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rayon vs cotton which fiber is best? more sustainable?

rayon vs cotton - which is the best, most sustainable fiber?

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
RAYON vs COTTON. Which fiber is more sustainable? How are they made? Which performs better and creates better clothing. Everything you need to know.
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how to name your clothing brand guide and pdf

brand, trade, and domain - how to name a clothing brand

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
This article complete with free downloadable workbook will take you though all the steps to help you come up with the perfect clothing brand name.
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textile printing

textile printing - machines, techniques, and design

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
Textile printing is fabric dying but, in a very controlled way that creates patterns. Learn about textile print machines, techniques and design.
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deadstock fabric

Deadstock Fabric is NOT as Sustainable as You Think

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo

 

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recycled cotton fabric

Can recycled cotton make fast fashion sustainable?

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
What is the difference between mechanically, chemically, and thermally recycled cotton? And could textile recycling make fast fashion sustainable?
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what is a fashion tech pack

Fashion Tech Pack Tutorial, Template + Guide

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
Ok, you have an idea. Maybe you have even gone out and started to source fabrics. But, how do you turn your idea into reality? Well, simply put the answer is the tech pack. And as always virtue + vice is offering an in-depth guide for free.
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garment quality control checklist procedures

quality assurance plan + garment quality control checklist

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
Ok brands, I hear you. You all want to make your clothing the best quality ever. You want them to be able to last for years and maybe even be passed down from generation to generation. But, how do you actually make that a reality? A lot of brands claim they offer top quality - but do they really? The secret- is having a good garment quality control procedures in place. This is often a step most forgotten about by new fashion designers because tbh it is the least fun or glamorous. But, I would argue it is the most important in creating a high-quality product. So, here is a reference, as always for free, of everything you need to check, test, and assure, in order to create the best product ever, complete with a garment quality control checklist to make things easy.
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zero waste design

zero waste design with four rabbit

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
How a zero waste design shirt by four rabbit was made ethically and sustainably over the course of 10 days and in 4 different cities in India
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best hotels in jaipur

BEST HOTELS IN JAIPUR to visit in 2023

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo

From basic budget backpackers hostels to sleeping in the actual chambers of past Mahrastha this list of the best hotels in Jaipur has something for everyone.

ALL OF MY FAVORITE PLACES TO EAT, SLEEP, SIGHTSEE, AND SHOP. This is a 3 part series of posts where I dive deep into all of my favorite places to hang out, eat, and stay. This week I'll give you my honest review of the best hotels in Jaipur.

 

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best white t-shirt

How to design the best white T-shirt, Ever.

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
This week we are going to take everything that we have learned, along with some new knitting info and determine what is the best white t-shirt on the market. It turns out all you need to know are the very fundamentals of knitting to figure out if you are buying a quality product or garbage that a marketing team made you think sounded fancy.
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what are woven fabrics

what are woven fabrics? - a complete guide

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
Woven fabrics interlace two sets of yarns at right angles. The horizontal width-wise yarns are weft yarns or pick yarns. And, the vertical yarns in a piece of fabric are warp yarns or ends.
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slow manufacturing, slow fashion

Slow Fashion Starts With Slow Manufacturing

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
It may sound counterintuitive, but the secret to manufacturers and brands incorporating more sustainable and ethical practices while increasing their bottom lines may be to produce less and to produce slow(er) fashion.
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what jobs in the fashion industry are right for you?

What Jobs In The Fashion Industry Are Right For You?

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo

Thinking about starting a career in fashion? This is everything I wish someone had told me about jobs in the fashion industry.

Back in 2004 when I was applying for colleges and trying to figure out what I was going to do with the rest of my life, I didn't realize that there are jobs for all different personalities, talents, and abilities in the fashion industry. For some reason, I thought “designer” was the only job in fashion. I have never been particularly artsy, and don’t know how to sew, so working in fashion never felt like a real option.

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made in poland

Made in Poland Clothing - Where to Make What

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
I had the opportunity to visit Poland in September on a trip sponsored by The European Union and Polish Investment & Trade Agency. And, not only was I was blown away by their manufacturing capabilities, but the country as a whole. Poland is probably the best-kept manufacturing secret in Europe right now. So, now the secrets out, Poland for manufacturing is where you need to be.
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textile yarns

textile yarns - the secret to fabric development

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
Yarns are the often forgotten about secret to creating more sustainable fabrics and garments. By understanding them we can create garments that will last longer and perform better, here's how...
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what are synthetic fabrics? nylon stockings

What are Synthetic Fabrics? - A Guide to Man Made Fibers

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo

Rayon was the first synthetic fiber, and originally consumers hated it. It wasn't until the invention of nylon, which made women's nylon stockings a possibility that the world became obsessed with synthetic fibers and faster fashion.

How did one little fiber change the fashion world forever? We'll get to that. And, talk about how other synthetic fibers continue to shape fashions hottest trends.

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luxury wool and eco wool

Luxury Wool and Eco-Friendly Wool Options

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo

The fourth topic of TEXTILES 101 is Luxury Wool.

Before you buy that discounted, to good to be true cashmere, educate yourself on some of the worlds most sustainable and rare luxury wool in the world. Cashmere, yak, camel wool, guanaco, mohair, alpaca, vicuna, angora, shahtoosh.

