Want to go deeper? Read the article on my journey, which shares education on the industrial clothing system, a more in depth sharing of my story, details on the fabric and sources to purchase from, answers to frequently asked questions, a deep dive on my philosophy, simple steps you can take on your own journey and more. www.robingreenfield.org/clothes/
I REALLY HOPE that you come with your own line! I’d surely buy. Your way of clothing is thousand’s of year’s old and BIBLICAL-and scientifically PROVEN NOW (look into frequency). So YAH TOLD US and RECENTLY Gandhi.
Hey Rob. The reason linen is not readily grown in the US is because after WWII the government removed subsidies for the linen farmers and the cost of labor to produce it was far more than what other countries paid their workers. It is very labor intensive but every part of the flax plant can be used resulting in zero waste. Thank you for discussing plastic free clothing. The fashion industry boasts that their making more recycled plastic into clothing but people are missing the point. We shouldn’t be putting plastic on our skin regardless if recycled or not. Thank you for all the awareness to food, clothing, indigenous cultures, and communities of people throughout turtle island.
Aker Fiber Farm, LLC in Enfield, NH grows flax and has linen. Not sure if she has cloth available, most is geared toward spinning, but she has some already spun and you could weave it or hire a weaver.
Watching this while knitting an undyed wool sweater. I always struggled with choosing yarn colors until I realized that the natural wool colors are universally flattering and go with everything.
I am 100% convinced that this is the way we are supposed to clothe ourselves. Natural materials, regionally made, no exploitation, no overconsumption, made by a community. Love it! What an inspiration.
Yeah that feels good, not everyone can live this lavish lifestyle you propose. Most people are poor. Postcards look great, but they are not real life. Don't let influencers trick you into thinking they represent normal people.
@ when tf did I say this was a lifestyle anyone can live? I’m just saying that I think that this is how it’s supposed to be. But I’m sorry, owning about 20 articles of clothing does not scream “lavish” to me.
@marcell5193 Yes, but... 1) they had no other choice 2) the materials and tools needed to do this today aren't the most affordable option for most poor people
@@katie7748 well, technically, you can raise sheep for wool, and plant hem or flax for other clothes. You can buy land for agricultural purposes much cheaper than city apartments or houses for example, the catch is, it's a lot of work, personally I wouldn't do it. But back to the topic, if you watch this guy's content, he barely has any money. But also, buying raw materials and making your own clothes should be cheaper, since you don't have to pay the labor costs.
Hey there. I'm pedro and I'm a Guatemala Maya weaver. I was born and raised in South Florida. But now I live in alabama. It will be awsome to teach you the art of weaving on a backstrap weaving loom. One of the old way of weaving. The loom is more mobile on the go, and lightweight. My people carry their loom like a backpack when traveling. The also carry it when they crossed over here to the USA, back in the early 80's. Soo, it will be awesome to teach you .
Hello Dear Pedro, It would been so much to me to learn weaving from you. Perhaps one day I will travel to your land and we can enjoy this together. Thank you so much for this offer. You have touched my heart! Love, Robin
Hola Pedro! I hope you and your loved ones will be safe in light of recent political developments. I would love to learn your way of weaving. I now live on the Spanish island of Mallorca. Have you thought of making videos and posting on line? I think many people would be interested. Cuidaté Hijo del Maize 🌽
@@katellayes I'm working on it. Try to find what way to do it. So I'm writing down a drift to guide me. And watch tutorials on how to do step step tutorials video 🤣
This guy is cool af. I’ve thought about so many of these alternative ways of doing things, but haven’t lived half of them. I’m impressed and inspired, thanks dude. Decolonize. Reindigenize. Share the planet and its blessings with all creatures and life.
Robin, the lichen you find on dead tree branches dyes wool a lovely mustard yellow. It needs no mordant and doesn't seem to fade as much as turmeric. It leaves a lovely earthy scent too, even after washing. Love the video!
Oh that’s so cool! I always wondered what I could use it for. My husband and I take the children mushroom picking and I always see the lichen. Do you boil it like other dyes and how long should it be soaked? Should you add vinegar? I also know of onion skins to get a beautiful earthy brown color.
Ty for doing this podcast. I had breast cancer 2 years ago and found out how toxic clothes can be to wear. Since I have been learning to make my own clothes. I have a long ways to go but now have hand knitted socks and sweaters and a dress I sewed. On my way!
@@katie7748 it makes me sad that the FDA is not taking care of the people. But yes I have also changed cleaning products and hygiene products and I constantly keep learning through the process.
Recently i made my own snood from the wool of my own sheep, i made the whole process to transform the wool. I made the snood with my loom which is quite simple to use. It's an incredible feeling ❤ it makes so much sense
I love this!! I passed my spinning wheel on decades ago, then occasionally missed it! Was tickled to find a little drop spindle in a thrift store, which is perfect for times i want to spin a bit!
Robin, here is a nonprofit idea for you (or anyone reading this), along the lines of supporting small businesses: a nonprofit ecommerce marketplace, where millions of small businesses (and only small businesses) in the US and abroad could easily advertise their products in a common ecommerce platform for free, so it's easy for everyone to find a local, handmade, home-grown, indigenous, etc version of any product. The point would be to give consumers a healthier alternative to Amazon, Walmart, etc.
@@rivergreen5551 Yes, this idea is similar to Etsy, but... Etsy is a company, not a nonprofit, so their agenda is as much or more about making money for themselves as about helping as many small businesses as possible. It's not free to sell things there (sellers pay about 6.5% and have protested that). They don't seem to encourage people to make or buy local, natural, or indigenous things, though you can find such things there. They're oriented towards buyers only in wealthy countries, not to helping everyone in the world find local, natural, etc things near them. They're more about selling arts and crafts than everyday practical things. They allow manufactured products to be labelled as 'handmade'. And so on. Basically, they think like a company, not a nonprofit.
I am so happy for this video and about your goal. Clothing industry has gone too wild, poisoning environments and wasting resources in creating so much poor quality clothes that end up in land fields and in the environment. Clothing definitely is one of the most important changes we need in this world.
I love this so much. I transitioned to wearing 80% merino wool and 20% organic cotton about 2 years ago and am in love with the vibrations of the fibres and how well I'm feeling wearing these clothes. I live on a merino sheep station and have 5 rescue sheep myself. The next step in my evolution is to spin and felt my own wool into clothing.
Love learning about your clothing. I have been a thrifter since before it was cool. I learned about fast fashion in high-school when I bought a pair of jeans and they made my legs turn blue. I was appalled to learn that rivers ran blue in the areas where jeans were being made...so my campaign at that age was to write letters to the corporations. I knew I still contributed to system even if I bought it at the thrift store or my friends gave me their old jeans but that was as far as I could take it. I appreciate you and how you do things in your way and are not preachy about any of it and never have been. You recognize everyone does the best that they can and even small changes make a difference in the long run.❤
We need to get back to making everything ourselves instead of having to rely on other countries for things that used to grow abundantly here. You've given all of us some great business ideas. Let's all connect with our farmers and support the things they grow and make, so we do not have to rely on big corporations for everything we need. Thank you!
My problem is sourcing quality HEAVIER fabrics - so much of what is out there is just paper-thin and even the "opaque" fabrics you can see light shining through!
Love this! My mother-in law and I learned to spin in the 70s, and my former hubby took a class in Navaho Weaving and natural dying at the same time - I've saved avocado skins and seeds I have a little book from a Canadian museum I Cut My Cote (coat) after my Cloth - with patterns (skeches) taken from the shapes of skins, and narrowly woven strips of cloth. These days, most of my meat comes from farmers who raise pasture raised heritage sheep - for both meat and wool - Jacobs and Navaho-Churro. They sell at our year round farmers market where i get most of my purchased veg. Several years ago i knit a hat, cowel and fingerless gloves for my son when he was doing search and rescue - using some of Karen's wool (I spun using a drop spindle). They also make and sell buttons from the horns (with the Jacobs, both the rams and ewes are 4-horned!) My key ring has a little bobbed lambtail. As Karen mentions - the lambs they 'bob' are the ones chosen to raise for wool and breeding - as heritage breeds, they are sturdy and have more genetic diversity than industrial Livestock .... This year I knit a witchy hat using handspun yarn I'd purchased from another market friend Louise, who has passed - I love handing it to someone who compliments it, and letting them feel the soft wool! (Not natural dyes on this one) My favorite quilt was made by my mom (born in 1912) and grandma with wool they carded, then used 30s cotton yardage to cover, and hand tied. (They made them in the 30s or 40s) (and I got linen and organic cotton sheets when I moved into a small home last year - felt decadent as I've thrifted linens in the past - and love them! I do wash in the machine - but hang dry to extend their life - and use local wool drier balls with other laundry) Hemp and nettles with their long fibers are lovely to work with - and easier on the land than cotton (they are trickier to spin than wool) .... I've made a bit of nettle cordage .... linsey-woolsy (linnen woven with wool) is one of the ways our ancestors strengthened their clothing! And kilts are a lovely option Here in the rainy Pacific NW, cedar was one of the resources our first nations folk used for hats and capes - as well as their building .... Your unintentional style would fit right in at Breitenbush Hot Springs community, where I lived ~ 4 years in the 90s - lots of natural fibers! We had a room in one of the staff buildings for clothing exchange - I still have some items found there - I also have a beautiful Irish wool poncho, given me by a school Chum of my kids ~40 years ago! It had a tight neck band that I finally decided to carefully remove, and knit a hood out of handspun (like the hat, the poncho still gets compliments - 45 years after that gifting! And i think she'd found it at a thrift store!) Re: linen - for about 100 years, (1840s-1950) Oregon's Willamette Valley produced flax - and in the latter years, the most grown in the world! WWII and fires at the state penitentiary processing plant put an end to production www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/flax_and_linen_industry_of_oregon/
Happy to see you, Robin!Your shawl is reminiscent of the scottish plaid. It functions as a warm blanket, a great warm coat, a backpack, and even protection for the body in the event of a battle.
