If you’re wondering how a T-shirt can be made from wood, you’ve come to the right place. At first, most people have a hard time imagining that it’s even possible to make clothing from wood. And if they can, many picture clothes that are stiff or super scratchy.
So now we’re going to reveal the secret and take you behind the scenes. We’ll show you how and where this environmentally friendly, surprisingly soft fabric with its unique comfort is made.
Looking more closely at the clothing industry in recent years, we find that two raw materials form the basis of today’s textile production: polyester and cotton.
More than half of all fibers used worldwide for clothing are made from synthetic, or petroleum-based, raw materials, accounting for over 60%. About 25% of fibers are made from 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 so the cellulose dissolves. Thanks to its ability to mix well with water, this solvent can be recycled again and again.
After this first step, you now have a honey-like mixture, which is then pressed through spinnerets to produce fine fibers. The fibers are then dried and ultimately processed into the yarn that is knitted 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 resource consumption and emissions.
Once the fabric is ready, it passes through a variety of small workshops, where it is further processed with a great deal of handwork and attention to detail.
Cutting the fabric is the next step in the production process. It requires templates made to our specifications, which are then printed out and placed on the fabric as efficiently as possible to keep fabric waste to an absolute minimum.
At a small family-run workshop, the templates are placed on about 60 layers of fabric and then cut out precisely by hand (!). This step takes a great deal of experience and is carried out by two sisters, who make it look so easy that you can only marvel. They are specialists in their field, and it is a joy to see how much pleasure they still take in their work after all these years.
They also go all out when it comes to hospitality: whenever we visit, we’re treated to excellent port, and there’s always a risk of staying far too long…
In the first step, the wood is processed into small chips and mixed with an organic solvent so the cellulose dissolves. Thanks to its ability to mix well with water, this solvent can be recycled again and again.
After this first step, you now have a honey-like mixture, which is then pressed through spinnerets to produce fine fibers. The fibers are then dried and ultimately processed into the yarn that is knitted 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 resource consumption and emissions.
Once the fabric is ready, it passes through a variety of small workshops, where it is further processed with a great deal of handwork and attention to detail.
Cutting the fabric is the next step in the production process. It requires templates made to our specifications, which are then printed out and placed on the fabric as efficiently as possible to keep fabric waste to an absolute minimum.
At a small family-run workshop, the templates are placed on about 60 layers of fabric and then cut out precisely by hand (!). This step takes a great deal of experience and is carried out by two sisters, who make it look so easy that you can only marvel. They are specialists in their field, and it is a joy to see how much pleasure they still take in their work after all these years.
They also go all out when it comes to hospitality: whenever we visit, we’re treated to excellent port, and there’s always a 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 really matters: the shirt’s comfort and style. At wijld, we do away with scratchy, irritating labels and print them directly onto the shirt.
This means you don’t have to miss out on any important information, while ensuring a smooth, comfortable fit.
Along with being comfortable, our sustainable shirts without scratchy labels are also environmentally friendly, as we avoid using extra fabric. Minimalist and functional!
That means you can dress comfortably and sustainably.
CLOTHING MADE FROM WOOD WITH LOVE
For us, it’s not only fascinating to see how quickly and precisely the work is done, but it’s also especially lovely to see HOW it’s done. So much energy and attention to detail go into our wood-based clothing at every single stage of production.
But what do you think of the result? Your opinion is extremely important to us, of course! What do you think of our WoodShirts? Are you satisfied, or even delighted? Have we managed to offer you a genuine, eco-friendly and fair alternative that you’ll enjoy wearing or giving as a gift? We want you to be completely satisfied and, of course, we’re grateful for every recommendation to friends and family! ;-)
