Peggy Sagers: Upcycling and organic are buzzwords being used throughout the fashion industry, mostly by designers for marketing their created goods.

What do these words actually mean?

A combined study done by University of North Texas and Southern Methodist University has provided some very thorough answers that will help us understand the evolution of organic fabrics.

We'll also learn what it means to upcycle our sewing projects.

Hopefully, this awareness will guide each of us in the daily sewing choices we make.

All today, on "Fit 2 Stitch."

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ announcer: "Fit 2 Stitch" is made possible by Kai Scissors.

♪♪♪ announcer: Reliable Corporation.

♪♪♪ announcer: Plano Sewing Center.

♪♪♪ announcer: Elliott Berman Textiles.

♪♪♪ announcer: Bennos Buttons.

♪♪♪ announcer: And Clutch Nails.

♪♪♪ Peggy: As host of "Fit 2 Stitch," I'm thrilled to bring you series 12.

Our ongoing vision is to educate you, the viewer, to gain knowledge and skill along with increased joy throughout your fabric journey.

Remember the designer, the patternmaker, and the seamstress each play a different but very important role in the process of garment making.

This series is focused on the designer.

We have teamed up with the University of North Texas to bring you the Texas Fashion Collection.

This collection was started in the 1930s by a passionate participant in fashion, Stanley Marcus.

Hopeful to elevate the importance of fashion and to make Texas a part of the fashion history, he donated designer garments each year to UNT to help their fashion students learn from the masters.

More on the Texas Fashion Collection later in this series.

We're all a part of fashion, and it affects us in ways we may not be aware of.

Today, we look at recyclable fashions and organic fabrics, and have the perfect guest to help us understand these concepts.

Barbara Trippeer, a fashion professor at UNT joins us today.

And I'm so excited because in that head of hers is just tons of knowledge that can really help us, especially recyclable and organic.

Barbara Trippeer: Thank you for having me here today, Peggy.

I'm very excited to talk with you and your audience about the issue of sustainability, how fabrics relate to sustainability, and net garments.

We all wear garments, and so we all have a vote, a choice to make when we make our decisions in-- Peggy: And those terms are a little confusing, to me, anyway, maybe not to everyone, but help us understand all those differences.

Barbara: Sure, so let's look at the word sustainability, which means to sustain or extend life here on our planet, and so, really, when it comes down to the actions, everyday actions, that we make as individuals, it's about making better choices and how can we do less harm in the things that we do on an everyday basis.

Peggy: So if we're aware, we can make better choices.

It's just being aware of what's going on.

Barbara: Yes, so the reason that apparel is a big deal for-- regards to sustainability is that everybody wears garments and the apparel and textiles industries happen to be the second largest polluters after petroleum and gas.

Peggy: I was amazed at that.

The whole industry, apparently, it is a big pollution to the planet.

Besides oil and gas.

That's really high up there.

Barbara: And that's in consideration of all the different steps that go into making a garment: the raw fiber, the making of the textiles, the dying of the garments which pollutes waterways, the people involved with the factories that they work in, and then the transportation of goods back and forth.

So all of those steps along the way have an impact.

Peggy: So it does make sense that if we make different choices, we can have a big impact, since it's a big polluter.

Barbara: So today I've brought a couple of examples for us to talk about.

Some retailers are doing a really great job, making more sustainable decisions in their design process.

What to look for, how to know what is a more sustainable choice when we choose a product.

And some of the fabrics and materials that were-- use these kinds of organic fibers, and what to look for.

Peggy: It is interesting how-- and is it completely up to the designer themselves what choices they make as far as what contributions they wanna make or they don't have to?

Barbara: Well, while I'd love to think that the designer is the sole decision-maker in the process, ultimately it's a relationship between the designer and the consumer.

So the designer makes suggestions and recommendations, and it's the consumer who votes with their dollars and makes the ultimate decision.

It's creating that relationship between-- Peggy: So it's us?

Barbara: The power is in our hands.

Peggy: I guess I hadn't thought of it like that.

I always thought it was the designer deciding to be more committed, but they can't really be committed unless the dollars are there.

Barbara: And people sign on, that their customers sign on and agree that this is the right direction, so we have a couple of great retailers here I'd like to talk about.

They've been making some great progress towards this.

So our first retailer here, those-- a lot of people are very active and like to work out, so this is an Outdoor Retailer Patagonia.

