DRESS CODE

The Big Green Gathering this year was better than ever, and lots of us were wearing outfits made from hemp, bamboo, and other natural fibres. After my talk a botanist told me about his interest in nettles, ouch!, but yes, they too can produce fine threads. Someone else there makes living silk, having gone to India to train silkworms to make threads without being killed.

I was able to wear all green, with a tie-dye from Minawear, trousers from Braintree UK, a shirt from THTC and a backpack from Sativa. The Hemp Shop's 100% organic eco bag, as featured in the Ecologist and Positive News, was also in hand.

Hemp and other fibres such as jute and ramie are gaining ground, though sadly, most people still wear mass produced cotton which is killing people in India, China, Uzbekistan, Egypt, the US, etc. A new website dedicated to information on all of these has just started in London and is well worth taking a look at - http://www.hempandnaturalfibres.ning.com/

We love to publish images of anyone's sartorial choiced in natural fibres, send in any to me at cotingas@hotmail.com and we will gladly publish them on the site, with a link to the manufacturer if you wish.