18:55 I think it's okay to really like your clothing, especially when you've put so much care into it! And, I think that that love is visible to other people, and that's what makes it "cool"
I was thinking the same, I have to say I fell out of watching him for a long long while ,but this video made me respect him again, now I want to try and do it myself somehow on the land, but it's a damn long way and a lonely one😅
Good to hear other people feel the same. i got my wool from local sheeps i know, i have 2 spinning wheels a big countermache loom. and i knit since 52 years. also i sew my clothes mostly my self. I could felt shoes but haven't done it yet....
Another benefit of the shawl is that you don't lose any fiber in the making of it, since it comes square off the loom and doesn't need to be cut. If you don't mind looking a bit "strange" you should look into early medieval tunics. They are made with almost all rectangle pieces and made for freedom of movement and comfort (including a square of fabric diagonally under the armpits). Are you planning on finding people with the craft skills to make clothes from fiber to cloth or will you do this all yourself. If the later you are up for a long and exciting journey. This year I got to shave sheep myself, then wash, comb and spin the wool (with an antique spinningwheel). I have woven a scarf, but yet to produce enough yarn for bigger clothing. It takes MILES of thread.
Your commitnent to your adventures / projects is profound 🥰 I, a couple of years ago went with all Natural - Organic Linen, Hemp, Organic Cotton, Vegan Silk & Wool for their health influencing frequency levels etc. I love that you have taken this concept even deeper & with more connection. Love your journey- thank you for sharing fellow shawl wearer! 🥰 Peace on your path.
@@northbells it is my understanding that the difference in regular silk & vegan, is in the production - vegan waits until the cocoons have hatched & then spins the threads from the vacated cocoons, Whereas regular silk manufacturing boils the cocoons killing the larvae inside. 🤷🏼♀️ It is quite a bit more expensive - I only have 3 pieces. It is also my understanding that the frequency of silk is near zero, so the healing properties are rather null, whereas linen is a positive 5000 frequency & wool is a negative 5000. Search frequency of fabrics for research information & details - it’s a rabbit hole for sure. 😉
When you make clothes you make them in a moment in time, you make memories well you create them, and they end up full of your choices. It is inevitable that people see that story and acknowledge it, and by acknowledging clothes are people celebrate the care and time that went into them if they know the number of hours or not. Every piece of clothing you own has its own story, not just from the land it came from but from you. People are inevitable part of the ecosystem as well and seeing that reflected in clothes is not a bad thing. I'm working on a grey (undyed, non-super wash) knit sweater and within it I see the farmers market I bought the yarn from, and the warm fall I've made it in, and all the hopes I had for it and for my self during that time. Its full of different patterns and a fun construction both from the inspiration I've based it of but also my want to have fun. To take joy in what you make is such an important part of making, if that is a simple design or a complicated one. It adds joy into the world and gives makers an extra layer of power to say not just I can make clothes at home, but my clothes are more beautiful.
you're the only sane person i've ever encountered. most of us beLIEve too much in our delusions. edit: the hug from 2-22-22 still hasn't run out. (i got a hug from Jill Stein, recently, too)
This is amazing! I am absolutely inspired. So grateful you're going on this journey. I would highly recommend looking into ancient fiber textiles as well. So many fibers existed that aren't commonly used anymore. Yucca is one local to my area that I've been loving experimenting with
Armpit gussets... Also, visible darning with some bigger thread/yarn? Iron mordanting will get you darker colors, but don't wash with other clothes that use other mordants, or no mordants. Iron is good for preserving dye against sun exposure, but it will make colors almost dingier as well as darker, in tone, quite significantly so (may be a plus for you). Onion skins could also be an interesting dye for you, possibly with a copper mordant. Furries (name on etsy) from Okanogan Washington salvages animal corpses. They have leather, antlers, teeth, and fur. Might be able to contact them more directly. A note about patching... You can always do a larger patch. Things tend to rip in places no one wants to bring attention to. Thinking in terms of panels, strips, and designs, instead of patches, can help reuse what is already there, and anchor things better, and more comfortably. With weaker fabric, you might consider going the opposite way, as it were, and sewing/embroidering in full piece reinforcement, more along the lines of sashiko embroidery. Trying to be too simple in design can give you less leeway in modification than most everybody needs if they intend to keep, and get use out of, their clothes. I have been a leggings girl since I was a toddler, and I've been on a green, ethical wardrobe kick, for as long as I've had a choice, and known that wilding crafter impulses could be put to greater use. I know of what I speak. Even if your body doesn't change, your clothes will get thinner, and develop holes. Adding some deliberate visual complexity can actually save your clothes for years to come. I would also seriously consider beefing up your warmth layers for winter, if they are already a bit too thin for your taste. Finally, if you come into the Bay Area (big, huge, if), I recommend A Verb for Keeping Warm. They do natural dying in house, take commissions, and sell yarn. They also have natural dying books, and knowledgeable people you can ask some questions of.
U can live anywhere and only use natural materials as our ancestors did. We have here in northern europe up to -10/-15 degrees in winter and i only use natural materials. I think it is great u share and inspire others. Thanks for that!
How do you keep your feet warm? My shoes are leather but they have rubber soles. I might find it hard with only leather soles in deep snow or wet snow and wet weather in general. Asking as I'm interested. It can get significantly colder here, though, -25/-30 celsius.
@@HennaHuu In the past they would use fats and wax to water proof all kinds of things from leather shoes to tents. They also used snow shoes more often then we do today so you wouldn't be walking through a lot of snow to get your shoes or boots wet.
You are very interesting to watch. Thank you for your passion for the planet. You are very down to earth and know how to live a simple life. Keep up the good work.
I'm a hobbyist in bushcraft and have thought a lot about the clothing issue. For quality clothing you really have to do all the skillful fiber processing and weaving. For a survival situation I wonder about making a grass\leaf cape\skirt combo like the old japanese style in Princess Mononoke. It wouldn''t be too hard to rig up a cattail leaf umbrella, hat, cape, and skirt. That'd go a long way to keeping you warm and dry. I gotta try that out. I gotta learn how to make fiber into yarn and weave fabric, only crotched one hat years ago. I know how to make milkweed string, it's a beautiful white color and smooth when the bark bits are gone. Yeah, that'd be dope, milkweed clothing. It'd take forever but be satisfying and very strong. Made a simple coil cordage basket out of milkweed fiber years ago, super cute. Mmm hmm, urge for crafts growing!
This is one of those videos where I feel and look like a person whose sport team has just won a big game 😂 Robin, thank you for sharing your journey! 💚
Howdy, Rob! I have two male alpine goats that I rescued from a dairy farm 8 years ago. I was thinking that after their souls return to the ancestors, maybe I could donate their hides and that could be an ethical source of leather for someone...🐐🐐💕
I just found you channel so inspiring❤ love the longer videos the best makes my day better when I walk wit you in spirit !!! Please keep these longer videos coming❤
If you could find (eg, antique) or build a wooden loom, you could make large pieces of heavy or light natural fabric, without the time commitment of knitting, for things like woollen blankets, sleeping bags (knitting the edges of blankets together around an insulating layer of cotton or the like), cotton bed sheets, etc. Also, you can buy many such handmade natural fabrics from India. Hope this helps.
