#like even if i did make tencel/merino ones to replace them… the other ones still exist

[aeide-thea]

me, full of ongoing scrupulosity abt microplastics and also a vague sense that it would be good for me to take another crack at incorporating running into my life for 'holy shit i desperately need endorphins' reasons, scouring the shorts market for anything natural-fiber but also functionally/aesthetically fit for purpose and coming up almost* entirely blank: what if i bought another one of the merino-tencel tanks whose fabric i'm in love with (or‚ you know‚ sourced similar fabric somewhere that wasn't already a different garment‚ but like‚ that would involve learning things about 'where to get specialty fabric' in addition to the 'how to sew it' part) and turned it into running shorts? surely it couldn't be that hard??

⸻ * in fairness, icebreaker does make some that tbh are probably ideal except for cost but like. do i want to go running in basketball shorts? not really. and the tiny (women's) version only comes in black which is so dreary. i keep hoping they'll come out with some other colors but so far no dice! also an extremely crunchy-granola company makes some weird little gym shorts in a hemp knit which. i'm sorry, i grew up in manhattan and i'm dubious! they might be great but! 🧐

#yes it absolutely could #i mean there IS a sewing machine kicking around downstairs somewhere and i think according to Baby Sister it even works #so in theory i could re-teach myself how to use it #and also in theory a tiny pair of drawstring shorts shouldn't be *that* hard‚ i feel like?? #(they say‚ totally naively) #i definitely don't really understand how you deal with curves. like i know sometimes you cut little notches into them but. when. why. #anyway i think actually normal running shorts are woven fabric and the tanks i'm obsessed with are knit so. #WOULD probs have to source different fabric. #this is too many humps to get over so realistically it's not going to happen #and frankly given that i already own nylon shorts it's like. what's the plan for those #like even if i did make tencel/merino ones to replace them… the other ones still exist #i guess if they just sat in a box under my bed forever they at least wouldn't be producing microplastics???? (is that even true really?) #like with most stuff that's environmentally bad it's still better to keep using it than to replace it before time #but like. if it's washing that creates the microplastics and otherwise they're just a relatively inert pile of plastic in my closet… #maybe it IS actually better to like. file them away until society works out Plastic Disposal decades from now?? #idk. also this is all SO sad to me bc brightly-colored gorpcore would otherwise be my EXACT aesthetic #i was a patagonia baggies kid and i would happily be a patagonia baggies adult but. sigh!! #honestly this entire problem is too big for me #i have just enough brain to be making myself crazy abt it but not enough brain to know how to tackle it #and honestly the solution probs isn't really individual anyway #it'll be like. scientists working out microplastics filtration and safe degradation #and textile people developing better textiles going forward #anyway. sometimes you stay up too late and yr brain starts spinning in ways that feel exciting and productive but. aren't.