I never thought twice about where my clothing came from until I started learning how to make my own clothes. Now I can’t help thinking about how many people are involved, factory conditions (good or bad), and fair wages every time I pick up a piece of clothing. While I am buying less clothing from stores these days, I still think about where the fabric comes from that I use in my projects. I wish there was an easy way to know whether or not a particular company or fabric mill treated their workers and the environment with respect. It would also be nice to know about any hazardous chemicals used in the finishing process on certain fabrics. After reading about the formaldehyde used in non-wrinkle fabrics, I wish there was more transparency in how textiles are made. I would love to know if anyone has suggestions for places to buy fabrics made by reputable companies that have environmentally friendly manufacturing policies.

By this point I expected to have my jacket pattern completed and thought I would have at least a muslin version ready to start testing the fit. Right after I posted about starting a jacket, I quickly decided I needed another pair of pants more than I needed a jacket. I made some adjustments to my pattern and just completed another pair of chinos, this time in an olive/gray color. In the next week or so I hope to get some pictures posted. Here is the fabric:

olive twill