Once upon a time, humans used to live and breathe interdependently with the land on which they lived. Whether they were hunter-gatherer nomads or agricultural communities, humans maintained an active relationship with nature; one which was built upon a foundational knowledge of the land, and its many plants, bugs, animals, roots, and trees. Today however, humans have “evolved” from this way of life and instead choose to “gather” at Whole Foods and “hunt”, not for animals, but for steals on new garms at the mall, or in flagship stores.
It's almost hard to imagine that on the very land which we live on, people once lived interdependently with their local environment, relying upon it for all necessities: food, clothing, shelter, drugs, everything. Native Americans, for instance, utilized bark from trees for some of their clothing, particularly for raincoats and hats, for when it might’ve been too cold for staying in the nip - which is probably the most sustainable choice we could all make today. But to make their bark clothing, tribesmen and women would strip bark from the trees, then pound it until it’s flexible, so it could then be shredded into thin fibers which would be woven into clothing. When they were finished with their bark clothes, Natives would usually throw them away, since bark is quite difficult to wash thoroughly.
By today’s standards, throwing away clothes when you’re finished with them is sadly an equally common and destructive act; but back then, by throwing away their clothes, Natives were giving back what they had simply borrowed from nature. The act of discarding a janky bark coat could not be referred to as “throwing it away” as we say today due to the biodegradable nature of their clothes. Instead, it’s an act of giving, out of love, which is just one small factor of an active relationship with nature. This relationship is precisely what has been prized by groups like Native Americans, but stolen from today’s average consumer. Today, about 85% of clothes thrown away in the United States (roughly 13 million tonnes) are either burned or sent to landfill, a startling contrast to the natural recycling of ancient clothing (Beall)
Traditionally and certainly in North America, different groups and tribes would usually be separated from one another based on bioregional borders. Bioregional borders are ones which are separated from one another based on biological features of that area, whether it’s a particular set of plants, and animals that naturally reside within the region, a change in physical landscape, or a different climate (Snyder). From this it’s only natural that since people were separated based upon the natural resources which were accessible to them locally, that the region to which they belong would be represented by the clothes on their backs, like a Cedar bark coat belonging to a Native American. But today, our regions are ones that depend on political decisions, and thanks to globalization, humans can now represent anything imaginable on their clothes; it’s easier for an American to sport a Chinese t-shirt than it is an American one.
Unfortunately, this modern condition has not just impacted our environment but it has also diminished the value of the relationship that people share with their land. In geographical terms, this relationship is known as an individual’s sense of place: the connection and value that an individual feels toward a particular place or region. This connection has been demolished by mass overseas production, a reliance upon ready-made goods, and a 24-7 shoppers economy.
Sense of place and bioregions come together to form bioregionalism - a cause fathered by writers and advocates like Gary Snyder and coined by Allen Van Newkirk (Snyder). Bioregionalism advocates for a connection between the land and its inhabitants, a connection strong enough to be parallelled to past role models such as Native Americans. In bioregionalism, this connection should run strong into all points of life - allowing people to unite economy and ecology in such a way that is healthy for both parties.
And yes, while it is wonderful to harbor a love for businesses and modern clothes, there’s something a bit lifeless about only experiencing clothes that have been manufactured, packaged, shipped, advertised, and sold - particularly when in a fast-fashion manner. It seems like a dream to imagine a world where instead of brands and logos, people were able to represent their local, natural world on their clothes. Whether by utilizing bark, or using regional materials for dyes, the colors on clothes could represent something so much larger than a flex, they could represent a loving relationship with the land. If we, the common people, are to overturn the disastrous conditions of post-colonial, post-consumerist western society, then we must take production back. It’s okay to take a step back from the way things are done right now and accept that we may have messed up.
But alas, no fate is ever sealed, we as a society can take steps to fix our industrial mistakes, but not without care and true knowledge. As Gary Snyder once said, “It is not enough to just ‘love nature’ or to want to ‘be in harmony with Gaia.’ Our relation to the natural world takes place in a place, and it must be grounded in information and experience” (Snyder). This information and experience is not otherworldly mystical information, it’s just a little unfamiliar to American culture because of a little something called ethnic cleansing. Native American history is living proof that once upon a time, humans lived right where this article is being written; happily lived off of the land, and the land smiled back living with them . Sure, people don’t have to start wearing bark coats, but such history should be looked to as inspiration, and as a learning source. Not everyone needs to become a designer in the traditional sense; but everyone is capable of applying nature to fashion thanks to techniques such as natural dyeing. It’s essential that we as a society learn what the world has to offer us, and foster a symbiotic, loving relationship with it.
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