Ninety-eight percent of their materials that they use in their line are recycled materials.

So this short, for example, is a 100% recycled nylon, this cotton jersey here has a recycled lycra inside, so it's a soft-- it's very soft, and we'll talk a little bit more about what is organic in a moment when we talk about the fabrics.

Peggy: And these are recycled nylon?

So they're recycling from everything and anything?

Barbara: Yes, from soda bottles and things of that nature.

So, nylon is a form of a synthetic manufactured material versus a natural fiber, which is what's in here with the cotton, which is from a plant.

So we have two different processes that make fabrics.

Peggy: So would it be fair to say that these could be recycled even after they were shorts?

They could just keep being recycled again?

Barbara: Absolutely, and Patagonia does invite their consumers to return the garments, gently worn and used, so that they can be put back into the pipeline in some way.

Peggy: I had no idea.

That's really interesting.

Barbara: And then we have another retailer right behind you here who's making really great stride and has been very, very successful.

So these examples are from Eileen Fisher.

So, Eileen Fisher, this is from her Renew line, so her Renew line is similar to what we talked about with Patagonia where they invite their consumer to return gently worn garments and they will regenerate them into new garments.

So, this is 100% organic cotton jersey with a natural dye, and this sweater in particular is very interesting.

Peggy: I love this sweater.

Barbara: This is a made-in-America sweater, so it's 100% Peruvian cotton, so that's still here in the Americas, and then the sweater is woven in L.A., and the dyes used are a naturally grown indigo from Seattle and then-- so the whole thing-- Peggy: So it follows all the way through?

Barbara: All the way through, and that's another thing, when we think about the entire process of making a garment, local versus things that come from very far away.

So having a more local provider means that the-- just like when you buy organic vegetables or locally grown, it's closer to home, so there is less waste into the whole process.

Peggy: Well, it would be-- it'd have to be a little higher cost, wouldn't it?

Barbara: Unfortunately, that is the case.

There is a balance there.

It's like buying a nice wine or a higher-end vegetable, in the same process.

Peggy: But you've got to know that when those dollars-- why they're going and what they're going for.

Barbara: They're designed to be more durable.

And then our other example over here, if you're loving softness, this is the pinnacle of softness.

So this example that we have here is a Loro Piana 100% cashmere sweater.

So this is from baby cashmere, and they really designed their garments to be precious, things that are traded down from generation to generation.

So these are garments that are made to last, heirlooms.

Peggy: That's so interesting, there's sort of a legacy there.

Barbara: And then we have this hat here as well, and just the level of softness and care in construction that goes into these garments, so they are, you know, the trade-off is that it's a higher price point but it is an investment piece.

And we have a couple more examples here, so your consumers may wanna know, how do I know if it's organic?

Peggy: Yeah, I was just gonna ask you that.

How do you know?

And how do you know-- can they just say they are and not really be?

Barbara: Well, the things that your audience will wanna look for is there are certification marks or trademarks that are going to indicate for the consumer how do they know if it's organic.

So one of the trademarks that you will find is called OEKO-TEX.

OEKO-TEX is a certification standard.

They have what's called the 100%-- 100 standard OEKO-TEX and it'll have this label say O-E-K-O-T-E-X, and they look at all the supply chain of that textile and that garment, making sure that there's less harmful processes, whether in the dyes or to the workers there, the care and factory of the workers making this garment.

Peggy: So then that would be like a third party who's, actually, their job is to regulate.

Barbara: These are third-party certifications and the manufacturers have to pay to have those third-parties come in and evaluate the product.

So it's not something that comes for free.

So those are the kinds of things that you will wanna look for.

There's also the global organic cotton standard, the GOTS standard, and it looks like this little T-shirt here, and that is looking at the actual textile itself.

So, how to verify if it is indeed organic?

Well, this third party certification, it's an international standard, will verify if the fiber is made from organic materials.

Peggy: So that, I just find that so interesting because I've heard that word organic so much, but I have no knowledge of these labels.

So the fact that I've never even looked for them, I never even thought they existed, but that if it's really organic, it would make sense that they would pay to have this on there to really say to your customer, "Hey, look, we're really authentic.

We are very much doing what we're supposed to be doing and we're not just labeling that."

Barbara: Absolutely, and the reason-- people often wonder, "What's the big deal?

What is different between an organic fiber and a regular cotton fiber, for example?"

So an organic fiber requires that the fiber grower uses no pesticides.