@TheDepotDame True. I mentioned India because of Robin's affinity for India (Gandhi, etc), and because handmade things are usually expensive in America, due to America's being run by large corporations, being cruel to the poor, etc. I would love for America to be more supportive of small businesses, but it seems to be going in the opposite direction.
I think you would like watching videos from Sally Pointer :) She managed to try out very basic historical (iron age) methods using sticks, thorn, nettles, etc. to make yarn, fabric and clothes :) I'm Dutch, and you might want to wear extra wooden shoes if you want to walk on rough surfaces :P It doesn't need to be a clog, it can be japanese style, but it will prevent you leather shoes to damage so fast. You can wash with fresh crushed ivy leaves, they have natural saponins. But you might all ready know all these things :P It was an interesting video. Edit: didn't they use urine as a mordant for dyes in the old days? That's natural :P It's harder to calculate with to get the exact ratios though :P
Awesome vid! I’m learning to spin wool and learned last week that the original Irish fisherman’s sweaters and hats were made from spinning raw wool, with the lanolin still in it, which made them waterproof! Might help you in your weatherproofing quest, to look into that!
I love this so much. I want to find sheep wool from a local farmer to make my own yarn. I hardly by clothes anymore, and I am crocheting my own clothes now.
Thanks for sharing Robin! I appreciate you sharing what is possible and inspiring radical imagination for all of us that are interested in doing life in a kinder way.
This was a great, thoughtful video. My main hobby is creating my own clothes, through sewing and knitting. I also spin my own yarn to knit with. I love in Oregon, and we are so lucky to have many local shepherds that I can purchase a whole fleece from and process it all the way through to a sweater. I still have a ways to go, but I have come so far from where I used to be.
Love you. You're my biggest inspiration, amazingly coherent human being! Every single thing you do shows wisdom. Thanks for your existence, beautiful man! 😃
Would you think about doing a video showing how most people could manage securing all natural clothing? If by shopping at Thrift type store or ideas on something that could be accomplished on a budget affordable by most. Something that could be done on a regular basis- that is environmentally conscious but also affordable? Not everyone can do what you have but wish to do Something-small steps are better than no steps
Hello Dear Friend, I certainly would love to make that video, but alas I am sure I won't get to it. However, this video ends with sharing tips for what you can do, and the accompanying article shares resources that would be helpful in this. Put simply though, one could just go to thrift stores and seek out the natural fibers. There's a lot at many secondhand shops at very reasonable prices. Love, Robin
Robin, have you ever seen an old British TV series from the 1970s (I think) called "Good Neighbors?" On the show, a couple decide that the husband will quit his job in advertising and they will try to live on their existing home property in a little British town while going back to as natural a lifestyle as possible, growing as much of their own food as possible, etc. It was a one-season series of about 20 episodes, and this video reminds me of it because in one of the episodes, Tom (the husband) is wearing a home-made suit made of wool spun and woven by the couple from local sheep (someone else's sheep), woven into fabric by them, and then his wife sewed the suit, which was dyed (I think) with local moss. Anyway, I think you might get a kick out of that series if you haven't seen it--you might be able to find a streaming source somewhere nowadays. (PBS used to show it, but it has been quite a while since they did.) By the way, I really enjoyed this talk--have been following some of the fibershed accounts on Instagram for a while.
Wow, great video and tremendous work. Inspiring. One culture you may like is of the indigenous people of northern Colombia in the Sierra Nevada mountain region. They practice sustainable agriculture and weave cotton by hand for their clothes, make bags out of wool, cotton and plant fibres. If you go to the north you are able to buy their bags/ mochillas in the artisan shops. I would also recommend a town called Villa de Leyva in boyaca region, Colombia. And rakira. The tradition of hand weaving and knitting wool is still very rooted in the culture, you are able to find hand woven/knitted ruanas, blankets, sweaters, hats etc. Me and my partner have spent the last few months travelling around and learning about these processes and subsequently creating a minimalist natural wardrobe. I plan on buying some land here to raise sheep, cattle and goats so that we can produce these natural fibres and materials It is an amazing practice that breaks down barriers between cultures and allows our inner creativity and humanity to flow. The only thing I’ve found hard to find in Colombia is bark tanned leather, all is industrial unfortunately using chromium dyes! So shoes and leather side bags are the next step..! Also for dying clothes I am yet to do it but there exists techniques such as mud dying which is so simple. I plan on using tree bark to dye as that is very high in tannic acid so I will not have to use a mordant to help the colour stick. I get colour inspiration from dogs mainly, so my under layers are lighter coloured and warmer layers are darker. Great to see other people are working towards this. I get funny looks in public and asked about my religious beliefs frequently so you are not the only one 😂 embrace the beard though brother, it will only increase the attention and seeing your different colours flourish is a truly magical thing! ❤️ All the very best, Sam.
I have the same view on cloth. There is also more to - like sewing by hand the energetic way. It transforms even more than just natural fabric. So interresting to look into it. Knowledge comes from Russia and becoming big in Germany, too. Lübow Mylzewa, Lüboslawa.
Brother I appreciate this sooooo much! I hope that we all can move towards your respect for Mother Earth and reflect it on our clothing, promoting new beautiful discoveries and development! Praise god!
I'm inspired by this path. There is something so yummy about wearing an item I've made myself. One thing I wish more people to become aware of: As a kindness to birds, any thread or yarn scraps should be buried. If a bird takes it for its nest, it can wrap around the feet and harm the bird. Even though it's biodegradable, the structure of yarn/thread is designed to be tough and to last for years. Blessings to you and all beings!
First of all, thank you for the inspiration... as always. I am vegan and you have reminded me and inspired me to a more close to the earth approach in my clothing. I have a long way to go but I'm committed to not buying anymore new nylon or oil based, human made, plastic clothes. We do disagree on the animal wearing aspect. I would never want harm to come to animal with my clothing choices and I am working towards only wearing plant based, natural clothing. Thank you Robin. Wishing you good happiness and health.✌️😊
I don't believe shearing a sheep for their wool is harming them. I saw a video of a sheep that had such a massive coat from not being sheared that it was hampering it and it was happy when kind souls finally sheared it. I believe in not eating animals too, but collecting animal fibers that are shed, or sheared, I believe is not harmful.
@@karatstixrawShearing isn’t the problem with sheep. I do think you can get ethical wool but you have to examine all aspects of their life history, living situation, even breeding.
You appear very authentic and centered right now. Is it just the clothes?! Hope all is well and happy to continue to follow your journey and be reminded of what I hold dear too.
Hello Dear Friend, Of course it's not just the clothes, it is my entire approach to life! But I certainly love being in clothes that I feel a more harmonious connection with! Love, Robin
There is one thing I like about this video is that you are still learning I am try still to convince my family to try to minimize there stuff and it very hard but won’t give up SO KEEP GOING😊
You are living my dream. Thank you for the inspiration. I was on my way to buy a new winter jacket with great inner resistance, and then your video showed up. And I went home. Though I must say, even though I want everything to be natural, this to me does not mean to exclude beauty, individuality, fashion art and - most importantly for me - pockets :D.
I have had the same yearning for years. For now is using natural fibre clothes bought second hand and leather shoes but i wish for so much more. I love wool and linen. Im so looking forward to sourcing hand made fabrics to make some of my own clothes. Thanks for the inspiring video!
There are an amazing number of videos that deal with medieval patterns and specifically the triangular gore in the armpit that prevents the seam blowout on shirts. Also wearing a basic, undyed shift/shirt under your dyed clothes keeps your outer clothes cleaner and allows for longer life for all your clothes. Fandabi Dozi does really good job of discussing the Scottish plaid. Way more options for wearing than I ever knew. Women's options, too! And would translate well to your blanket. Finally consider replacing elastic with drawstrings. Creates more options... Loved your video and your immersion in the research is inspiring. Thank you!
I think this is admirable. As a knitter, crocheter, and sewer, I have indeed made my own clothes, but they weren’t always natural fibers or naturally dyed. I do think that in this day and age, you wouldn’t really fit in with others. Like, you couldn’t have a regular job, b/c you wouldn’t be dressing like everyone else. The only way to pull it off would be to be uber rich, then you could afford to buy, or pay others to make, all the clothes that you would need in order to look like everyone else, with the exception that your clothes would be natural fibers and naturally dyed.. I remember as a kid thinking that if a person really believed in their religion, they’d not fit in and be an outcast and would be very poor b/c most work that pays good money is immoral in some sense. This is similar, I think. Whenever your values go against mainstream society, you will not fit in. Not saying that that means that you shouldn’t do it, or that fitting in is necessary or important, but in the stone age it was, and we’re wired to want to fit in, b/c in our ancestral past, not fitting in meant death. But everyone can incorporate more natural fibers in their wardrobes.
