my new old red sweater
I'm a big sweater guy. I love comfortable, large-fitting clothes. They don't really agree with the summer heat, but they're awesome for every other season. As part of my commitment to only buy second-hand clothing from here on out, I was perusing the "activewear" section of Value Village yesterday and came across someone's old red sweater. It wasn't in the greatest condition---several ripped seams and general wear-and-tear, but it was my size and seemed to be of a high-quality make. Sure enough: it's 100% cotton and downright retro. The manufacturer, Tiger Brand Knitting, went into bankruptcy protection in 2004 and sold it's soul to an offshore buyer in 2005. As I write this, I realize that this is now the second vintage "Non-Fiction" sweater I own (the first I found in a three-story "antique mall" in Woodstock, Ontario). I'm like a magnet for these things.
There's something very fulfilling to me about buying an old piece of clothing like this---something of good quality that someone obviously loved very much---and repairing it. I'm hardly the greatest sewer of my generation, but I can close the few small holes with the red thread I have on hand and return this awesome sweater to daily use. I love that I can do that.
Clothing is among the most discarded items on this planet. I don't need to tell you again about the blight of "fast-fashion." Every year, untold tons of perfectly-good clothing are thrown away to pollute our only home in space. I can't fix that problem myself, but I can make sure that my beloved red sweater doesn't join the pile. I'll just keep sewing up the holes as they appear. I love my sweater.