Yesterday we looked at plastic waste and microplastics. Let's continue the thread today with a forensic fashion study that takes into consideration the deterioration of polyurethane coated textiles to ponder a bit more about what our garments may release in the environment once we stop wearing them and dispose of them.
The study focuses on two pair of trousers by Calzedonia that we will call Exhibit A and B and that in the course of a few years (in the case of Exhibit A) or a few months (Exhibit B) showed visible signs of wear and tear.
Polyurethane coating gets scratched and comes off after a while and you can almost attempt an architectural comparison as in some cases it ends up looking like a wall or a building with paint peeling off.
As stated above, this study focuses on two pair of trousers, but polyurethane coating is common for other types of garments including skirts and jackets.
Pictures 2 and 4 in this post show the deterioration on a cheap polyurethane coated jacket. In this case the coating simply cracked and started peeling off, exactly like paint on a wall. The two photographs refer to the back of the jacket. But let's move onto a more detailed analysis of the two trousers.
Exhibit A
Description: Exhibit A refers to a polyurethane coated pair of trousers by Calzedonia.
Fit: They are characterised by a comfortable fit and they are not too tight. The style is more similar to that of a pair of trousers with a solid side zip and two invisible zips at the ankles.
Feel: The surface is pleasant to the touch, smooth and has a silky consistency imitating nappa leather.
Material: The label indicates the composition of the main textile for this product - 65% Viscose and 35% Polyester; the coating is 100% Polyurethane.
Labels/Warnings/Washing instructions: The label indicates the trousers were "Made in China". The washing instructions explain they should be handwashed. But the trousers were machine-washed at least once a week at 30°.
There is just one warning on the label that highlights that the colour of this product may transfer onto light-coloured materials; this never happened.
History: Bought around 6-7 years ago; worn regularly (at least for 25-30 weeks a year for 4-5 years).
Deterioration: After 4-5 years they started showing some signs of deterioration on the buttocks and crotch area, parts that are naturally exposed to frictions.
There are also some minor cuts around the ankles and two scratches in the polyurethane around the right thigh / knee. The polyurethane parts that peel off do have an elastic consistency, but they aren't sticky. They have the consistency of a film that, when pulled, easily breaks into smaller fragments.
Storage: The trousers were stored in a plastic bag for the last two years; no further deterioration was noted.
Exhibit B
Description: Exhibit B refers to a polyurethane coated pair trousers by Calzedonia.
Fit: Tighter than the previous ones, they look more like leggings. The company seemed to have eliminated the zips in this case, probably to save money, and preferred to use a thick elastic around the waist.
Feel: The surface is soft, but porous, different from the previous trousers and maybe reminiscent of thick and cheap leather.
Material: The label indicates the composition of the main textile for this product - 90% Polyester (thicker compared to the viscose of Exhibit A) and 10% Elastane; the coating is 100% Polyurethane.
Labels/Warnings/Washing instructions: The label indicates the trousers were "Made in Sri Lanka". The washing instructions explain they should be washed inside out at 30°. The trousers were machine-washed at least once a week at 30°.
There is just one warning on the label that highlights the fact the colour of this product may transfer onto light-coloured materials; this never happened.
History: Bought around 3-4 years ago; they were worn regularly for just 24-30 weeks.
Deterioration: After 4-5 months the trousers started rapidly deteriorating: bubbles started forming on the buttocks and crotch areas and along one leg, as if the surface coating was separating from the fabric underneath.
Eventually one of the largest bubble around the crotch burst and the material – an elastic film – just peeled away. The same happened along the left leg in the area under a knee. The polyurethane parts that peel off have a high elasticity and they are a bit sticky; they have the consistency of rubber to the touch. Part of the waistband got unstiched (no picture of that as it doesn't really refer to polyurethane degradation).
Storage: The trousers were stored in a plastic bag for the last two years; no further deterioration was noted.
Conclusions
It seems that the quality of this brand went down in just a few years' time: while Exhibit A lasted for a longer time even when it was machine washed, Exhibit B rapidly deteriorated and soon became unwearable.
The main concern in the two cases is how to dispose of these items as both would release bits and pieces of polyurethane coating in the environment.
This experiment is supposed to encourage people to look more closely at materials and read labels in depth before buying a product. You can try this experiment at home and play at being a fashion detective with any item by any brand. So before throwing out something (from a garment to an accessory like a pair of shoes) consider keeping it to make a comparison with the next piece you may be buying.
It would actually be worth doing a "Fashion Forensics" exhibition with items by different brands collected by people all over the world. Such an exhibition would definitely teach a lot to visitors about manufacturing, textiles and deterioration/degradation of materials and it would prompt us all to start thinking more about what happens to a garment when we stop wearing it and just throw it away.
Comments