So that means that there's going to be more-- less produced because they don't have pesticides killing off bugs, so the yields for the fiber is often going to be smaller.

And also, in the time that it takes to go from being a regular cotton farmer, let's just say cotton, for example, to an organic farmer, the fields have to be what's called fallow, meaning nothing planted in them for a two-year period so that there's a turnover to get all the pesticides out and then in the next-- Peggy: Two years?

Barbara: Two years, and then in the four years after, the fiber that's grown is what's called transitional fiber.

So it really takes eight years before the plants that are grown are truly organic, to be certified organic.

Peggy: Oh my, so there's a tremendous cost.

Barbara: There is a tremendous cost.

Peggy: So, in in their organic fiber, like, we're talking cotton now, let's just say as an example.

Barbara: Cotton, for example, is one.

Peggy: Why do we care if it's organic?

I mean, like, we're not eating it.

I mean, no, I hear it a lot, but, I mean-- Barbara: Well, it happens to be because that pesticide seeps into the ground and then ultimately seeps into the waterway.

So then the downstream, you get the natural effect of what's going into-- Peggy: So by supporting organic fibers-- Barbara: Thinking about a long-term contribution to the planet, yes.

Peggy: Okay, I didn't even think about it going into the ground and going into the water.

Sure, that makes sense.

Barbara: Which, you know, there have been sorts of studies which that is a cancer contributor.

Long-term, there are other effects and-- Peggy: Lots of studies done on that and cancer.

Barbara: So those are kind of-- and then the last certification you wanna look for is the Fair Trade just like you probably have seen in coffee.

So, Fair Trade means that the factory that they-- where the garment was made has been evaluated to make sure that the workers have been ethically treated, that they've been getting fair-- Peggy: It even goes into the workers?

Barbara: Absolutely.

So those are the kinds of things you wanna look for: OEKO-TEX, the GOTS certification, and the Fair Trade.

There are other ones.

There's another one called Cradle to Cradle which means that the organization looks at not only the beginning of the garment and textile process but they also consider what happens at the end of that process, and so they're reusing the materials just the same way Patagonia and Eileen Fisher are, so that's a-- you'll see a C2C kind of like the Chanel symbol, and that's a Cradle to Cradle certification.

Peggy: Okay, so, question.

If I was just wanting to search for-- what would these be called?

What certifications?

Barbara: So, if you were to go online and you could do-- put in your search engine organic certifications or sustainable certifications, these will be the ones that come up on the top, the GOTS, which is the Global Organic Textile Certification, Fair Trade, and the OEKO-TEX 100 Standard.

Those would be the top three that you'll see the most common, socks, T-shirts, shoes, and then on other materials as well.

And again, the manufacturer has to pay for that certifications, for that third-party evaluator.

Peggy: But it's really to be authentic.

This is a Loro Piana, this being-- this cashmere is amazing.

Barbara: It's 100% baby cashmere here.

So the thing about Loro Piana and for other high-end vendors, so they are looking at ethical ways of maintaining their animals.

So they're also thinking about-- Peggy: So, it even goes to that?

Barbara: Absolutely, thinking about good treatment of the animal and the same thing with high-end leather goods or furriers which, you know, depending on your stance on animal products or not, you wanna be supporting someone who is doing their job for the environment.

Peggy: Well, I think it's interesting where we would never think that the animals would be abused, and yet I guess it's because over the years so much abuse has gone on we've kind of had to set up these standards of where the animals are protected just because they should be.

It's not even that-- Barbara: It's the same way as thinking about the free range eggs, for example, or chicken.

So, I have a few examples here of some of those organic cottons and other materials that we talked about, so the first one that I have here and you can-- so this is an example of an organic cotton poplin, so this is 100% organic cotton poplin.

You won't feel the difference between what is organic and what is not.

It's still gonna be about how the fabric is finished and the dyes that are used, et cetera.

So this is an organic cotton poplin and, you know, has a more natural color dye.

Peggy: It wouldn't wrinkle less, it wouldn't-- it's still cotton fiber?

Barbara: It won't change the properties at all, so-- Peggy: You can't feel that it's organic.

Barbara: It's psychological only.

Peggy: Got it, got it.

Barbara: And then this is an organic linen.

So this linen is another natural fiber.

It's a bast fiber.

So this is-- we'll see a little bit more of a slub here in the wear of it, and it's usually-- very common, both of these materials are very commonly used by Eileen Fisher in their process.

