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  • From: yarrow@sfo.com
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] How many wearings for a cotton shirt?
  • Date: Thu, 13 Jul 2006 12:46:12 -0700

Clothes and shoes last longer if you have more than one set, so that you can rotate use. So how long things last depends on whether you have one or two (or more) items that you are using over and over.

How fabric is cared for and stored may contribute more to its longevity than how it is used. When I had wool jackets, one season of inattention meant the wool-eating larvae got a head start (pheromone traps are a great way to prevent this kind of damage). Also, how soon do you launder after each use -- do you let chemicals or dirt degrade the fabric over a day, a week, or more? Do you make sure all items to be stored are clean? Strangely enough, some deodorants may degrade fabrics sooner. Do you use bleach and harsh detergents, or gentler cleaning products? Hand wash or vigorous washing-machine cycles? Air dry or machine dry? When a small hole or tear appears, do you ignore it, or attend to it right away?

How you care for yourself is another important factor. Do you anticipate being the same size in 5 years, or 10 years? Even if you have never gained weight, age can add pounds or horizontal inches if you don't pay attention.

Often clothes are as likely to get lost as grown out of. Accidents happen, too -- can't plan ahead for those.

If you're interested in having "enough" clothes to last for some extended amount of time, learn to sew and repair, and perhaps stock up on fabric, thread, buttons, etc. as well.

Cotton Tshirt, -- have never worn one out
Cotton jeans or heavy work pants, -- have worn holes in the knees in maybe 3 pairs in 20+ years
Cotton underwear -- 1-5 years
Wool blanket,-- I stopped buying wool a couple decades ago, but I have a soft wool blanket that I've used every day for decades that is at least 50 years old, and looks like it can easily last another 50 or 100 years
Cotton socks, 1-5 years, depends on what kind of shoes you wear and what you're doing with your feet (sitting, working in the garden, etc.), and how well you keep your toenails clipped




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