Vintage PAGODA brand for your white cotton layers shirts

This is the best coverage when it comes to "just plain white cotton for anytime and anywhere top!!  I am not sure how that ever penetrated in the WEST market but.... In Asia is quite hugh ..!! And it is still ongoing....

You will see it often still in Malaysia... worn casually by older chaps walking around town, slowly cycling their old bikes or reading newspaper in mamak stall and just chillin'...!

especially slow and lazy town like in Georgetown... Kota Bharu and many places in Johor, Malacca & Ipoh... still...

The manufacturer name for this cotton shirt is Chung Kai Knitting Company.  I am not big on the historical part of it; yet if you want to read more... I provided you the link 

Chung Kai Knitting History

Here is the customed ads and the company brand printed on their packaging and shirt labels and the brand has been long trusted among Malaysians for a very long time.

They started to be around Malaysia in late 1930s and was in major productions until 1962 where Chung Kai Knitting Company started to export their garments to Hong Kong and England.

There is no big fashion in this type! However it is bought and worn by majority because of its high comfort level.  that bring me back when I was just a kiddo too.... My grandfather after his hard work at the shop he will take his shirt off and leave his undergarment on while taking a nap by wearing the exact same brand.

And is a type of cotton material is fairly light, quite airy and breathable.  Though is majorly customed to men's body... I took a personal effort modify it to my liking and that is because of I love the feeling of CK cotton on my skin.  Simple as that.

It is commonly available on four types of shirts: sleeveless, round neck, with button and with zip and pocket on the front.  Whichever comfortable to you.. you can get online cheaper in price major on lazada.com!

The factory are still in operation in Petaling Jaya and they are also open for wholesale.  The price is quite low and is a must have for anyone in Malaysia.

*Quilt* is A sustainability heritage that not properly introduced!💯

What is quilt!?

You may wondered.  A quilt is commonly known as a piece of heritage heirloom that in my opinion is crafted with love.

This adorable piece of artwork that wholly made out of fabrics is a remarkable products made by women that has collected patches of fabrics from leftover materials making a clothes/dress.  

These leftover patches; which is mix & match patterns, colors and kind is cut into shapes according to their creativity; and being stitched together into a shape of a flowers, stars, fans, and sown beautifully to be as little as a baby blanket or as big as a throw for your sofa or bedspreads.

Why it is a product of sustainability concept?!

Being sustainable is all about eliminating waste and put it into use for anything you are about to throw away.  Since most of fabrics are not biodegradable meaning they are not environmental friendly by the time they reached the landfill.  Therefore; quilt is actually and intelligent way to recreate something out of waste.

Quilt is a beautiful artwork that not only appreciated as a handcraft of many states in the USA but for some, it is a gift that being passed from one generation to another.

What's more; some of these quilt also was turned into another piece of handcrafts by making a shoulders/duffel bags that is quite attractive towards tourists.

To summarize this culture wonders, I truly think is amazing by how a simple idea of leftover fabrics has put women to get together for mutual purpose to create something beautiful such as this; yet also at the same time; contributing an enormous value to our environment!

Is a little steps as this can bring a big difference to our society, community at large also towards our future.

Local Stores Supported Sustainability Cause🗿🌐

These stores in operations based on their mission of practicing ZERO waste mentality towards all of their products and conducts.

The rise on the landfills is a current major threats to our environments that slowly destructive towards our ecosystems.  And based on this awareness; shops with a cause such as The Hive & A Bit Less started rooting on sustainability mission. 

 

The word *sustainability* should not be intimidating... Rather the root of the cause if to totally eliminate waste in our daily use.  As a responsible consumers; the practices of separating our wastes into categories that can be recycled, donated or reused for ourselves.  Ideally, lesser items you have seen it in the bin is a practical example of a household that being sustainable in everyday living.

The Hive: launched in the market since 2017 has been my favourite kind of concept of sustainability.  Their products range from individuals and small business owners; created their products line based on sustainability concept!

Some of the featured items in the store including bamboo made toothbrush; food containers; kitchen utensils and chopping boards; reusable straws; napkins & wipes made out of clothes.  Which is all materials are biodegradable and environmental friendly.