Peggy: And again, now, you could not feel that it's organic.

Barbara: You will not, no.

They're--it's-- Peggy: Just their right to advertise it.

Barbara: Just means that they have made the commitment to the earth to ensure that these are the materials that they're using instead of other, mass-produced formats.

And then this is an organic cotton jersey.

Peggy: Number two polluter.

I'm still stuck with that.

Number two polluter, that's big.

Barbara: Every time we wear something, we're voting.

Peggy: Yeah, that's large.

Barbara: On the planet.

Peggy: Or buy fabric, or anything.

Barbara: Or anything.

And then this is a-- this is a cotton jersey, 100%.

Peggy: And organic, again?

I keep thinking I'll see a difference, but there is no difference, is there?

They're so pretty.

Barbara: This is a French terry, and then this is a fleece, a 100% cotton fleece.

Organic cotton fleece.

Peggy: So what the fiber can do, there's no limitations.

It still can do everything a regular cotton fiber can do.

You're not gonna see any difference.

It's not gonna feel any different.

Barbara: Often-- I'm gonna go back to Patagonia there which does use manufactured fiber.

So, oftentimes, why do people choose a manufactured fiber versus a natural fiber?

Sometimes it has to do with performance properties.

So, like that Nylon short, for example, has a more rain propellant finish to it.

Peggy: So you're talking manufactured fiber.

You're just talking a non-natural.

Barbara: It's a non-natural fiber.

It's made from plastic, other versions of polyester, so when people think about that, one of the things they don't realize is let's go back to your Loro Piana cashmere.

So this is made from wool, right?

Wool is a natural fiber, and if we were living in Italy, we would be very, very comfortable choosing a wool suit instead of a synthetic activewear piece to put together because wool has its own high performance properties to it.

The animals are-- who are out in the field are able to shake off rainwater and everything.

So there are a lot of changes coming to natural fibers to change the perception of, "Oh, I need to work out in 100% synthetic yoga pantsuit," but be on the lookout for those as well.

Peggy: Interesting, because they can manipulate the weaves, and they can make the fabrics actually more breathable than naturals.

Barbara: Yes.

Peggy: Oh, that's interesting to me.

Barbara: So then the last thing I have that I'd like to share with you is just an interesting way to think about when we're done with our materials, what can we do to-- rather than throw them into the trash which just ends up in the landfill, what way can we do upcycling?

So, you mentioned the collaboration project that UNT did with SMU, and so I have some examples here of what was produced out of that.

So that project-- Peggy: So just so-- not to interrupt, sorry, but SMU, Southern Methodist University, just interesting to me that they collaborated with another university.

And not to say that they can't be friends, don't get me wrong, but I think it's fascinating that they did, but it's actually because University of North Texas is really stronger in fashion than Southern Methodist University.

Barbara: Yes, so we have the design division in our College of Visual Art and Design.

Peggy: And Southern Methodist does not?

Barbara: And Southern Methodist does not have a design-- they have a art program, but not a design program.

And so their College of Environmental Science, which has a Sustainability Institute, was looking for a partner to partner with them on exploring opportunities in the apparel and textiles industries for more sustainable methods.

Peggy: And there was a big company behind it.

We don't need to mention that, but it was all a partnership and you guys were-- Barbara: Yes, and so these were some of the outputs that came from that.

So the first example that I have here, the-- we were designing products that would be universal, regardless of size or gender, and so they-- products that could carry things.

So this is a tote made from upcycled airline seats.

So this tote bag-- Peggy: Airline?

Barbara: Airline seats, yes.

Peggy: That's the seat we sat on?

Barbara: Yes, that's the seat you-- Peggy: So all-- really, airline seats?

Barbara: Yes, and then so-- Peggy: Oh my gosh, there's even a label in there.

Barbara: So-- and then the idea behind it is for this Cradle to Cradle thought process, this circular design process, that the idea was that the client would come in, place an order on a bag, and then choose specific kinds of customization techniques, so that would be how you could personalize it.

And once you were done, you could send it back, and it would be recreated into something else.

Peggy: So let's go back to the seats for a minute.

Like, they don't-- so they're redoing an airplane or they're throwing it away or they're-- Barbara: Unfortunately, normally, it's just trashed.

Peggy: Okay, so you guys got the seats and then had ideas of things to do with them?

Barbara: Yes, we were-- Peggy: I'm fascinated by that, as much traveling as I've done.

