Home - Ec Chapter 29 Condensed Textile choices

Question 1

Functions of clothing

Answer 1

Protection: Warm clothing protects us from the cold, wind and rain. Lighter
clothing keeps us cool and protects us from the sun.
• Modesty: Some cultures have very strict modesty rules, e.g. women in Iran are
required to wear the hijab. People will dress differently at work than when they
are on the beach.
• Safety and hygiene: Some types of clothing are worn for safety reasons, e.g.
motorcycle leathers. Some are worn for hygiene reasons, e.g. scrubs
• Identification: Uniforms help us to identify people, e.g. the Gardaí/ national
identity
• Self-expression: People can express their personalities through their clothing,
e.g. goths wear black clothing

Question 2

Factors that influence us when Choosing clothes

Answer 2

Function: the clothes should suit their function, e.g. a winter coat should
protect you from bad weather.
• Cost: the amount of money you have to spend will influence your choice of
clothing, e.g. avoid expensive designer brands if on a low wage.
• Current fashion trends: the types of clothing that are in fashion may
influence your choices, e.g. wider leg jeans are the trend now
• Peer pressure: sometimes there is pressure to wear certain brands or styles
of clothing, e.g. The North Face jackets.

Question 3

Choosing clothes cont

Answer 3

Ease of care: whether clothing is washable or must be dry-cleaned may
influence your choice, e.g. clothing that is worn next to the skin should be
washable.
• Ecological concerns: you may choose certain types of clothes because you
are concerned about the environment, e.g. natural fibres over synthetic ones
• Ethical concerns: you may choose certain types of clothes because you are
concerned about animal rights and the rights of the people who make clothes,
e.g. you may avoid clothing made using materials like fur, feathers or leather.

Question 4

Personal preference

Answer 4

people choose clothes based on the colours and shapes
they feel suit them, the occasion they need them for and the clothes they
already own.

Question 5

Fashion/Fashion trends

Answer 5

Fashion is the latest styles of clothing, hairstyles, interior design, etc
Fashion trends are changes in what is considered fashionable.

Question 6

A Fashion cycle

Answer 6

Often, fashion trends come into fashion, then go out of fashion,
only to come back into fashion again. The Fashion Cycle is repeated every 40
years

Question 7

Factors that Influence Fashion Trends

Answer 7

The fashion industry
• Famous people
• World events and the economy
• Technology

Question 8

The fashion industry

Answer 8

Top designer fashion brands, such as Armani,
Prada and Ralph Lauren, show their new
collections at fashion shows in London, Paris,
New York and Milan. These collections set the
fashion trends for the following season.

Question 9

Haute couture

Answer 9

• Haute couture: The clothes modelled at these
shows are called haute couture (high fashion).
They are original, handmade and very expensive

Question 10

Prêt-à-porter

Answer 10

Prêt-à-porter: The top designers also produce less expensive,
machine-made clothes. These clothes, called prêt-à-porter (ready to
wear) are still very expensive.

Question 11

Off-the-peg

Answer 11

Off-the-peg: Clothing manufacturers around the world buy or copy
these designs and mass produce clothes using cheaper fabrics.
These clothes are called off the-peg. They are much cheaper and
are available in high street shops, e.g. River Island and Topshop.

Question 12

Famous people

Answer 12

Famous people – such as actors, singers and
sports stars – influence fashion trends in a
number of ways:
• What they wear increases clothing sales of
similar looking items
Top designers pay famous people to promote
their clothes
Famous people develop their own design
labels

Question 13

World events and the economy

Answer 13

World events can influence the shape and style of clothing,
e.g. during the Second World War fabric was scarce so
skirts became straighter and shorter (the pencil skirt).
• During times of economic recession, anti-establishment
trends emerge, e.g. punk in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Question 14

Technology

Answer 14

Advances in technology have greatly influenced the way
clothing is made and marketed.
• New manufacturing equipment produces clothing
more quickly and cheaply
• New fabrics and fabric finishes e.g.Lycra®
• Internet-based technologies are used to market
clothing, e.g. influencers, fashion blogs and social
media sites such as Instagram.
• Online shopping: access to the latest fashion trends

Question 15

Uses of textiles in the home

Answer 15

Soft furnishings: decorate the room - curtains, blinds,
cushions, rugs, wall hangings and lampshades
• Upholstery: Fabrics and fillings used to cover and pad
furniture -sofas, armchairs, mattresses and chair seats
• Carpets and rugs:They insulate and reduce sound in a room.
• Bed linen: sheets, duvets and duvet covers, blankets &
throws keep beds warm and comfortable and add décor
• Table linen: tablecloths, placemats protect the table and
diner from hot foods and spills, and add décor of the room
• Towels: dishcloths and tea, hand and bath towels are used
for cleaning and personal hygiene

Question 16

Properties of textiles

Answer 16

• Waterproof
• Rough
• Smooth
• Insulating
• Soft
• Cool
• Warm
• Washable
• Flammable
• Fire-resistant
• Drapes well
• Fade-resistant
• Colour-fast
• Delicate
• Resilient
• Transparent
• Hardwearing
• Crease-resistant
• Absorbent
• Non-absorbent
• Stretchy
• Pre-shrunk
• Close weave
• Sustainable