What make it most interesting; The Hive also carried a meal consisted of grains, nuts, cereals, oil and sauces that is FREE of chemicals and naturally organics!  It is sold by bulks so you may have being your own containers or some still available for reuse in the stores brought by kind loyal customers.

The rest also included personal healthcare & hygiene such as body wash; shampoo + conditioners; organics soaps, toothpaste, balms and lotions.  Also cleaning products that liquid based items; 100% chemical FREE gentle for your skins and our environments.

They are branching out into five stores up to dates and more can be found here.   Another sustainability stores also carried the same mission with their own concept of what sustainability is about to them personally: some can be read online before your visits.  

ABIT LESS |NUDE | kloth |the H I V E

The Hive are also quite versed in launching their newsletter that is packed with quite informative ideas regarding their products/produces and sustainability issue in general.  To be included in the list, your emails will be added automatically whenever you have made your our purchase in the store.  I just hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Thumbs up for The Hive as they continuously be a doer of sustainability living.

The Significant USE of ECO cotton based "reusable bags"...!

since my blog is about fabrics 

and all matters that socialize with it... 

fabrics can be A metaphor of the ocean's depth just to help you visualize how truly big the universe of fabric is.

... and fabric is "the making" of our LIFE after life necessities like food, homes, air and clean water.

Is the fabric that clothed our being, adding creativity flair to

interior decor for our homes; bed and linen, upholstery, curtain and furnitures. 

In other words.... Fabric is the one reason that separates us from other living creatures including flora and fauna.

Yet living in 21st century, the revolving technology of fabric shook the world by the alarming cause on how more than 185 million tonnes of fabric waste being dumped in the landfill yearly.

It is our responsibility to take this figure seriously because by adding more to this number is going to decrease our earth longetivity, and cost pollution generally to our people and planet;  it is because this mixed scraps of fabric simply are not recyclable.  

And that is why responsible clothing industry started to take initiative by producing quality clothing that not only manufactured by using recyclable fabric materials but also by educating and raise consumer's awareness on how to recycle their cloth when they about to throw it away.

...now back to the point of reusable 

ECO cotton based shopping bags.

ECO simply means what is caring and kind to our environment.  Since you say NO to single use of plastic bags for your shopping and by acting in BYOB you are supporting the cause of being sustainable to our environment.  The habit of eliminating plastics should be a shopping practice to everyone of us!

Since ECO cotton bags are woven by recycled cotton fibre derived from fabrics and denim, so the fabric was produced are high in durability and the use of it can last at least 30 times stronger that the use of common plastic bags.

Major groceries stores are now also discouraging consumer's use of plastic bags by charging customer RM0.20 on each plastic.  Assuming an average household shopping for groceries about 3 times a week and about to carry home 4/5 plastic groceries bags, is roughly amounted to RM12/month and RM144/year and RM1440/decade.

That amount of money may not sound much at first but should you be a responsible consumer's.. that amount could be saved up for worthy cause or donate it to global charities that in needs even for basic items for their life!! rather than contributing all those plastic bags drained the freshness of our oceans!

Do you really want to keep purchasing shopping bags from these major groceries stores or would you think is better BYOB.. bring your own bags!!

Those major groceries stores started their initiative in sustainability cause by selling their own brand of reusable shopping bags.  Meaning by avoiding buying single use plastic bag for every purchase in the store, you can keep bringing this "reusable bags" to the store for every shopping trips.

They are not FREE.  The cost varies from $0.50 to below $5.00 depending on the size.  The only not cool about it is...

Those bags carries their own brand that printed on them.  and to carry the same bag to different groceries stores simply not ethical.  That is how powerful brand can speak about our social ethics even in shopping behaviour!

So what seems fun yet better alternative for "reusable shopping bags" is.....!!

Bring YOUR OWN shopping bags. They are cheaper to purchase on your own or even better  getting one from my store.  Best.. you can customize it, by adding your name/ business logo or print your dog's face add sense of personal value to your bags!  buy ONE here

Is just a common sense to care more and carry it with you on your shopping trips when you have sentimental value about it.  buy ONE here

I hope this thoughtful article helps us to share  a common values about our environment.  Running a campaign alone will not save our environment! Is simply OUR personal duty.

