkin which is black so doesn’t need to be washed as much. I have different sized wash bags so will use that.