It’s jumper season, and many of us are rediscovering our woollies after months in storage, hoping we won’t find that our favorite sweater has been munched through by moths just as teh weather turns crisp.
Ireland is home to around 1,500 species of moth, but only two are known to feast on our clothes: the aptly named common clothes moth, and the case-bearing clothes moth. The latter gets its name from the small case its larvae spin from silk and fibres stolen from hats and jumpers, creating a multi-coloured protective shell.The larvae are after keratin, a protein found in natural fibres. Wool, silk, and other animal-derived materials are a rich source.
In the wild, moths are nature’s recyclers, helping to break down animal remains, bird nests, fur in mammal dens, and even Barn Owl pellets, which contain regurgitated remains. They are also part of the food web: larvae are a valuable food source for birds, spiders and other insects, while adult moths provide protein for bats.
We have helped clothes moths along by making our homes so cosy, with central heating, wall-to-wall carpets and overflowing wardrobes. We provide the perfect surroundings for them to thrive. eggs are laid and hatch in spring or summer, when our jumpers are tucked away. By the time we pull them out in autumn, the damage has been done. The larvae have long as matured into adult moths, who have no interest in eating clothes. They don’t even have mouths.
Delicate silver and gold wisps, they would usually have a single annual life cycle in the wild, but milder winters, combined with well-insulated homes, allow multiple generations each year.
There was a decline in clothes moth numbers in the 1980s, when synthetic fabrics such as polyester, acrylic, nylon, spandex, and PVC became widespread, leaving less natural material for moths to eat.Dry cleaning also reduced numbers,and chemical treatments like permethrin-based sprays and fumigants disrupted moths’ nervous systems.
While effective, these chemicals carried health risks, including respiratory irritation and, in the case of naphthalene, potential liver and kidney damage.
In recent years, pest controllers have reported a marked increase in callouts. But what can you do yourself?
Cleaning clothes before summer and storing them in airtight containers helps, as do natural repellents such as cedar and lavender. Some people freeze items to kill larvae,but textile designer Kim O’Driscoll of Project Prolong in Dublin has found that putting 100 per cent wool or cashmere jumpers in th
From mending to High Fashion: how Visible Repair is Changing Our Relationship with Clothes
Table of Contents
The act of mending clothes,once a necessity,is experiencing a resurgence. driven by sustainability concerns and a growing gratitude for the stories embedded in well-worn garments, visible repair is moving beyond practicality and influencing high fashion. From Dublin-based workshops teaching conventional techniques to luxury sportswear brands intentionally incorporating “damage,” the approach to clothing longevity is undergoing a notable shift.
The Rise of Visible Mending and the “Well-Loved” Aesthetic
Sarah O’Driscoll, founder of Project Prolong in Dublin, embodies this shift. She offers repair and alteration services, and teaches workshops focused on darning, upcycling, and sewing. O’Driscoll doesn’t see worn clothing as neglected, but rather as cherished items showing the marks of a life lived. “I never think of it as being neglected. It’s well-loved. it’s not that you’ve taken bad care of it; it’s that you’ve loved it so much it’s started to disappear. But it’s somthing that can always be fixed,” she explains. https://www.irishtimes.com/life-style/fashion/2024/01/27/from-moth-holes-to-mindfulness-the-rise-of-visible-mending/
This philosophy aligns with a broader movement towards mindful consumption. As one writer notes, limiting purchases and focusing on extending the life of existing clothes can be a powerful practise: “Every piece of clothing I buy is matched by a parting: one in, one out. It focuses the mind.”
O’Driscoll recently relocated Project Prolong to a new studio at Dublin’s Digital Hub in the Liberties, making her services more accessible for drop-offs and collections.
From Pest Problem to Fashion Statement: The Curious Case of Moth Holes
Historically, damage from clothes moths was something to be actively prevented, especially in valuable textiles. However, the aesthetic of wear and tear is now inspiring designers. The most striking example is the emergence of intentionally distressed clothing in the high-end sportswear market.
Satisfy,a cult running brand,has gained attention for its MothTech™ organic cotton T-shirts. These shirts feature numerous holes, mimicking moth damage, but created through a precise process of laser-cutting and hand-opening to enhance airflow. Founder Brice Partouche drew inspiration from the distressed look of vintage metal band T-shirts. https://www.satisfy.run/pages/mothtech the design proved popular enough to attract the attention of Nike, which released a similar distressed running T-shirt in late 2023. However, Nike’s version faced criticism for its resemblance to Satisfy’s MothTech line and is no longer available. https://hypebeast.com/2023/12/nike-distressed-t-shirt-satisfy-mothtech-controversy
The irony of this trend is that the organic cotton used in Satisfy’s MothTech line is actually less appealing to clothes moths then traditional materials. Clothes moths primarily feed on keratin, a protein found in animal-based fibers like wool and cashmere.https://www.museumsfashioninstitute.org/blog/how-to-prevent-moths-from-eating-your-clothes
The Broader Implications of Repair and Longevity
The embrace of visible mending and intentionally distressed clothing signals a broader cultural shift. It challenges the fast-fashion cycle of disposability and encourages a more enduring and appreciative relationship with our wardrobes.By valuing the history and character of our clothes,and embracing repair as a creative act,we can move towards a more circular and mindful approach to fashion.