Clothing is anything that is worn on the body, and is typically made from fabric or a mixture of materials. However, clothing has also been made from animal skin, thin sheets of materials, and natural materials found in the environment. Traditionally, clothing was made for specific functions and was intended to protect the wearer from harsh elements.
Throughout history, people have used clothing to make a personal statement and now online shopping helps. Some clothes have been used to represent a specific gender, while others have just been worn by people of that gender. Clothing has been gendered to a certain extent, and that has largely been due to social conventions. In modern times, clothing is used for many purposes besides covering the body.
As a rule, clothing includes protective garments, such as helmets, safety glasses, and hard hats. Some people may consider the protective gear used by steelworkers to be clothing, but this is not the case. A worker in a steel plant will be required to wear protective clothing to prevent injuries and to minimize risks to the workers.
Clothing is an essential part of everyday life. It provides a physical barrier between the skin and the environment, insulates against cold temperatures, and provides a hygienic barrier by keeping infectious materials from reaching the body. It also facilitates navigation in different environments and protects against ultraviolet radiation. It also serves as an expression of taste and adornment.
Clothing is a global business, and the average consumer purchases 60% more than they did fifteen years ago. In the United Kingdom alone, two tonnes of clothing are purchased every minute. Worldwide, 56 million tonnes of clothing are bought each year. The number of tonnes is expected to increase to 93 million tonnes by 2030 and 160 million tonnes by 2050.
Clothing has a fascinating history. Historically, the process of making clothing was considered a fine art. It involved measuring cloth, cutting and sewing it. Today, most clothing is made abroad. Some of it is manufactured in India, China, and the Philippines. The United States, however, is the largest importer of clothing.
Today’s clothing is produced using a wide range of materials. Traditional materials are derived from plants or animals. Synthetic materials, however, are created using fossil fuel-based crude oil. Sixty-two percent of the world’s clothing fibres are derived from fossil fuels. The average consumer throws away 37kg of clothing each year.
The proliferation of fast fashion has created an environment where clothing designs are rapidly produced and sold in stores. This allows retailers to avoid the high cost of manufacturing and allows consumers to access stylish clothing at low prices. Moreover, fast fashion is also cheaper and made from lower quality materials than traditional clothing. So, consumers can afford to buy the newest items and keep up with the latest trends.