Flax needs a cold winter. It isn't inconceivable that it might be cultivated in North America today, but you've got to understand, the first textile crops grown in the US were hemp, and cotton, and growing a ton of both was a colonial project, already moving away from how people had used, and stewarded the land. Conceivably, the middle of the country could have cultivated linen, but the buffalo were already there, and far more useful. In Europe, Lithuania remains a big producer of linen. I believe Ukraine and Poland had some linen production too (have? had?). Canada might also be about right in some respects? Flax is kind of a cold marshy meadow crop.
This is the third video I've viewed this week dealing with diving into alternative ways to 'DIY' regarding textiles, in some way. I really appreciate your sharing everything you're learning! It's interesting to me the backgrounds or lifestyles of the people getting into this. RUclips channel, 'Engineering Knits' has a playlist of how this gal grew the flax - to weaving the little bit she got from her ground zero experiment, if that interests you. She's SO hooked now! Learned a TON! RUclips channel, 'Absolute History' just ran a video on 'How the Victorians Celebrated Christmas' , and there was a little segment of dying with plants - and using stale urine to fix the yellow color from the weld plant, [around 32 and 38 on the timeline]. Clues are everywhere! I just saw where they go back to Medieval times...wonder what's going on there.
I applaude your success. I slowly changed my wardrobe to handmade natural fibers over the past 20 years but still have some old/vintage/2nd hand cloth items I change out when they are worn out and cannot be repaired any longer. I spin, knit, weave and sew by hand, so every cloth item takes a little while longer :) I don't agree with you that it is not accessible for everyone. Maybe not in a year but over the amount of several years, you can change out most of your wardrobe with handmade natural clothes. I was a professional natural dyer for many years, so you should look forward to a wonderful dye journey in your future. Do you know the nettle dress, a film/project by Allan Brown. He began his fiber journey harvesting, processing and spinning, weaving, sewing one dress made completely out of nettles. By now he farms his own flax. And there is Pete Wade in the USA who is farming his own flax.
Awesome! I’m a beginner teaching myself to spin and weave. Mostly local wool, but dabble in harvesting nettle around my home. May grow some flax in future when I have more time. This fall I tried dying with lobster mushrooms for the first time, also have been dying with avocado seeds and skins, and invasive species such as tansy ragwort. I do a lot of thrifting for cotton thread and sewing notions.
For the average person who likes this and wants it - THRIFT WOOL. In person or online or in people's closets - there is very reasonably priced wool that will last all over. I've seen a lot more linen around lately too.
yes! and thinking about every step of the making...ive been making things using second hand material and tools for a few years now,and always have so much more to learn and constantly lessening my impact on this earth😊
I don't really have an issue with machines making fabric or electric sewing machines, remember machines are our friends when it comes to labor being less brutal, tedious and time consuming for working people. Sewing machines and knitting machines are so fun to use for a someone with the hobby of sewing. I think most people should make their own clothes because it's more fun and it's a natural hobby to have when clothing is necessary for survival it makes since for everyone to be good at it, and to make their own rather than every task people do being outsourced to someone who is bored of doing it. It is our fur after-al, we live in our clothes. I really appreciate your use of natural fibers, dyes and non-exploitative ways of obtaining clothing. I think trying to be too minimal with it can squash creativity however, learning a new skill may require a bit more fabric and making a few more garments than you need for absolute survival and I think that's not going to harm anyone or the Urth, it's great to not have too many things however, balance is key. I think a manual knitting machine would be a fun thing for you to try out, since you are interested in fabric creation, it's nice to find a way to make fabric that isn't as slow as hand knitting. Crochet or nalbinding may be more intuitive to learn than knitting and knitting can be done with a manual machine or even a home use electric knitting machine. The manual ones aren't too much work though for making your own things, you could make your own sweater pretty fast. I think it's natural for humans to go far and wide, we have been trading vast regions for many centuries and before airships went out of popular use it was not so bad for things to come from far away. We will have airships again but in the meantime it's more important that it was made by people who are treated well and with little harm to the Urth. -Clove Dove
Make the shorts with a doubled up fabric seat of the shorts and pants make pants and shorts with drawl string waists and on the shoes use a yucca sole with the wool sock attached or a carved wooden sole I bought a pair of sandals that formed too my arches and natural upper foot straps but it did have screw too hold the strap in place but they could be replaced with wooden dowels with a round knob ends for easy repair of leather in winter time. And make the winter pants out of canvas with knee and butt double for long lasting like military pants. I found natural fiber poncho with deer prints cream back ground and dark brown and it so warm. I always buy 100% cotton clothes went I can and wool top layers for winter time. And I crochet all my hats ,fingerless gloves with mitten foldover tops and working on socks, and a wool slippers. And your shorts and pants could be made with a slideing waist with 2 different button for when the fabric loosens up or another option is a drawl stringed waist . Mother always use vinegar too set the dyes in her fabrics or salt.
Thank you Robin for sharing. Lovely thoughts as usual! ... Just a short note or question for your thoughts please... I've recently heard that wool and linen don't go together, so wear separately. Secondly, I had heard you mention Wi, but Ashland, wow, I had lived there for a long time. It's a beautiful place next to the great lake! In joy.
Hello Dear Friend, I am not concerned with the combination of linen and wool. I am not trying to fully optimize my life and I can tell you I am thriving with wearing both wool and linen together. Yes to Lake Superior! Love, Robin
Still, there's a lot of decent non dyed cotton, wool, and linen clothing you can find at thrift stores and yard sales. Reasonably priced and ready to wear. It's a step in the right direction until you can 100% sew or knit your own clothing. I love you Robin✌️🤟🤙
In regards to natural fibers- there’s a lot of programs here up in the northeast that I think you’d really find use out of! First one that comes to mind is “the flax project” and they even did a program through UNH allowing participants to grow and bring flax from seed to fabric
If you're seeking more natural mordants you can use either soy milk or rhubarb leaves. The rhubarb leaves are the easiest to use. This is a fantastic ideal to work towards, as you wear through items you can move more towards handmade. I would also suggest you consider base letter tunics to layer and help give your outer garments a longer lifespan. Great work!
Want to go deeper?
Read the article on my journey, which shares education on the industrial clothing system, a more in depth sharing of my story, details on the fabric and sources to purchase from, answers to frequently asked questions, a deep dive on my philosophy, simple steps you can take on your own journey and more.
www.robingreenfield.org/clothes/
You are such an inspiration! Love your channel!❤
I REALLY HOPE that you come with your own line! I’d surely buy. Your way of clothing is thousand’s of year’s old and BIBLICAL-and scientifically PROVEN NOW (look into frequency). So YAH TOLD US and RECENTLY Gandhi.
Ok, will do that after the video. Thanks :)
Hey Rob. The reason linen is not readily grown in the US is because after WWII the government removed subsidies for the linen farmers and the cost of labor to produce it was far more than what other countries paid their workers. It is very labor intensive but every part of the flax plant can be used resulting in zero waste. Thank you for discussing plastic free clothing. The fashion industry boasts that their making more recycled plastic into clothing but people are missing the point. We shouldn’t be putting plastic on our skin regardless if recycled or not. Thank you for all the awareness to food, clothing, indigenous cultures, and communities of people throughout turtle island.
Aker Fiber Farm, LLC in Enfield, NH grows flax and has linen. Not sure if she has cloth available, most is geared toward spinning, but she has some already spun and you could weave it or hire a weaver.
Watching this while knitting an undyed wool sweater. I always struggled with choosing yarn colors until I realized that the natural wool colors are universally flattering and go with everything.
RIGHT! You've just passed that realisation on! Thanks
I am 100% convinced that this is the way we are supposed to clothe ourselves. Natural materials, regionally made, no exploitation, no overconsumption, made by a community. Love it! What an inspiration.
Yeah that feels good, not everyone can live this lavish lifestyle you propose. Most people are poor. Postcards look great, but they are not real life. Don't let influencers trick you into thinking they represent normal people.
@ when tf did I say this was a lifestyle anyone can live? I’m just saying that I think that this is how it’s supposed to be. But I’m sorry, owning about 20 articles of clothing does not scream “lavish” to me.
@@Broken_robot1986 Interestingly, people throughout history made their clothes like this, and they were much poorer than the average US citizen today.
@marcell5193
Yes, but...
1) they had no other choice
2) the materials and tools needed to do this today aren't the most affordable option for most poor people
@@katie7748 well, technically, you can raise sheep for wool, and plant hem or flax for other clothes. You can buy land for agricultural purposes much cheaper than city apartments or houses for example, the catch is, it's a lot of work, personally I wouldn't do it.