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what is wool

What Is Wool? And How To Buy The Best Sweater - Ever

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
The first trick to knowing the difference between a $30 sweater and a $300 sweater is understanding what is wool, + all the fiber properties
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natural plant fibers

Natural Plant Fibers

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
New to the fashion world? Welcome :) To help catch you up to speed, virtue + vice is offering free mini-courses. We will be releasing a new chapter bi-monthly. The courses will take you from the very first step in the fashion supply chain, textile fibers, all the way through to the finished product in stores. Our first crash course is TEXTILES 101The second topic of TEXTILES 101 is Natural Plant Fibers.
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fabric market shopping in sham shui po hk

Complete Guide to Fabric Market Shopping in Sham Shui Po

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
Sham Shui Po is a fabric market located in Kowloon and is one of Hong Kongs best-kept fashion secrets. Designers looking for deadstock - Sham Shui Po is your holy grail. Basically, it's where Chinese mills, from fast fashion to high-end, sell off their deadstock. 
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what are textiles, what are fibers

What Are Textiles and Fibers?

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo

New to the fashion world? Welcome :) To help catch you up to speed, virtue + vice is offering free mini-courses. We will be releasing a new chapter bi-weekly. The courses will take you from the very first step in the fashion supply chain, textile fibers, all the way through to the finished product in stores. Our first crash course is TEXTILES 101, which answers, what are textiles, and how do we know if they are sustainable or not.

The first topic of Textiles 101 is WHAT ARE TEXTILE FIBERS? And, why are they important in sustainable fashion design? Get ready to learn everything there is to know about the very first step in designing a product.

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handloom and khadi weaving

Handloom and Khadi - A Look into India's Cultural Politics

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
India as a country, has a rich tradition of textiles. Today, Jaipur in Rajasthan and Ahmedabad in Gujarat have become international hotspots for handloom and khadi Indian made fabrics. Textiles are a living history book. They are a window into a countries history and culture. To understand the importance of Khadi, first, we need to explore its evolution. The art of handloom and Khadi has helped India to gain independence and shape it into the country it is today.
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biodynamic farming india

What is Biodynamic Farming?

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
Move over organic and fair trade, the newcomer to the sustainable and ethical fashion scene is clothing made by harnessing the power of astrology. The health and wellness area is seeing a growing market in apparel thanks to biodynamic farming.
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how to buy conscious clothes

6 TOTALLY FREE WAYS TO INSTANTLY BECOME A MORE SUSTAINABLE FASHIONISTA

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
Joining the movement can often feel like a daunting and expensive undertaking to newbies. After doing your first bit of research you probably learned our closets are packed with unsustainable plastic fibers, toxic dyes, and in many cases slave labor. 
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what is rayon fabric is it sustainable, biodegradable

What Is Rayon? A Textile Engineer Breaks It Down

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
What is rayon fabric? Is it eco friendly, does it biodegrade, and is it safe to wear? We break down what you are really wearing when you buy rayon.
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sustainable denim development

sustainable jeans - how eco friendly is your denim

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
Could polyester be the key to sustainable denim development?
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recycled PET from water bottles

3 new ways companies are using recycled plastic

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Written by Allison Calabrese
spoiler: it isn’t swimsuits or yoga pants. What are we going to do with all the single-use plastic we have created? These companies have some ideas.
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innovative textiles

innovative textiles… that aren’t polyester made from recycled plastic bottles

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
This week I am exploring and celebrating three new fiber technologies that deserve the spotlight and are still relatively new to the market. One of them is even an alternative to plastic! Welcome to the future...
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necessary plastics cups and bags

what do we do when plastic use is inevitable?

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
We are always trying to cut down on our plastics use. But, sometimes plastic is needed. GASP! While it pains us to package each garment in plastic, unfortunately, because of the rough shipping process it is actually more sustainable... Here's why.
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machines documentary.

documentary review - Machines by Rahul Jain [with v+v original video]

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Written by Allison Calabrese
Call me jaded, but recently I haven't been able to get through a fashion industry or environmental doc or article without getting super heated about dramatized, exaggerated, and at times even falsified information. 
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breast cancer awareness clothes

breast cancer awareness charity shirts could actually be causing cancer

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
Charity shirts... While we at virtue + vice fully support raising awareness for important causes like cancers, human rights, and saving the world, the way we promote that awareness is most likely doing more harm than good.
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how to spot fake vintage

read this before the flea market: why most vintage is actually fake

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo

yup, your vintage Levis from the flea market are probably fake...

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30 wears challenge

what is the 30 wears challenge?

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
Popularized by Liva Firth of The True Cost, the 30 Wears Campaign challenges you to ask the question “will I wear this 30 times?” before making a new purchase.
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what is sustainable fashion

what is sustainable fashion?

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
Sustainable fashion asks the question how was something made and how can it be made better? How can it have a smaller environmental impact? How can our business help and progress local communities? It asks the question, are we making this the best way possible, and how can we do better?
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fashion supply chain transparency

what is fashion supply chain transparency?

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo

why is transparency important to revolutionizing the clothing industry? By demanding transparency in the clothing industry, we are telling companies that we will hold them accountable for how they choose to make their products.

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what is ethical fashion

what is ethical fashion?

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Written by Melanie DiSalvo
We hear the terms ethical, sustainable, socially conscious, and transparent thrown around a lot today. But, what do they really mean? Often used interchangeably, they all do not mean the same thing.
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