Stage 5: Cutting and Sewing
Who cut this T-shirt into shape?
Who stitched the pieces back together?
What is disappeared by the creation of something new?
By now, the cloth is beginning to look more like a T-shirt.
In Threads, this is where the fabric is cut, sewn, checked, folded and packed. The shape looks neat. The story is not. By the time a shirt is ready to sell, many hands have already touched it, and many lands and ecosystems have already carried it.
Shanghai itself is a city under pressure from water. Its flood risk is shaped by sea-level rise, land subsidence and storm surges working together. In simple terms: the ground is sinking in places, the sea is rising, and storms can push water further inland. One of the world’s great manufacturing cities is also having to protect itself from the forces gathering around it.
Could you repair one item instead of replacing it?
Looking down at the clothes you are wearing...
Could you ask:
Do I need something new, or do I need to look at what I already own differently?
Some people here are already taking action.
Shanghai Roots & Shoots works with young people and schools on environmental learning, community action and sustainable living.
The next t-shirt you are looking for is Milan…
If you’re stuck, you can find the main navigation page for Threads here (link).