If you ever wonder how a T-shirt is made from wood, then you are in the right place. Most people often find it hard at first to even imagine that it is possible to make clothing from wood. And if they do, many picture hard or very scratchy clothing.
So now we want to reveal this secret and take you on a journey behind the scenes. We will show you how and where this environmentally friendly and at the same time surprisingly soft fabric with this unique wearing comfort is created.
Looking more closely at the clothing industry of recent years, one finds that two raw materials form the basis of today’s textile production: polyester and cotton.
With over 60%, more than half of all fibres used worldwide for clothing are made from synthetic, that is, petroleum-based raw materials. About 25% of the fibres are made from cotton, with the share of organic cotton being only around 1% of that. The remaining 15% of the fibres consist of wool, as well as cellulose-based fibres and other natural fibres such as hemp or flax.
In the first step, the wood is processed into small chips and mixed with an organic solvent so that the cellulose separates. This solvent can be recycled repeatedly due to its good ability to mix with water.
After this first step, you now have a honey-like mass, which is then pressed through spinning glands, resulting in fine fibres. The fibres are then dried and finally processed into the yarn that is woven into the fabric of your T-shirt.
What we particularly like about this production step is that the entire process is a closed loop, which greatly reduces the use of resources and also emissions.
Once the fabric is finished, it passes through various small workshops, where it is further processed with much handiwork and attention to detail.
For cutting the fabric, the next step in the production chain, templates are needed, which were created based on our cutting instructions and are now printed out and laid on the fabric as optimally as possible to minimize waste.
In a small family workshop, the templates are glued onto about 60 layers of fabric and then carefully cut out by hand (!). This step truly requires a great deal of experience and is carried out by two sisters who make it look so effortless that one can only marvel. They are experts in their field, and it is a pleasure to see how much joy they still take in their work even after so many years.
They also give their all when it comes to hospitality: on site, we are always invited to excellent port wine, where there is certainly the risk of staying far too long…
In the first step, the wood is processed into small chips and mixed with an organic solvent so that the cellulose separates. This solvent can be recycled repeatedly due to its good ability to mix with water.
After this first step, you now have a honey-like mass, which is then pressed through spinning glands, resulting in fine fibres. The fibres are then dried and finally processed into the yarn that is woven into the fabric of your T-shirt.
What we particularly like about this production step is that the entire process is a closed loop, which greatly reduces the use of resources and also emissions.
Once the fabric is finished, it passes through various small workshops, where it is further processed with much handiwork and attention to detail.
For cutting the fabric, the next step in the production chain, templates are needed, which were created based on our cutting instructions and are now printed out and laid on the fabric as optimally as possible to minimize waste.
In a small family workshop, the templates are glued onto about 60 layers of fabric and then carefully cut out by hand (!). This step truly requires a great deal of experience and is carried out by two sisters who make it look so effortless that one can only marvel. They are experts in their field, and it is a pleasure to see how much joy they still take in their work even after so many years.
They also give their all when it comes to hospitality: on site, we are always invited to excellent port wine, where there is certainly the risk of staying far too long…
SUSTAINABLE SHIRTS WITHOUT ITCHY LABELS
Scratchy labels in our shirts can cause skin irritation and discomfort. They distract us from what truly matters: the comfort and style of the shirt. At wijld, we forgo scratchy and bothersome labels and integrate our labels by printing them directly onto the shirt.
This way, no important information is missed, and smooth wearing comfort can be ensured.
Besides the comfort factor, our sustainable shirts without scratchy labels are also environmentally friendly, as we avoid using extra fabric. Minimalist and functional!
This means you are dressed not only comfortably but also with environmental awareness.
CLOTHING MADE WITH LOVE FROM WOOD
For us, it is not only fascinating to see how quickly and precisely the work is done, but above all, it is also wonderful to see HOW the work is done. With every single step, so much energy and love for detail flows into our wooden clothing.
But how do you like the result? Your opinion is, of course, extremely important to us! How do you see our WoodShirts? Are you satisfied or even delighted, and have we succeeded in offering you a genuine, environmentally friendly, and fair alternative that you also like to wear or give as a gift? We want to make you completely satisfied and are, of course, happy about every single recommendation to friends and relatives! ;-)
