Upcycling 7 Pairs of Old Jeans into an Epic Trench Coat & Why Eco Fashion Matters! | Raederle Vlog

DIY Craft Project: Upcycling jeans into a fashionable, eco-friendly trench coat. Raederle discusses her journey to a completely conscious wardrobe while creating a coat from seven different pairs of jeans. www.Raederle.com Learn more about Living Big & Traveling Far on $8,000 a Year (or Less!) here: http://www.raederle.com/2015/04/live-... Or go directly to the sales page: https://app.thebookpatch.com/BookStor... Here are some of the informational highlights from the video (and a few bonus thoughts): Cotton Spray: According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 84 million pounds of pesticides were applied to our 14.4 million acres of cotton in 2000, and more than two billion pounds of fertilizers were spread on those same fields. Worldwide, cotton covers 2.5% of the cultivated land, but cotton growers use 16% of the world’s pesticides. If you think of all the thousands of foods people grow worldwide that people spray pesticides on, 16% is a massive share for a single crop to hold, particularly when that crop is only covering 2.5% of the cultivated land in the world. GMO Cotton Cotton is one of the top four GMO crops produced in the world which includes soy, canola, and corn. GMO cotton production ranks ninth in global crop production. On average, 90% of U.S. cotton in 2010 was genetically engineered. Polyester Polyester is a synthetic petroleum-based fiber, and is therefore made from a carbon-intensive non-renewable resource. More than 70 million barrels of oil are used to make polyester each year. It is not bio-degradable and will persist in the eco-system even as it eventually breaks apart. In fact, it is believed that synthetic garments are the biggest source of microplastic pollution in the oceans because up to 1900 fibers can be washed off one garment every time it is washed. 1800s Clothing Practices Babies wore cloth diapers (if they wore anything at all) and the diapers had to be boiled before hung on the line to dry. Yes, even in the winter. You’d hang them out so they froze, take them down and snap them so the water crystals would come out, then bring them in and hang them from rope you strung from one side of the house to the other. An average working couple would have two outfits per person, one nice one for church, and one for the rest of the time. Children wore hand-me-downs which could be made of entirely stitched together remnants of older garments that belonged to older siblings or their parents previously. Stretchy, disposable underwear that you wear for a year or less and then replace didn't exist until 1940s. Women didn't wear underwear under their skirts which is still good practice for keeping your nether regions healthy. Women wore up to 16 layers of clothing on their legs, so panties really weren't required for coverage or warmth. Do you have any eco tips? Comment below with your ideas!