But back to the topic, if you watch this guy's content, he barely has any money. But also, buying raw materials and making your own clothes should be cheaper, since you don't have to pay the labor costs.
I spin the Wool of my own sheep and make socks and sweater of it. I totally understand it. it is a very Special feeling to wear my own clothes ❤
Hey there. I'm pedro and I'm a Guatemala Maya weaver. I was born and raised in South Florida. But now I live in alabama. It will be awsome to teach you the art of weaving on a backstrap weaving loom. One of the old way of weaving. The loom is more mobile on the go, and lightweight. My people carry their loom like a backpack when traveling. The also carry it when they crossed over here to the USA, back in the early 80's. Soo, it will be awesome to teach you .
Do you sell anything online ???
Hello Dear Pedro,
It would been so much to me to learn weaving from you. Perhaps one day I will travel to your land and we can enjoy this together. Thank you so much for this offer. You have touched my heart!
Love,
Robin
@@Robin.Greenfield Anytime my friend! If you ever pass by alabama I'll be here. 👋
Hola Pedro! I hope you and your loved ones will be safe in light of recent political developments. I would love to learn your way of weaving. I now live on the Spanish island of Mallorca. Have you thought of making videos and posting on line? I think many people would be interested.
Cuidaté Hijo del Maize 🌽
@@katellayes I'm working on it. Try to find what way to do it. So I'm writing down a drift to guide me. And watch tutorials on how to do step step tutorials video 🤣
This guy is cool af.
I’ve thought about so many of these alternative ways of doing things, but haven’t lived half of them. I’m impressed and inspired, thanks dude.
Decolonize. Reindigenize. Share the planet and its blessings with all creatures and life.
The fast fashion industry is so devastating to the planet. Glad you are committed to wearing natural fabrics and dyes.
Robin, the lichen you find on dead tree branches dyes wool a lovely mustard yellow. It needs no mordant and doesn't seem to fade as much as turmeric. It leaves a lovely earthy scent too, even after washing. Love the video!
Oh that’s so cool! I always wondered what I could use it for. My husband and I take the children mushroom picking and I always see the lichen. Do you boil it like other dyes and how long should it be soaked? Should you add vinegar?
I also know of onion skins to get a beautiful earthy brown color.
@raina4732 lichens have been used in dying the wool for kilts - and one of the common mordants used was urine!
Ty for doing this podcast. I had breast cancer 2 years ago and found out how toxic clothes can be to wear. Since I have been learning to make my own clothes. I have a long ways to go but now have hand knitted socks and sweaters and a dress I sewed. On my way!
That’s amazing. Good for you. I just learned how to sew on a button. I have a ways to go as well. Lol
7 years for me. It's on my to do list. Started with foods, cleaning products, and hygiene products. Slowly but surely 😊
@@katie7748 it makes me sad that the FDA is not taking care of the people. But yes I have also changed cleaning products and hygiene products and I constantly keep learning through the process.
Recently i made my own snood from the wool of my own sheep, i made the whole process to transform the wool. I made the snood with my loom which is quite simple to use. It's an incredible feeling ❤ it makes so much sense
Way to go Dear Friend!
Love,
Robin
I love this!! I passed my spinning wheel on decades ago, then occasionally missed it! Was tickled to find a little drop spindle in a thrift store, which is perfect for times i want to spin a bit!
Robin, here is a nonprofit idea for you (or anyone reading this), along the lines of supporting small businesses: a nonprofit ecommerce marketplace, where millions of small businesses (and only small businesses) in the US and abroad could easily advertise their products in a common ecommerce platform for free, so it's easy for everyone to find a local, handmade, home-grown, indigenous, etc version of any product. The point would be to give consumers a healthier alternative to Amazon, Walmart, etc.
This would be incredible 🥰
Etsy 😅
@@rivergreen5551 Yes, this idea is similar to Etsy, but... Etsy is a company, not a nonprofit, so their agenda is as much or more about making money for themselves as about helping as many small businesses as possible. It's not free to sell things there (sellers pay about 6.5% and have protested that). They don't seem to encourage people to make or buy local, natural, or indigenous things, though you can find such things there. They're oriented towards buyers only in wealthy countries, not to helping everyone in the world find local, natural, etc things near them. They're more about selling arts and crafts than everyday practical things. They allow manufactured products to be labelled as 'handmade'. And so on. Basically, they think like a company, not a nonprofit.
I love that you blend in with the background ❤ so beautiful
I am so far away from where you are but I try to make little changes every day. You are an inspiration and I thank you for that.
I am so happy for this video and about your goal. Clothing industry has gone too wild, poisoning environments and wasting resources in creating so much poor quality clothes that end up in land fields and in the environment. Clothing definitely is one of the most important changes we need in this world.
I love this so much. I transitioned to wearing 80% merino wool and 20% organic cotton about 2 years ago and am in love with the vibrations of the fibres and how well I'm feeling wearing these clothes.
I live on a merino sheep station and have 5 rescue sheep myself.
The next step in my evolution is to spin and felt my own wool into clothing.
Love learning about your clothing. I have been a thrifter since before it was cool. I learned about fast fashion in high-school when I bought a pair of jeans and they made my legs turn blue. I was appalled to learn that rivers ran blue in the areas where jeans were being made...so my campaign at that age was to write letters to the corporations. I knew I still contributed to system even if I bought it at the thrift store or my friends gave me their old jeans but that was as far as I could take it. I appreciate you and how you do things in your way and are not preachy about any of it and never have been. You recognize everyone does the best that they can and even small changes make a difference in the long run.❤
We need to get back to making everything ourselves instead of having to rely on other countries for things that used to grow abundantly here. You've given all of us some great business ideas. Let's all connect with our farmers and support the things they grow and make, so we do not have to rely on big corporations for everything we need. Thank you!
My problem is sourcing quality HEAVIER fabrics - so much of what is out there is just paper-thin and even the "opaque" fabrics you can see light shining through!
Love this!
My mother-in law and I learned to spin in the 70s, and my former hubby took a class in Navaho Weaving and natural dying at the same time - I've saved avocado skins and seeds
I have a little book from a Canadian museum I Cut My Cote (coat) after my Cloth - with patterns (skeches) taken from the shapes of skins, and narrowly woven strips of cloth.
These days, most of my meat comes from farmers who raise pasture raised heritage sheep - for both meat and wool - Jacobs and Navaho-Churro. They sell at our year round farmers market where i get most of my purchased veg.
Several years ago i knit a hat, cowel and fingerless gloves for my son when he was doing search and rescue - using some of Karen's wool (I spun using a drop spindle).
They also make and sell buttons from the horns (with the Jacobs, both the rams and ewes are 4-horned!) My key ring has a little bobbed lambtail. As Karen mentions - the lambs they 'bob' are the ones chosen to raise for wool and breeding - as heritage breeds, they are sturdy and have more genetic diversity than industrial Livestock ....
This year I knit a witchy hat using handspun yarn I'd purchased from another market friend Louise, who has passed - I love handing it to someone who compliments it, and letting them feel the soft wool! (Not natural dyes on this one)
My favorite quilt was made by my mom (born in 1912) and grandma with wool they carded, then used 30s cotton yardage to cover, and hand tied. (They made them in the 30s or 40s) (and I got linen and organic cotton sheets when I moved into a small home last year - felt decadent as I've thrifted linens in the past - and love them! I do wash in the machine - but hang dry to extend their life - and use local wool drier balls with other laundry)
Hemp and nettles with their long fibers are lovely to work with - and easier on the land than cotton (they are trickier to spin than wool) .... I've made a bit of nettle cordage .... linsey-woolsy (linnen woven with wool) is one of the ways our ancestors strengthened their clothing!
And kilts are a lovely option
Here in the rainy Pacific NW, cedar was one of the resources our first nations folk used for hats and capes - as well as their building ....
Your unintentional style would fit right in at Breitenbush Hot Springs community, where I lived ~ 4 years in the 90s - lots of natural fibers! We had a room in one of the staff buildings for clothing exchange - I still have some items found there -
I also have a beautiful Irish wool poncho, given me by a school Chum of my kids ~40 years ago! It had a tight neck band that I finally decided to carefully remove, and knit a hood out of handspun (like the hat, the poncho still gets compliments - 45 years after that gifting! And i think she'd found it at a thrift store!)
Re: linen - for about 100 years, (1840s-1950) Oregon's Willamette Valley produced flax - and in the latter years, the most grown in the world! WWII and fires at the state penitentiary processing plant put an end to production
www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/flax_and_linen_industry_of_oregon/
Your love for Mother Earth shines through you.