Should you enjoy reading, you can get any issue from me delivered to your inbox by subscribing to my fabrikolon vibe. 

tie A proper knot wearing pareos | sarong 🏖️

These are among the elegants selections of sarong according to my eyed candy.

Pareo; are often made out of 100% cotton fibre and for some is mixed with rayon to create a flow to minimize wrinkles on them.

They are comfortable to wear often by the beach as a cover up or simply for any relaxing purposes.

And if you are an avid travellers like me, bring at least a couple of sarong is a must to bring along and they are very useful; not only as a cover up but also can be used as a bundle for your laundry, scarf for a visit to religious places, and as a protector against insects or mosquito.

For a better quality, higher thread count will cost you a bit more but it last longer, no color runs and feels great on your skin.

I simply love them!!

There would be a section in my shop selling them too!! Update soon will follow.

Dance of Fabrics

after blogging about serious causes|posts for the last week's... I think is a good time to chill with something mellow.. to wind down a little bit...

... dance of colors in Fabrics.

This is actually pretty hugh subject too, is too broad to be divided into any sub section; I could break it down to fabrics per continent/nation's/regions.

However, in this post I would love to bring the lense of fabric about some random African motive on how they made their clothing.

I could not help but thinking how come in this part of the world they created such a bright colors for their clothings... And these are some what can be found:

The intensity of colors on these clothing seemed like speaking about their particular tribes/culture.

As always these are also made out of cotton based fabric and they are worn by people in Tanzania.

more update to be followed as I do my reading on the African clothings.

U N I Q L O:: best leader of sustainability; in clothing company

U N I Q L O... 

proudly, my mostly favourite best practice of sustainability initiative for clothing company!

Quite recently, uniqlo published an article that simple but innovative providing knowledge for consumers on how being sustainable with our clothing. 

In this issue, they made a big deal about how single use plastic shopping bags has created enormous damage towards our oceans and marines life.There are about 150 million tonnes of plastic waste that accumulated in our ocean and on top of that there are 8 million tonnes of plastic waste flows into the ocean every year! 

This figure alone should bring such an alarm to everyone of us about how crucial that is to our environment!   

We can turn the power of our clothing into driving force for good for people and planet. 

we created our clothing by designing, choosing materials, manufacturing and selling good quality clothing with sustainability concept in our mind.  'U N I Q L O

To increase your own awareness about sustainability: 

Click on this following link: https://www.uniqlo.com/my/store/sustainability/home.html 

What is good clothing?! 

Is a line of clothing that made simple but perfection in design, manufactured using high quality material and made to last. UNIQLO clothing is made to provide comfort, leisure and protection and is created harmoniously with our nature and reducing environmental stress and pollution at the same time. 

As an ethical company;UNIQLO strived as a people of diverse background, working enthusiastically with high energy where all of our staff is treated with dignity; and their health, safety and human rights are upheld and well respected. 

And with this same spirit that upholding our company will be spread out to all our customers, stakeholders where all work together towards better and sustainable society. 

What is plastic and what damage it created!! 

PLASTIC (mixture of synthetics & polymers) 

which is globally used to make household products such as interior of washing machine, microwave and refrigerators. Also commonly used as a materials for transportations and interior part of many vehicles. 

By using plastic materials it does help to increase durability, lighten the weight of manufactured goods also reduce the cost of oil and and electrical power consumption. 

Our responsibility as a consumer is to reduce our daily usage of plastic like plastic bags, plastic bottles, straws and food containers. Damages of plastics waste in our O C E A N about 150 million tonnes of plastic waste now occupying our ocean and about 8 million tonnes additional waste is streaming daily

That is in equivalent of 50,000 jumbo size personal jets!

It is our responsibility to STOP this figure and should we allow it to continue, the ocean will be full of plastic waste that endangered our ocean habitat and precious whales, turtles and many more! 

And the destruction of our ocean will be making an impact that simultaneously endanger and cause major disturbance towards our ecosystem and also our life. 