Question 17

Factors to consider when choosing household textiles

Answer 17

Function
• The properties of a textile must suit it’s function, e.g. a tea towel
Cost
• The amount of money available may influence the type and quality of textiles
• For items that get a lot of use (e.g. carpet on stairs), it is best to wait until you
have enough money saved to buy a good-quality product.
Durability
• Textiles used in the home need to be hardwearing, e.g. the fabric on a sofa
Colour, pattern and style
• The colour, pattern and style of textiles chosen for the home should
complement the colour scheme and style of the rooms they are in

Question 18

Factors to consider when choosing household textiles cont

Answer 18

Ease of care
• Towels & bed linen washable.
• Textiles used to cover chairs, sofas should be stain-resistant.
• Items that do not get much wear and tear, e.g. curtains, can be dry clean only.
Sustainability and ecological issues
• Issues such as the impact of textile choices on the environment, animal welfare
and the welfare of textile workers should be considered
Fire safety
• By law, textiles used in the home must be fire-resistant.
• The foam used to pad upholstered furniture must be fire-retardant and all
upholstered furniture must have either a green or a red swing label.

Question 19

Household Textiles Swing Labels

Answer 19

Green swing label: flame-retardant
finishes are applied to the outer covering
fabric to make it fire-resistant
Red swing label: the outer covering fabric
is not flame-resistant, but there is a layer
of flame-resistant fabric underneath

Question 20

Ecological issues

Answer 20

1. Textile production
   • Synthetic textiles, e.g. polyester, are made from fossil fuels, i.e. oil and
   petroleum. Their production harms the environment, causing air and water
   pollution.
   • Nowadays, chemical pesticides are used in the production of textile crops such
   as cotton, which can cause water pollution.
   • Chemicals used to dye fabrics such as denim can contaminate water supplies.
   • Much of the clothing we wear is made in countries such as China, India and
   Bangladesh and transported here by air or sea, which contributes to air pollution.

Question 21

Ecological issues cont

Answer 21

2. Textile care
   • Nowadays, people often wash and dry clothing after one wear. This reduces the
   life of clothing, i.e. it fades or loses its shape or quality, and is thrown out.
   • Washing machines and tumble dryers use electrical energy. As we learned in
   Chapter 24, most electricity in Ireland is made by burning fossil fuels, which
   causes air pollution.
   • Cleaning agents such as washing powder and bleach harm the environment.

Question 22

Ecological issues cont.

Answer 22

3. Textile use
   • Today’s throwaway society means that
   discarded household textiles and clothing can
   end up in landfill sites. Synthetic textiles are
   not biodegradable so harm the environment.

Question 23

Ethical issues Humans

Answer 23

A) Human rights
Many of the clothing and footwear brands we wear are made cheaply in
developing countries. Workers in these counties are often denied basic human
rights.
1. Unsafe working conditions:
-Many textile factories have poor ventilation, poor toilet facilities and no access to clean
drinking water. This puts workers’ health and lives at risk.
-Cotton farmers and garment workers are exposed to pesticides and other harmful
chemicals, causing serious health problems and even death.
2. Poverty: Many textile workers are paid very low wages, resulting in severe poverty.

Question 24

Ethical issues cont

Answer 24

3. No worker’s rights: Issues such as excessive overtime,
   punishments for not meeting quotas, not paying salaries and
   the banning of workers unions mean that many textile workers
   have no worker’s rights.
4. Child labour: Many children are forced to work in the textile
   industry to help support their families. They do not receive an
   education, which is a basic human right

Question 25

Ethical issues Animals

Answer 25

B) Animal rights
• Animals are killed so that their fur, skin or feathers
can be used for textiles.
• Much of the leather we wear comes from countries
where animal rights are not respected, e.g. animals
are reared indoors in cramped conditions.
• Air and water pollution caused by the textile
industry is ruining animal habitats, e.g. polluted
water kills fish.

Question 26

Being a sustainable and ethical consumer
Repair

Answer 26

Repairing clothes
Repair
means that they are
not discarded, helping
the environment,
i.e. fewer items are
dumped in landfll
sites.
Sewing on loose or missing buttons
Repairing clothes
Repair
means that they are
not discarded, helping
the environment,
i.e. fewer items are
dumped in landfll
sites.
Unwanted textiles that
are in good condition
can be reused by
someone else.
Repairing a ripped seam or hem
Darning a knitted item, e.g. a jumper
Patching a torn area, e.g. the knee on
a pair of jeans
Replacing a broken zi

Question 27

Being a sustainable and ethical consumer
Reuse

Answer 27

Unwanted textiles that
are in good condition
can be reused by
someone else.
Bringing textiles that you no longer
want to second-hand or charity shops.
Individuals who buy these items reuse
them, reducing textile waste,
Clothing banks collect unwanted
clothing and send it to developing
countries where it is worn by people
unable to afford to buy clothing

Question 28

Being a sustainable and ethical consumer
Recycle

Answer 28

Textiles can be recycled and remade into new products
Recycling centres collect textiles
and process them into new items,
recycled and remade
e.g. cleaning cloths, paper, home
insulation products and carpet
underlay

Question 29

Being a sustainable and ethical consumer
Upcycle

Answer 29

Upcycling means doing something to an item to make it better than the original
Embelishing an item to make it more unique and attractive e.g using embroidery,beading or lace
using applique to decorate a plain cushion

Question 30

Being a sustainable and ethical consumer
Repurpose

Answer 30

Repurposing means using clothes and household items to make something new
Curtains
Draught excluders
Reusable shopping bags
Table napkins
Table runners
Cushion covers
Towels
Dish and polishing cloths
Pillow cases, duvet covers and bed
sheets
Patchwork cushions and quilts
Scented drawer sachets