Happy to see you, Robin!Your shawl is reminiscent of the scottish plaid. It functions as a warm blanket, a great warm coat, a backpack, and even protection for the body in the event of a battle.
18:55 I think it's okay to really like your clothing, especially when you've put so much care into it! And, I think that that love is visible to other people, and that's what makes it "cool"
Conscious living maxxing.
😅✨
I was thinking the same, I have to say I fell out of watching him for a long long while ,but this video made me respect him again, now I want to try and do it myself somehow on the land, but it's a damn long way and a lonely one😅
Good to hear other people feel the same. i got my wool from local sheeps i know, i have 2 spinning wheels a big countermache loom. and i knit since 52 years. also i sew my clothes mostly my self. I could felt shoes but haven't done it yet....
I'm happy to be on this journey with you Dear Heike!
Love,
Robin
I was thinking about you and wondering how you did in this wild weather! Glad to see you're not skipping a beat.
Another benefit of the shawl is that you don't lose any fiber in the making of it, since it comes square off the loom and doesn't need to be cut. If you don't mind looking a bit "strange" you should look into early medieval tunics. They are made with almost all rectangle pieces and made for freedom of movement and comfort (including a square of fabric diagonally under the armpits).
Are you planning on finding people with the craft skills to make clothes from fiber to cloth or will you do this all yourself. If the later you are up for a long and exciting journey. This year I got to shave sheep myself, then wash, comb and spin the wool (with an antique spinningwheel). I have woven a scarf, but yet to produce enough yarn for bigger clothing. It takes MILES of thread.
Your commitnent to your adventures / projects is profound 🥰 I, a couple of years ago went with all Natural - Organic Linen, Hemp, Organic Cotton, Vegan Silk & Wool for their health influencing frequency levels etc. I love that you have taken this concept even deeper & with more connection. Love your journey- thank you for sharing fellow shawl wearer! 🥰 Peace on your path.
Can you explain what vegan silk is? I thought it was just satin/poly?
@@northbells it is my understanding that the difference in regular silk & vegan, is in the production - vegan waits until the cocoons have hatched & then spins the threads from the vacated cocoons, Whereas regular silk manufacturing boils the cocoons killing the larvae inside. 🤷🏼♀️ It is quite a bit more expensive - I only have 3 pieces. It is also my understanding that the frequency of silk is near zero, so the healing properties are rather null, whereas linen is a positive 5000 frequency & wool is a negative 5000. Search frequency of fabrics for research information & details - it’s a rabbit hole for sure. 😉
I just start learning about polyester and how bad it is, I didn't know it was made out of plastic, very important aspect.
When you make clothes you make them in a moment in time, you make memories well you create them, and they end up full of your choices. It is inevitable that people see that story and acknowledge it, and by acknowledging clothes are people celebrate the care and time that went into them if they know the number of hours or not. Every piece of clothing you own has its own story, not just from the land it came from but from you. People are inevitable part of the ecosystem as well and seeing that reflected in clothes is not a bad thing.
I'm working on a grey (undyed, non-super wash) knit sweater and within it I see the farmers market I bought the yarn from, and the warm fall I've made it in, and all the hopes I had for it and for my self during that time. Its full of different patterns and a fun construction both from the inspiration I've based it of but also my want to have fun. To take joy in what you make is such an important part of making, if that is a simple design or a complicated one. It adds joy into the world and gives makers an extra layer of power to say not just I can make clothes at home, but my clothes are more beautiful.
Amazing!!!! I truly appreciate you Mr. Robin Greenfield😊
you're the only sane person i've ever encountered.
most of us beLIEve too much in our delusions.
edit: the hug from 2-22-22 still hasn't run out.
(i got a hug from Jill Stein, recently, too)
This is amazing! I am absolutely inspired. So grateful you're going on this journey. I would highly recommend looking into ancient fiber textiles as well. So many fibers existed that aren't commonly used anymore. Yucca is one local to my area that I've been loving experimenting with
Armpit gussets... Also, visible darning with some bigger thread/yarn? Iron mordanting will get you darker colors, but don't wash with other clothes that use other mordants, or no mordants. Iron is good for preserving dye against sun exposure, but it will make colors almost dingier as well as darker, in tone, quite significantly so (may be a plus for you). Onion skins could also be an interesting dye for you, possibly with a copper mordant. Furries (name on etsy) from Okanogan Washington salvages animal corpses. They have leather, antlers, teeth, and fur. Might be able to contact them more directly.
A note about patching... You can always do a larger patch. Things tend to rip in places no one wants to bring attention to. Thinking in terms of panels, strips, and designs, instead of patches, can help reuse what is already there, and anchor things better, and more comfortably. With weaker fabric, you might consider going the opposite way, as it were, and sewing/embroidering in full piece reinforcement, more along the lines of sashiko embroidery.
Trying to be too simple in design can give you less leeway in modification than most everybody needs if they intend to keep, and get use out of, their clothes. I have been a leggings girl since I was a toddler, and I've been on a green, ethical wardrobe kick, for as long as I've had a choice, and known that wilding crafter impulses could be put to greater use. I know of what I speak. Even if your body doesn't change, your clothes will get thinner, and develop holes. Adding some deliberate visual complexity can actually save your clothes for years to come. I would also seriously consider beefing up your warmth layers for winter, if they are already a bit too thin for your taste.
Finally, if you come into the Bay Area (big, huge, if), I recommend A Verb for Keeping Warm. They do natural dying in house, take commissions, and sell yarn. They also have natural dying books, and knowledgeable people you can ask some questions of.
U can live anywhere and only use natural materials as our ancestors did. We have here in northern europe up to -10/-15 degrees in winter and i only use natural materials.
I think it is great u share and inspire others. Thanks for that!
How do you keep your feet warm? My shoes are leather but they have rubber soles. I might find it hard with only leather soles in deep snow or wet snow and wet weather in general. Asking as I'm interested. It can get significantly colder here, though, -25/-30 celsius.
@@HennaHuu In the past they would use fats and wax to water proof all kinds of things from leather shoes to tents. They also used snow shoes more often then we do today so you wouldn't be walking through a lot of snow to get your shoes or boots wet.
You are very interesting to watch. Thank you for your passion for the planet. You are very down to earth and know how to live a simple life. Keep up the good work.
Clothes are so instant and abundant that nobody thinks much of them nor the whole process of where they come from.
Robin (maybe think about) alpaca fibre it doesn't need dye. The yarn takes less processing and as good as wool.
Hello Dear Friend!
The hat is alpaca wool and I love it.
Love,
Robin
I'm a hobbyist in bushcraft and have thought a lot about the clothing issue. For quality clothing you really have to do all the skillful fiber processing and weaving. For a survival situation I wonder about making a grass\leaf cape\skirt combo like the old japanese style in Princess Mononoke. It wouldn''t be too hard to rig up a cattail leaf umbrella, hat, cape, and skirt. That'd go a long way to keeping you warm and dry. I gotta try that out. I gotta learn how to make fiber into yarn and weave fabric, only crotched one hat years ago. I know how to make milkweed string, it's a beautiful white color and smooth when the bark bits are gone. Yeah, that'd be dope, milkweed clothing. It'd take forever but be satisfying and very strong. Made a simple coil cordage basket out of milkweed fiber years ago, super cute. Mmm hmm, urge for crafts growing!
You are a teacher, and you are spiritual. Your spirit is in nature.
Love this video on SUPPORTING LOCAL, CIRCULAR ECONOMY! Thank you.
Yeah. i was looking where I could order organic clothes like yours. Have never thought of making my own clothing.
The cold weather comment made me chuckle. I live in the Northern Midwest, and a lot of folks wear T-shirts all winter. 🤷🏽♀️
This is one of those videos where I feel and look like a person whose sport team has just won a big game 😂 Robin, thank you for sharing your journey! 💚
Awww, thanks for sharing sweet Ann!
Love,
Robin
Howdy, Rob! I have two male alpine goats that I rescued from a dairy farm 8 years ago. I was thinking that after their souls return to the ancestors, maybe I could donate their hides and that could be an ethical source of leather for someone...🐐🐐💕
I just found you channel so inspiring❤ love the longer videos the best makes my day better when I walk wit you in spirit !!! Please keep these longer videos coming❤
If you could find (eg, antique) or build a wooden loom, you could make large pieces of heavy or light natural fabric, without the time commitment of knitting, for things like woollen blankets, sleeping bags (knitting the edges of blankets together around an insulating layer of cotton or the like), cotton bed sheets, etc. Also, you can buy many such handmade natural fabrics from India. Hope this helps.
I’m sure you could find local spinners and weavers to supply you with local fabric and thread.
