It can be said that knitting for some is a strange combination of relaxation and activism, of protest and tradition (thanks Katherine Martinko for those words). This contrast can be best explained by considering the act of knitting as a part of the slow movement, specifically the slow fashion movement.
The slow movement is a cultural shift to impact the hectic pace of life and pushes against the notion that faster is better. It started with the slow food movement in the mid-1980's, but here's a list of other slow movements that have begun since then: art, church, fashion, gardening, goods, media, parenting, photography science, technology and travel. Many are taking up these movements as a form activism or protest. They believe the fast speed of culture negatively impacts society and by protesting against fast they are also protesting against big business, in general.
Specifically for this post, slow fashion takes a hard look at the shopping cultural in North American. Because most clothing is inexpensive, North American consumers use clothes shopping as a form of entertainment. Consumers spend money on inexpensive and current-trend clothing in one season and often find themselves throwing that clothing out in the next season because it hasn't held up to use. This process creates waste.
The slow fashion movements looks first to why clothing is inexpensive and finds it linked to garment factories that are awful places for workers who often earn very low wages where poor quality material is used. The slow fashion movement is also concerned about the tread mill of poor quality clothing: buy poor quality, wear it a few times, recycle or throw away poor quality and shop more. This movement would say, stop this nonsense by purchasing or investing in good quality clothing that is classic in style.
How does knitting fit into all of this? Katherine Martinko remarks in her article: Why Knit A Scarf in her opinion knitting falls directly in the slow fashion movement. She argues purchasing good quality, locally processed and dyed yarn and making the scarf with your own hands is slow. It allows for creating something of quality, helps one reclaim independence and helps a local business. Specifically for this post, slow fashion takes a hard look at the shopping cultural in North American. Because most clothing is inexpensive, North American consumers use clothes shopping as a form of entertainment. Consumers spend money on inexpensive and current-trend clothing in one season and often find themselves throwing that clothing out in the next season because it hasn't held up to use. This process creates waste.
The slow fashion movements looks first to why clothing is inexpensive and finds it linked to garment factories that are awful places for workers who often earn very low wages where poor quality material is used. The slow fashion movement is also concerned about the tread mill of poor quality clothing: buy poor quality, wear it a few times, recycle or throw away poor quality and shop more. This movement would say, stop this nonsense by purchasing or investing in good quality clothing that is classic in style.
All these reasons for knitting a scarf are laudable indeed. I can firmly assure knitting a scarf will take more time than driving to the local XXX (fill in your own version of a discount store here) picking up a scarf, paying $10 and walking out wearing it. And although my sympathies certainly align with the arguments about too much shopping, wages too low for developing country employees and more personal self-sufficiency, I see a few flaws in Ms. Martinko's logic.
- Purchasing good quality yarn, the raw material of knitting, may not directly lead to a good quality end product. A knitter must perfect skills to be able to produce a product that would be seen as something of quality.
- Buying local yarn is as limiting as buying basic groceries locally; there will be gaps because you may not be able to find what you want locally.
- The fashion slow movement, as all slow movements, requires quite an investment of time on the part of the creator.
The slow fashion movement is motivated by wonderfully admirable reasons, but there are drawbacks to making your own fashion. Even if one can't make an entire wardrobe for themselves, thinking about overshopping and making quality clothes purchases is a good sentiment to remember.
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