by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
Before it was even known as that and had become fashionable, and by golly seeing the prices that recycled crafts and goods fetch fashionable it definitely has become, the Gypsy People of Europe and those in the New Worlds and the poor and the homesteaders and the Australian Bushmen (not to be confused with the Southern African Bushmen), did this to abandon. That is to say they used, reused, and then still used things some more. This was for their own use as well as at times for trade.
You did not see a Gypsy child in new togs, except for special occasions, maybe, nor any of the homesteader kids. Pants were often more patches than original material and at times the patches were not even the same kind of material. The same was true for shirts and coats. There was canvas stuck on denim and corduroy as well, and so on. So what? It worked. No one got – generally – teased or picked on because of it because everyone's parents did it.
The brand names of today were not known then and even in my childhood they were hardly known and they definitely were nothing to be aspired to. No one lusted after them in those days. Adidas was not a fashion item, it was the brand of sports clothes and especially running shoes. Fila and the rest were not known yet.
Hand-me-downs and patched was the order of the day, every day. The important thing was that they clothes were clean, of a fashion. Neither was it a case of a “new” pair of pants every morning or a “clean” shirt. It it was not dirty and such then it was worn again for another day or more. No one had a load of clothes then anyway. Now people have more than they can even wear and still they need to buy another lot when they go to the stores.
I must say that today's society has gone absolutely mad. Everything – well, until not so long ago – had to be new, and for the youngsters it had to be street cred accepted gear; Nike, Fila, and others whose names escape me, and, I must say, I do not care either. Slowly Charity Shop gear is definitely in and trendy and clothes from cheap outlets such as Primark. The latter, however, has an image problem as to how ethical the company is, as often accusations arise as to child labor and such like.
However, Patches on pants and such are hardly ever seen nowadays, not even on kids. No wonder the refuse dumps are full to the brim.
OK, I must admit that, while I can sew – even with an old hand-operated sewing machine – and especially can sew things such as knife sheaths and other leather goods by hand, I am not good in darning or in putting patches on pants, for instance. No, I am not saying that that is women's work; just that I have never really gotten the hand of it.
While we do not see patched on pants and coats, nowadays, we do, however, see torn jeans that are brand-new and have cost a small fortune and this is the so-called distressed look. It seems to be the hight of fashion. Oh well! If that is fashion then why not buy them second hand and distress them yourself? It is a damn sight cheaper, that's for sure.
Every single scrap of fabric was used by the people only a generation or two ago and especially so if they were from poorer strata of society and/or were homesteaders.
Fabric reuse and recycling was just one thing.
Glass jars in which food may have come certainly did not end up, at least not until used at least a few times over and they broke in the end, on the rubbish dump and the same was true for tin cans and other things.
Those old recyclers, I am sure, would have a field day today with all the plastic stuff that, I am certain of, could be reworked easy enough with the right mindset.
Now we have arrived at reinventing the wheel and recycling and the three R's are everywhere. About time too. But, despite the fact that the slogan goes, and that in that order “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”, recycling, as in throwing “recyclables” into the curbside recycling bin for the municipality to pick up, is being promoted well and above the other two, and especially “reuse” is being swept under the carpet. But it is just that one that we need to use.
I am still not convinced about all the government recycling schemes. What we need is good ol' Gypsy ingenuity, and the ingenuity of the Homesteaders of old, in re-crafting items again, as was done in the days of yore.
True, we now also have companies doing it, and there are many that seem to do very good work, though the things certainly come at a price when sold. That price, certainly, is well out of the reach, yet again, of those of the lower end of the scale, in most cases.
There are messenger bags and such made from old truck tarpaulins, bags made from old fire hoses, purses, bags, etc. made from old truck inner tubes, etc.
As said, those goods all do come at a price, but...
I am sure, though, there are many items that many a Gypsy and many a true Homesteader and frugal person could rework into things for their own use as well as, maybe, for sale. And I am also sure that many of those very same could make the same things as what those companies make, from tarps and other such items of waste.
Tin cans, given a denim “jacket, for instance, make lovely pencil bins for someone's desk – as a gift to give or something that people might like to buy as a gift – and there are, I am sure, legions of other things that could thus be reworked. And even without a jacket they are good enough on a desk, as far as I am concerned and are definitely a conversation piece.
This is exactly what was done by the recyclers and reusers of old and even not so long ago. Glass jars did not end up in the bin immediately, and neither did cans. Uses were found for them even to the point of reworking them slighly or more than just slightly.
Tin cans, on farms and in workshops, were made into pouring jugs for oil, kerosene, and other such substances, and also were fashioned into many other things for use around the farm and homestead.
Glass jars became storage containers in kitchen, sewing room, workshop, etc., for al manner of things from food to nails and screws, and nuts and bolts and, once again, everything in between.
Today the great majority can only think of one thing to do with can and glass jars for instance and that is to toss them into the recycling bin while at the same time they will venture forth to the stores and buy a recycled steel pencil bin or a set of glass storage jars where in the former a clean tin can would have sufficed and in the latter some glass jars that came with some canned produce. But they cannot think that way no more.
We must, however, relearn that thought pattern if we want to make it in the new world that is soon to come upon us when the proverbial hits the fan due to cheap oil having become history.
Let's think “Home Front” and war...
© 2011
