Living Car Free - Oil free clothing?

Natural fibers can be grown organically, Oil cannot.

This includes sheep. Fields don't need to be fertilized with oil based products. A system of permaculture could be used to raise and harvest wool/cotton/hemp.

Natural fibers can be grown organically, Oil cannot.
Sort of...many plastics can be made from soybeans and they can be converted to synthetic materials. Another one that has not been mentioned is bamboo. I have seen some bamboo cloth, but have never worn any garments made from it. I have used bamboo in semi structural applications and as a flooring and wall covering. I have no clue if it takes a special type to make cloth out of or if it is the same as what grows in the wetlands around here.:p

Aaron:)

...many plastics can be made from soybeans and they can be converted to synthetic materials.

I've seen a photograph of Henry Ford taking a sledgehammer to a soy-based prewar-style car fender.

(no pic, but it appears to be the text of a 1941 Popular Mechanics article)
http://www.geocities.com/thedarkesthour_2000/hemp/ford.html

Your post #30 had nothing to do with my point, which is that the production of common natural fibers still isn't as good for the environment as most people tend to think.
Sorry I meant #23 and 30. In #30 I didn't say it directly but that was implied in my comment:
"However, I'd guess though with increasing oil prices, that cost of natural and poly fibres will increase at close to the same rate. ... it is just one more of many consideration to save oil for 'special' uses "
Meaning that as oil/water become more scarce (or preferably, but unlikely to happen, the world uses/reserves them more wisely), then both poly and natural fibre costs will increase.

Al

Hmm, ok --

It's hard to say whether costs will increase, but their market value might increase.

The other issue is that environmentally-friendly production in any sector is still often at the experimental stage, which needs a little more R&D than older methods. Once they get it figured out better, then the investment costs decrease, which will let production costs decrease.

I've seen a photograph of Henry Ford taking a sledgehammer to a soy-based prewar-style car fender.

Here's a clip of it: http://youtube.com/watch?v=4rgDyEO_8cI

There is no better outdoor clothing than wool. Shop at ibex.com instead of Rei.

FWIW, Fleece is recycled plastic bottles, for the most part :D

Fleece is 100% sheep's wool. Synthetic fleece is recycled plastic bottles.

Ooh I just got nice leather and fleece sippers, comfy and not made from oil.

Shop at ibex.com instead of Rei.

Why? Are they cheaper?

"Santa" (a friend from the States) has just arrived with two Merino wool undershirts I had sent to him from Sierra Trading Post. :D Gramicci brand. They're smooth as silk.