Barbara: Yes, we were approached by an airline company, and they said, "Hey, we wanna create a partnership.

We want these to be used in some way and not just thrown away."

So that's where.

Peggy: So this is a lot of free materials?

Barbara: Yes.

Peggy: So, do you think in this whole recycling process, it is cheaper on some level to use these recycled as opposed to if I was gonna design handbags, it would cost me a lot more to buy the fabrics?

Barbara: Yeah, and, in fact, we often tell our students for that same purpose, if you are struggling with purchasing materials, there are creative ways to access materials.

You know, you can go to, like, hotels who throw away old sheets and things like that.

There are catering companies who have tablecloths that they have to get rid of, so-- Peggy: It really comes down to creativity.

Barbara: You have to be a little bit resourceful and, most of the time, those retail service industry, they just are going through these things in a very, like, efficient way.

And then, this other bag.

This one is interesting because it's convertible.

So this is made from upcycled leather, from shoes and handbags.

And then it's a convertible piece that goes from a handbag to a duffle.

And the idea here, again, was that-- so, like a gym bag.

Peggy: Look at that.

It just unzips all the way.

Barbara: Might not be able to unzip it all the way today.

There we go.

So there we have, like, a little duffle tote bag, and so this is canvas from, like, those curtains which I just mentioned, and then it has the strap in-- Peggy: So now this was a-- was this a course that the students involved themselves in?

Barbara: Yes, and they were also to come up with ways to communicate their process to their consumer, so there was a whole public advertising campaign that goes along with it that would engage the consumer in more of a life-type relationship, in the same way Patagonia or Eileen Fisher or Loro Piana does.

So they're challenging the students to think about their careers in a very kind of long-term way.

Peggy: It's just incredible what's being done.

I think the advancement-- how many years have you been at the university now?

Barbara: I've been there for about five years, at UNT.

Peggy: You've probably seen a lot of change just in the way-- I mean, to do studies like this and the importance of organic, and the importance of all of it.

I'm just surprised how every year it gets more and more and more critical.

Barbara: Well, I think-- Peggy: To people, also.

Barbara: With all the climate change, people are wondering what can we do?

Peggy: Yes, and this is something they can do.

They can carry a bag made out of an airline seat.

I just love this.

So the whole idea of this was just that they could-- Barbara: These were different customizations that the-- you would have a menu that could be ordered, in the same way, like, Nike offers a customization menu on their sneakers, for example.

And that was the same thing with the patchworks here-- Peggy: So this just seems fascinating, again, because I'm one who travels on airplanes, and you know how you're only allowed to take so much?

To have something like this that goes from larger to smaller and the goal is you'd have to use a lighter fabric on the inside and a heavier on the outside.

And all of this was cut from something that had already had life?

That's just incredible.

It's really fun.

What do you think the students walk away with after this?

Barbara: So, as we go through this process, we challenge them to think about all the steps along the way, not just designing, which is the glamorous part, or in having it walk down the runway.

We're really challenging to think about what are the raw materials that they're using as that goes into the garment process, how-- are we thinking about ethical ways of treating the workers when they're making these garments?

They're have a-- can they have a relationship with the consumer after the garment is used, so that they can come back and have a new upcycled, beautiful, organic sweater?

Peggy: It's just being so authentic in that process.

Barbara: I think this generation is really looking for relationships and authenticity.

Peggy: Yeah, and that's exciting to me to see that we're really changing and moving in that direction.

But I'm also impressed by how these feel.

They just-- you would never know.

Thank you so much.

Barbara: Yeah, no, thank you so much.

Peggy: I just really appreciate your knowledge.

Barbara: It's a pleasure being here with you today.

Thank you.

Peggy: Thank you.

Peggy: There are some great lessons to be learned when creating and sewing men's garments, and are they the same as women's?

What are the differences?

Learn the details of men's clothing next time on "Fit 2 Stitch."

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ announcer: "Fit 2 Stitch" is made possible by Kai Scissors.

♪♪♪ announcer: Reliable Corporation.

♪♪♪ announcer: Plano Sewing Center.

♪♪♪ announcer: Elliott Berman Textiles.

♪♪♪ announcer: Bennos Buttons.

♪♪♪ announcer: And Clutch Nails.

♪♪♪ announcer: To order a four-DVD set of "Fit 2 Stitch," series 12, please visit our website at fit2stitch.com.