HOW UNIQLO effectively showing example by reducing plastics in all level of their clothing operations and managemens! 

1. Abolishing Plastic Shopping Bags 

2. Abolishing Plastic Product Packaging and Shifting to Environmentally Friendly Materials. 

i.e. the use of plastic packaging of *in house slippers* in 2019 else in plastic hangers and strictly used for B R A tops; major reduction producing shirt clips, 

HEATTECH & AIRISM and other form 

of plastic packaging in their clothings by 60% 

and continuously researching for better alternatives.

Prior to the PROUD initiative of abolishing/eliminating the use of plastig bags during shopping, the promotion of a ONE time buy of ECO cotton bag that is not only reusable, multipurpose, washable friendly and trendy!

From Mac 2020; another alternative is A replacement of paper shopping bags that is produced by (FSC) Forest Stewardship Council which is fully certified paper and recycled paper in stores globally.  

Innovative Recycling Cotton Fabric into NEW Materials.

to emphasize the importance issue of sustainability to our clothing/fabric, let's explore what's new in innovative clothing recycling.

most present unwanted/used up clothing is made by materials that is not recyclable friendly.  because of it is about 13 Million Tonnes of this clothing's ended up in a landfill/burned in 2017.  

before buying a new clothes; is wise to check on your closet, some of it can be recycled or passed on charity causes before you add the new ones, this little steps help to reduce amount of clothing that being dumped away to be ended up in landfill.

what's the problem in recycling clothes!?

sorting out textiles into different type of fibres and materials by hand sorting technique is labour intensive, slow and require a a skilled worker.

after sorting,  dyes on fabric needed to be removed before the yarns can be recycled into new made fabric.

some of these are: 

old wool jumpers can be turned into carpets whereas cashmeres can be turned into suits.

however, only 1% out of 13 Million Tonnes of unwanted fabric are being recycled into this purpose.

this innovative idea of recycling fabric is founded by Lin; chemical engineer of Hong Kong University; which is recycling cotton/polyester blend fabric by feeding them to fungi.

Aspergillus Niger; the fungi that formed black cloudy mold often found on grapes that produced an enzyme that breàk down the cotton fibre into glucose that slowly formed into a syrup.

then, the remaining pure polyester that left can be reused to make a new clothing.  this new formed fabric is called poly cotton blends a popular fabrics to create a new line of cheaper cost high end clothings like shirts, jeans and more.

later on, the same group expand this concept into larger scale by using industrial produced cellulose enzymes to recycle cotton and cotton blend fabrics and new form fabrics has been a major materials for clothing line including ZARA and H&M.

for the future note however, clothing line manufacturer all over the world need to take a precautious measure in choosing kind of fabric that is recyclable friendly to create their clothing line; for the future of fabric recycling should not be an issue after their life span is ended or being dumped for some other reason.

D E N IM commonly known as jeans; what to do when you do not want it anymore...

D E N I M. Or commonly known as

jeans is by most favouritely worn attire all over the world especially in the US and many western countries such as europe, Japan and the rest of the world.

With this fact you could probably imagine how many billions jeans are manufactured to serve the demand of global favourited outfits not just because it is cool, trendy or fashionable... But it is because of the relaxing materials and fabrics to create these.

A pair of comfortable, sturdy, highly durable made fabrics are still majorly worn by construction workers world wide; and relaxed, comfortable, breathable ones worn mostly by anybody, anywhere, from housewives, student's and just any person of any walk of life.. really.

Yet.... Did you ever thought where these jeans could go to  after you dumped it?  

Click on that link! NOW

I am a major supporter of sustainability of anything of our belongings.  Jeans: tops or bottoms if you dumped it in a waste, probably in better neighbourhood area, your trash is collected, sorted and all denims are extracted.  Or from donation and recycling box.  And all of these jeans scraps rather than ended up in the landfill, they are repurposed it into an Insulation  Fiber such in a diagram below; then it is distributed into many purposes as seen suited to the needs of community.

If you are like me, before throw it to the trash... There are many ways to recycle ♻️ your jeans and I found these following are beautiful examples to try out their ideas and explore your creativity..!

