If you're wondering how a T-shirt can be made from wood, you've come to the right place. Most people initially find it hard to imagine that clothing can actually be made from wood. And if they do, many picture it as stiff or super scratchy fabric.
So, we want to reveal this secret now and take you on a behind-the-scenes journey. We'll show you how and where this eco-friendly and surprisingly soft fabric with its unique comfort is created.
Looking more closely at the clothing industry in recent years, it becomes clear that two raw materials form the basis of today’s textile production: polyester and cotton.
Over 60% of all fibers used worldwide for clothing are made from synthetic, petroleum-based raw materials. About 25% of the fibers are cotton, with organic cotton making up only around 1% of that. The remaining 15% of fibers consist of wool, cellulose-based fibers, and other natural fibers such as hemp and linen.
In the first step, the wood is processed into small chips and mixed with an organic solvent to dissolve the cellulose. This solvent can be recycled repeatedly due to its good water-mixing properties.
After this first step, you have a honey-like mass that is then pressed through spinnerets, resulting in fine fibers. The fibers are then dried and ultimately processed into the yarn that is woven into the fabric of your T-shirt.
What we especially like about this production step is that the entire process is a closed loop, which greatly reduces resource consumption and emissions.
Once the fabric is finished, it passes through various small workshops where it is further processed with a lot of handcraft and attention to detail.
For cutting the fabric, the next step in the production chain, templates are needed. These are created based on our cutting specifications and are now printed out and placed 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 accurately cut by hand (!). This step requires an incredible amount of experience and is carried out by two sisters who make it look so effortless that it’s truly astonishing. They are specialists in their field, and it’s a joy to see how much passion they still bring to their work after so many years.
They also go all out when it comes to hospitality: on site, we are always invited to excellent port wine, where there is definitely a risk of staying much longer than intended…
In the first step, the wood is processed into small chips and mixed with an organic solvent to dissolve the cellulose. This solvent can be recycled repeatedly due to its good water-mixing properties.
After this first step, you have a honey-like mass that is then pressed through spinnerets, resulting in fine fibers. The fibers are then dried and ultimately processed into the yarn that is woven into the fabric of your T-shirt.
What we especially like about this production step is that the entire process is a closed loop, which greatly reduces resource consumption and emissions.
Once the fabric is finished, it passes through various small workshops where it is further processed with a lot of handcraft and attention to detail.
For cutting the fabric, the next step in the production chain, templates are needed. These are created based on our cutting specifications and are now printed out and placed 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 accurately cut by hand (!). This step requires an incredible amount of experience and is carried out by two sisters who make it look so effortless that it’s truly astonishing. They are specialists in their field, and it’s a joy to see how much passion they still bring to their work after so many years.
They also go all out when it comes to hospitality: on site, we are always invited to excellent port wine, where there is definitely a risk of staying much longer than intended…
SUSTAINABLE SHIRTS WITHOUT ITCHY TAGS
Scratchy labels in our shirts can cause skin irritation and discomfort. They distract us from what really matters: the comfort and style of the shirt. At wijld, we avoid scratchy and annoying labels by printing our labels directly onto the shirt.
This way, you don’t have to miss out on any important information, and smooth comfort is guaranteed.
Besides the comfort factor, our sustainable shirts without scratchy labels are also environmentally friendly because we avoid using extra fabric. Minimalist and functional!
This means you are dressed not only comfortably but also consciously.
Clothing Made from Wood with Love
For us, it’s not only fascinating to see how fast and precisely the work is done, but above all, it’s wonderful to see HOW it is done. With every single step, so much energy and attention to detail goes into our wooden clothing.
But how do you like the result? Your opinion is extremely important to us! What do you think of our WoodShirts? Are you satisfied or even thrilled, and have we succeeded in offering you a truly eco-friendly and fair alternative that you enjoy wearing or giving as a gift? We want to make you completely happy and, of course, we appreciate every single recommendation to friends and family! ;-)