@TheDepotDame True. I mentioned India because of Robin's affinity for India (Gandhi, etc), and because handmade things are usually expensive in America, due to America's being run by large corporations, being cruel to the poor, etc. I would love for America to be more supportive of small businesses, but it seems to be going in the opposite direction.
Swag! The jumper is beautiful! I heard rhubarb leaves are a great natural mordant, I’ve not tried it though. You’re a huge inspiration Robin
Kool stuff i am in mostly natural fabric most of the time, I'm in a wool base layer And wool great kilt
I really think Robin is GREAT! ❤❤❤❤❤
I think you would like watching videos from Sally Pointer :) She managed to try out very basic historical (iron age) methods using sticks, thorn, nettles, etc. to make yarn, fabric and clothes :) I'm Dutch, and you might want to wear extra wooden shoes if you want to walk on rough surfaces :P It doesn't need to be a clog, it can be japanese style, but it will prevent you leather shoes to damage so fast. You can wash with fresh crushed ivy leaves, they have natural saponins. But you might all ready know all these things :P It was an interesting video.
Edit: didn't they use urine as a mordant for dyes in the old days? That's natural :P It's harder to calculate with to get the exact ratios though :P
Awesome vid! I’m learning to spin wool and learned last week that the original Irish fisherman’s sweaters and hats were made from spinning raw wool, with the lanolin still in it, which made them waterproof! Might help you in your weatherproofing quest, to look into that!
I love this so much. I want to find sheep wool from a local farmer to make my own yarn. I hardly by clothes anymore, and I am crocheting my own clothes now.
Thanks for sharing Robin! I appreciate you sharing what is possible and inspiring radical imagination for all of us that are interested in doing life in a kinder way.
This was a great, thoughtful video. My main hobby is creating my own clothes, through sewing and knitting. I also spin my own yarn to knit with. I love in Oregon, and we are so lucky to have many local shepherds that I can purchase a whole fleece from and process it all the way through to a sweater. I still have a ways to go, but I have come so far from where I used to be.
I am with you Dear Brittany!
Thank you for applying your passion to life in this connected way to Earth and our animal relatives.
Love,
Robin
Love you. You're my biggest inspiration, amazingly coherent human being! Every single thing you do shows wisdom. Thanks for your existence, beautiful man! 😃
This is incredible and soooo inspirational! I long for getting closer and closer to living this way❤
Would you think about doing a video showing how most people could manage securing all natural clothing? If by shopping at Thrift type store or ideas on something that could be accomplished on a budget affordable by most. Something that could be done on a regular basis- that is environmentally conscious but also affordable? Not everyone can do what you have but wish to do Something-small steps are better than no steps
Hello Dear Friend,
I certainly would love to make that video, but alas I am sure I won't get to it.
However, this video ends with sharing tips for what you can do, and the accompanying article shares resources that would be helpful in this.
Put simply though, one could just go to thrift stores and seek out the natural fibers. There's a lot at many secondhand shops at very reasonable prices.
Love,
Robin
Robin, have you ever seen an old British TV series from the 1970s (I think) called "Good Neighbors?" On the show, a couple decide that the husband will quit his job in advertising and they will try to live on their existing home property in a little British town while going back to as natural a lifestyle as possible, growing as much of their own food as possible, etc. It was a one-season series of about 20 episodes, and this video reminds me of it because in one of the episodes, Tom (the husband) is wearing a home-made suit made of wool spun and woven by the couple from local sheep (someone else's sheep), woven into fabric by them, and then his wife sewed the suit, which was dyed (I think) with local moss. Anyway, I think you might get a kick out of that series if you haven't seen it--you might be able to find a streaming source somewhere nowadays. (PBS used to show it, but it has been quite a while since they did.) By the way, I really enjoyed this talk--have been following some of the fibershed accounts on Instagram for a while.
The Good Life ❤
I personally would be interested to watch. Thank You for recommendation. I am in Estonia.
I want to give you a hug, thank you for making this video Robin ☀️
This is so badass!!! Ok, back to the video, just starting, I just love this so much :)
Wow, great video and tremendous work. Inspiring.
One culture you may like is of the indigenous people of northern Colombia in the Sierra Nevada mountain region. They practice sustainable agriculture and weave cotton by hand for their clothes, make bags out of wool, cotton and plant fibres. If you go to the north you are able to buy their bags/ mochillas in the artisan shops.
I would also recommend a town called Villa de Leyva in boyaca region, Colombia. And rakira. The tradition of hand weaving and knitting wool is still very rooted in the culture, you are able to find hand woven/knitted ruanas, blankets, sweaters, hats etc.
Me and my partner have spent the last few months travelling around and learning about these processes and subsequently creating a minimalist natural wardrobe. I plan on buying some land here to raise sheep, cattle and goats so that we can produce these natural fibres and materials It is an amazing practice that breaks down barriers between cultures and allows our inner creativity and humanity to flow.
The only thing I’ve found hard to find in Colombia is bark tanned leather, all is industrial unfortunately using chromium dyes! So shoes and leather side bags are the next step..!
Also for dying clothes I am yet to do it but there exists techniques such as mud dying which is so simple. I plan on using tree bark to dye as that is very high in tannic acid so I will not have to use a mordant to help the colour stick. I get colour inspiration from dogs mainly, so my under layers are lighter coloured and warmer layers are darker.
Great to see other people are working towards this. I get funny looks in public and asked about my religious beliefs frequently so you are not the only one 😂 embrace the beard though brother, it will only increase the attention and seeing your different colours flourish is a truly magical thing! ❤️
All the very best,
Sam.
Ive been making my own deer buckskin. Made some small stuff. But I need to make some practice garments before I get carried away
As a person I cannot wear wool I break out in a rash. But love your sustainable ideals in various options.
Try alpaca clothing ,it is great. I don't think you will get a rash from it.
I have extra sensitive skin too, Merino wool is the only one I can wear right next to my skin. It is an awesome all season fabric.
Try wool blends maybe
Watched it while sewing my skirt. I love this beyond my understanding ❤
I have the same view on cloth. There is also more to - like sewing by hand the energetic way. It transforms even more than just natural fabric. So interresting to look into it. Knowledge comes from Russia and becoming big in Germany, too. Lübow Mylzewa, Lüboslawa.
Brother I appreciate this sooooo much!
I hope that we all can move towards your respect for Mother Earth and reflect it on our clothing, promoting new beautiful discoveries and development!
Praise god!
I'm inspired by this path. There is something so yummy about wearing an item I've made myself. One thing I wish more people to become aware of: As a kindness to birds, any thread or yarn scraps should be buried. If a bird takes it for its nest, it can wrap around the feet and harm the bird. Even though it's biodegradable, the structure of yarn/thread is designed to be tough and to last for years. Blessings to you and all beings!
First of all, thank you for the inspiration... as always. I am vegan and you have reminded me and inspired me to a more close to the earth approach in my clothing. I have a long way to go but I'm committed to not buying anymore new nylon or oil based, human made, plastic clothes.
We do disagree on the animal wearing aspect. I would never want harm to come to animal with my clothing choices and I am working towards only wearing plant based, natural clothing.
Thank you Robin. Wishing you good happiness and health.✌️😊
I don't believe shearing a sheep for their wool is harming them. I saw a video of a sheep that had such a massive coat from not being sheared that it was hampering it and it was happy when kind souls finally sheared it. I believe in not eating animals too, but collecting animal fibers that are shed, or sheared, I believe is not harmful.
@@karatstixrawShearing isn’t the problem with sheep. I do think you can get ethical wool but you have to examine all aspects of their life history, living situation, even breeding.
You appear very authentic and centered right now. Is it just the clothes?! Hope all is well and happy to continue to follow your journey and be reminded of what I hold dear too.
Hello Dear Friend,
Of course it's not just the clothes, it is my entire approach to life!
But I certainly love being in clothes that I feel a more harmonious connection with!
Love,
Robin
Great vid 👍very inspirational, just done some natural dying 👍i like what you said 👍👍👍🏴
How I adore you and your message ❤
Coolest video you have ever made. This is incredible. Super interesting and refreshing. Love the honesty and thoughtfulness.
Maravillosa reflexión que invita a cuestionarnos y actuar de manera consciente... alineada con la vida que somos.
Infinito Agradecimiento.
😊🌱🌿
Whoo hoo! Youre amazing and so is your message! Thank you for making my day. I love it!! (From a fellow Wisconsinite!)
There is one thing I like about this video is that you are still learning I am try still to convince my family to try to minimize there stuff and it very hard but won’t give up SO KEEP GOING😊
You are living my dream. Thank you for the inspiration. I was on my way to buy a new winter jacket with great inner resistance, and then your video showed up. And I went home. Though I must say, even though I want everything to be natural, this to me does not mean to exclude beauty, individuality, fashion art and - most importantly for me - pockets :D.