And I hope as you are reading my articles, you started to develop the sense of awareness on how critical it is to be kinder to our environment by adopting sustainability as part of our daily routine.

I love the messages that they started to put on bin/trash can/dumpster e.g *think before you throw* , *U S E ME please*  and the last but not least * thank you for using ME* 

I simply can not imagine what A life without a trash bin... Can You!? 

get this reusable cotton bags to keep your fruits and vegetables fresh longer

best way to keep fresh produces other than in the fridge is on the airy area such as counter top or open cabinets.

These strong cotton made with pouch looking is a sure way to keep your fresh veggies for longer period of time.

To have it as part of your kitchen storage; is available by click on this 🔗 link:

I found it on YouTube; but I am not sure what best way to share this inspiration on my blog

This is one of the rare found articles when it comes to recycling previous used up fabrics and turn it over into something new!

I love her work and here some clips I saved it up for your appetizer.

Her effort is an initiative about her appreciating worn saris which is part of her cultured heirloom; and rather than put it away to waste, she collected it and give the fabric A new life! Voila😘

You can watch her video HERE

natural colored 💯 cotton rich fiber TOP

I am a big fan when it comes to cotton rich sleeveless top particularly on white/natural earthly colors, especially daytime in asian region.

Cotton feel so good on your skin even in super hot weather.  Sometime I just love to take a stroll in the warm sunlight by taking a break from routine.  Try wearing a polyester shirt when you are walking under the sun; then you will be thankful we have cotton made tops!

By the way; I have some designs what I want for female tops and looking for people can sew.  The style and pattern is easy. Link me up when you know any available! Thanks.

apron is no longer essential for 🐒 kitchen area

Like many; apron is worn to protect your garment from any mess while in the kitchen.  but nowadays is quite often apron is versatily worn also professional in their craft and I personally found it attractive and it showed how passionately they are working on their crafts. 

Some is found by barbering; handimen; stylish barista, even behind a counter/bar working on your own notebook/laptop. 

What really got you stand out from kitchen corner to what actually you really are!?

Personalized your A P R O N....

that is the way to go!

many shape, colors to choose from and you also can design your own apron before you customize it with your own design/name or even a company. 

it is exciting ! Get started is E A S Y.

this actually tough subject to discuss.

             ... sustainable

             sustainability

since I am doing the domain of fabric.  I also learn that this word is a must for my reader to know and adopt it as part of your life.

when a product is sustainable.. means you MUST have ZERO waste in your mind; 

make it a habit before you throw, if you can reuse it, give it away, put on a charity box or make something useful out of it. 

examples include unwanted clothes, shabby furnitures, kitchen utensils and lot more

To gain more understanding how to properly use the word...  you can visit this two big starters in sustainability: OXFAM or if you are in the beloved  U S A go to store nearest you click on the link:. G O O D W I L L

ECO bags/🛍️ Customize your very own shopping bags! + say NO to plastic

 

I am sure you have seen this before.  It is sewn by highly durable cotton fabric that 💯💯💯 hands/machine washable so you may keep using it as long as it is still reusable!

major supermarket has launched this campaign is either BYOB bring your own bags or better choose any ECO bags and customize it to your own liking for much lesser price.

get yours here!

the power of customization is ALL about taking 100% ownership what belongs to you and what could be more personal when you ADD your own name/photo/picture/logo that can signify something of your own and added statement into your life history.  Make your life count today! 😊

fruit of the loom 🍄🍅

to be honest with you.. I am deeply curious about F O T L because I constantly trying to figure out what resemblance fruits with our body wear.

and after reading their short story I still try to figure out why they chose fruit rather than harvest.. or vegetable, plantation that sort of produce.

Yet it also highlight the word heritage.. which means something of high value being passed on from one generation to the one after.

This is by far best quality of underwear both men and women; for life if you are shopping for both value and money.  Most of their items are cotton made, comfortable, breathable and good fit for any size and build.

You won't regret it.  🚥 fruit.com

By the way they are giving you 10% off by subscribing to their newsletter!

💫these 2 among the best of cotton clothing on today's market