I have had the same yearning for years. For now is using natural fibre clothes bought second hand and leather shoes but i wish for so much more. I love wool and linen. Im so looking forward to sourcing hand made fabrics to make some of my own clothes. Thanks for the inspiring video!
This is so cool, congrats on your wardrobe.
As always, thank you for sharing the inspiration. Love you and God bless. ❤
same,the ideas been brewing for years, but this makes me feel less lonely hehe
I react to certain fabrics, I’m so glad I found this! ❤
There are an amazing number of videos that deal with medieval patterns and specifically the triangular gore in the armpit that prevents the seam blowout on shirts. Also wearing a basic, undyed shift/shirt under your dyed clothes keeps your outer clothes cleaner and allows for longer life for all your clothes. Fandabi Dozi does really good job of discussing the Scottish plaid. Way more options for wearing than I ever knew. Women's options, too! And would translate well to your blanket. Finally consider replacing elastic with drawstrings. Creates more options... Loved your video and your immersion in the research is inspiring. Thank you!
I think this is admirable. As a knitter, crocheter, and sewer, I have indeed made my own clothes, but they weren’t always natural fibers or naturally dyed.
I do think that in this day and age, you wouldn’t really fit in with others. Like, you couldn’t have a regular job, b/c you wouldn’t be dressing like everyone else. The only way to pull it off would be to be uber rich, then you could afford to buy, or pay others to make, all the clothes that you would need in order to look like everyone else, with the exception that your clothes would be natural fibers and naturally dyed..
I remember as a kid thinking that if a person really believed in their religion, they’d not fit in and be an outcast and would be very poor b/c most work that pays good money is immoral in some sense.
This is similar, I think. Whenever your values go against mainstream society, you will not fit in. Not saying that that means that you shouldn’t do it, or that fitting in is necessary or important, but in the stone age it was, and we’re wired to want to fit in, b/c in our ancestral past, not fitting in meant death.
But everyone can incorporate more natural fibers in their wardrobes.
Flax needs a cold winter. It isn't inconceivable that it might be cultivated in North America today, but you've got to understand, the first textile crops grown in the US were hemp, and cotton, and growing a ton of both was a colonial project, already moving away from how people had used, and stewarded the land. Conceivably, the middle of the country could have cultivated linen, but the buffalo were already there, and far more useful. In Europe, Lithuania remains a big producer of linen. I believe Ukraine and Poland had some linen production too (have? had?). Canada might also be about right in some respects? Flax is kind of a cold marshy meadow crop.
We all get Conformed to Society’s and the world’s standards. It’s breaking away from that Conformity so as to get your freedom back.
This is the third video I've viewed this week dealing with diving into alternative ways to 'DIY' regarding textiles, in some way. I really appreciate your sharing everything you're learning! It's interesting to me the backgrounds or lifestyles of the people getting into this.
RUclips channel, 'Engineering Knits' has a playlist of how this gal grew the flax - to weaving the little bit she got from her ground zero experiment, if that interests you. She's SO hooked now! Learned a TON!
RUclips channel, 'Absolute History' just ran a video on 'How the Victorians Celebrated Christmas' , and there was a little segment of dying with plants - and using stale urine to fix the yellow color from the weld plant, [around 32 and 38 on the timeline]. Clues are everywhere! I just saw where they go back to Medieval times...wonder what's going on there.
Mabuhay! From the Philippine Islands. Excellent content!
I applaude your success. I slowly changed my wardrobe to handmade natural fibers over the past 20 years but still have some old/vintage/2nd hand cloth items I change out when they are worn out and cannot be repaired any longer. I spin, knit, weave and sew by hand, so every cloth item takes a little while longer :)
I don't agree with you that it is not accessible for everyone. Maybe not in a year but over the amount of several years, you can change out most of your wardrobe with handmade natural clothes.
I was a professional natural dyer for many years, so you should look forward to a wonderful dye journey in your future.
Do you know the nettle dress, a film/project by Allan Brown. He began his fiber journey harvesting, processing and spinning, weaving, sewing one dress made completely out of nettles. By now he farms his own flax. And there is Pete Wade in the USA who is farming his own flax.
Awesome! I’m a beginner teaching myself to spin and weave. Mostly local wool, but dabble in harvesting nettle around my home. May grow some flax in future when I have more time. This fall I tried dying with lobster mushrooms for the first time, also have been dying with avocado seeds and skins, and invasive species such as tansy ragwort. I do a lot of thrifting for cotton thread and sewing notions.
For the average person who likes this and wants it - THRIFT WOOL. In person or online or in people's closets - there is very reasonably priced wool that will last all over. I've seen a lot more linen around lately too.
yes! and thinking about every step of the making...ive been making things using second hand material and tools for a few years now,and always have so much more to learn and constantly lessening my impact on this earth😊
I don't really have an issue with machines making fabric or electric sewing machines, remember machines are our friends when it comes to labor being less brutal, tedious and time consuming for working people. Sewing machines and knitting machines are so fun to use for a someone with the hobby of sewing. I think most people should make their own clothes because it's more fun and it's a natural hobby to have when clothing is necessary for survival it makes since for everyone to be good at it, and to make their own rather than every task people do being outsourced to someone who is bored of doing it. It is our fur after-al, we live in our clothes. I really appreciate your use of natural fibers, dyes and non-exploitative ways of obtaining clothing. I think trying to be too minimal with it can squash creativity however, learning a new skill may require a bit more fabric and making a few more garments than you need for absolute survival and I think that's not going to harm anyone or the Urth, it's great to not have too many things however, balance is key.
I think a manual knitting machine would be a fun thing for you to try out, since you are interested in fabric creation, it's nice to find a way to make fabric that isn't as slow as hand knitting. Crochet or nalbinding may be more intuitive to learn than knitting and knitting can be done with a manual machine or even a home use electric knitting machine. The manual ones aren't too much work though for making your own things, you could make your own sweater pretty fast.
I think it's natural for humans to go far and wide, we have been trading vast regions for many centuries and before airships went out of popular use it was not so bad for things to come from far away. We will have airships again but in the meantime it's more important that it was made by people who are treated well and with little harm to the Urth. -Clove Dove
Make the shorts with a doubled up fabric seat of the shorts and pants make pants and shorts with drawl string waists and on the shoes use a yucca sole with the wool sock attached or a carved wooden sole I bought a pair of sandals that formed too my arches and natural upper foot straps but it did have screw too hold the strap in place but they could be replaced with wooden dowels with a round knob ends for easy repair of leather in winter time. And make the winter pants out of canvas with knee and butt double for long lasting like military pants. I found natural fiber poncho with deer prints cream back ground and dark brown and it so warm. I always buy 100% cotton clothes went I can and wool top layers for winter time. And I crochet all my hats ,fingerless gloves with mitten foldover tops and working on socks, and a wool slippers. And your shorts and pants could be made with a slideing waist with 2 different button for when the fabric loosens up or another option is a drawl stringed waist . Mother always use vinegar too set the dyes in her fabrics or salt.
I love your energy. You truly inspire me.
This. I want this. ❤
Thank you Robin for sharing. Lovely thoughts as usual! ... Just a short note or question for your thoughts please... I've recently heard that wool and linen don't go together, so wear separately. Secondly, I had heard you mention Wi, but Ashland, wow, I had lived there for a long time. It's a beautiful place next to the great lake! In joy.
Hello Dear Friend,
I am not concerned with the combination of linen and wool.
I am not trying to fully optimize my life and I can tell you I am thriving with wearing both wool and linen together.
Yes to Lake Superior!
Love,
Robin
I'm really liking what you do. I, in no way do what you do, however, after seeing you and your energy, I'm going to try. Thank you
Still, there's a lot of decent non dyed cotton, wool, and linen clothing you can find at thrift stores and yard sales. Reasonably priced and ready to wear. It's a step in the right direction until you can 100% sew or knit your own clothing. I love you Robin✌️🤟🤙
There is a community in Texas where they make almost all the things they need you should see if they can help you make cotton fabric
This is awesome!
In regards to natural fibers- there’s a lot of programs here up in the northeast that I think you’d really find use out of! First one that comes to mind is “the flax project” and they even did a program through UNH allowing participants to grow and bring flax from seed to fabric
If you're seeking more natural mordants you can use either soy milk or rhubarb leaves. The rhubarb leaves are the easiest to use. This is a fantastic ideal to work towards, as you wear through items you can move more towards handmade. I would also suggest you consider base letter tunics to layer and help give your outer garments a longer lifespan. Great work!