My Journey to 100% Homemade, Natural Fiber, Naturally Dyed Clothing

I'm taking you along on my journey to 100% homemade, natural fiber, naturally dyed clothing. I am breaking free from fast fashion, synthetic fibers and the systems of destruction. I am embracing clothing that is in harmony with Earth, with my fellow humanity and with the plants and animals we share this home with. One day I will die and return to Earth in the simple, natural clothes that I'm wearing.

Want to go deeper?
Read the article on my journey, which shares education on the industrial clothing system, a more in depth sharing of my story, details on the fabric and sources to purchase from, answers to frequently asked questions, a deep dive on my philosophy, simple steps you can take on your own journey and more.

Video Chapters:
0:00 Intro: The Dream, the Delusion and the Transition
1:30 Showing Each Item in the Wardrobe
2:02 What the Clothes are Made of and How
4:15 Versatility of the Clothing
4:46 Community Made Clothes
5:20 The Concepts Behind the Clothes
10:33 How Much Time Did it Take?
11:19 The Cost of My Wardrobe and Accessibility
12:59 Washing Clothes by Hand and Air Drying
14:16 The Satisfaction of Shedding
16:00 Issues I’ve Had with the Clothes
17:25 Attachment to Image
19:08 Exceptions to the Guidelines I’m Following
20:57 Frequently Asked Questions
28:15 Influence from Mahatma Gandhi
30:00 Plans for Future
32:27 Helpful Resources for Your Journey
33:37 What You Can Do
35:57 Conclusion

Watch 10 Tips to Create an Ethical and Sustainable Wardrobe

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Robin Greenfield is a truth-seeker, activist, social reformer and servant to Earth, humanity and our plant and animal relatives. He lives simply and sustainably to be the change he wishes to see in the world. Through living closely connected to Earth, he rejects the status quo of consumerism and demonstrates a way of being in gratitude, mindfulness and presence. His life is an experiment with truth and integrity.

Robin’s public activism involves dramatic actions designed to provoke critical thought, self-reflection and positive change. His activism creates nuanced conversations on the critical issues of our time, with a focus on solutions for living in harmony.
His life’s work has been covered by media worldwide and he has been named “The Robin Hood of Modern Times” by France 2 TV and “The Forrest Gump of Ecology”.

Robin has committed to earning below the federal poverty threshold for life and donates 100% of his media earnings to grassroots nonprofits, with a focus on supporting Black and Indigenous women-led organizations.

This channel is a resource for all who seek to liberate themselves, to live in truth and integrity, and to live in harmony with Earth, humanity and the plants and animals we share this home with.

Robin Greenfield and Dear Friends share means of achieving liberation and harmony through sustainable living, simple living, tiny house living, foraging, growing food and medicine, minimalism, zero waste, earth-skills, food sovereignty, community resilience, compassionate communication, activism, Black Liberation, Indigenous Sovereignty and living in service.

Find Robin Greenfield on:

[Robin.Greenfield]

Want to go deeper?
Read the article on my journey, which shares education on the industrial clothing system, a more in depth sharing of my story, details on the fabric and sources to purchase from, answers to frequently asked questions, a deep dive on my philosophy, simple steps you can take on your own journey and more.

[miriam]

Watching this while knitting an undyed wool sweater. I always struggled with choosing yarn colors until I realized that the natural wool colors are universally flattering and go with everything.

[schafverliebt]

I spin the Wool of my own sheep and make socks and sweater of it. I totally understand it. it is a very Special feeling to wear my own clothes ❤

[johannemontvgue]

I am 100% convinced that this is the way we are supposed to clothe ourselves. Natural materials, regionally made, no exploitation, no overconsumption, made by a community. Love it! What an inspiration.

[Chembalqich]

Hey there. I'm pedro and I'm a Guatemala Maya weaver. I was born and raised in South Florida. But now I live in alabama. It will be awsome to teach you the art of weaving on a backstrap weaving loom. One of the old way of weaving. The loom is more mobile on the go, and lightweight. My people carry their loom like a backpack when traveling. The also carry it when they crossed over here to the USA, back in the early 80's. Soo, it will be awesome to teach you .

[lychgatelofts]

Robin, the lichen you find on dead tree branches dyes wool a lovely mustard yellow. It needs no mordant and doesn't seem to fade as much as turmeric. It leaves a lovely earthy scent too, even after washing. Love the video!

[JohannaVanWinkle]

The fast fashion industry is so devastating to the planet. Glad you are committed to wearing natural fabrics and dyes.

[margofey]

Ty for doing this podcast. I had breast cancer 2 years ago and found out how toxic clothes can be to wear. Since I have been learning to make my own clothes. I have a long ways to go but now have hand knitted socks and sweaters and a dress I sewed. On my way!

[NadyaKing-ph]

Love this!
My mother-in law and I learned to spin in the 70s, and my former hubby took a class in Navaho Weaving and natural dying at the same time - I've saved avocado skins and seeds
I have a little book from a Canadian museum I Cut My Cote (coat) after my Cloth - with patterns (skeches) taken from the shapes of skins, and narrowly woven strips of cloth.

These days, most of my meat comes from farmers who raise pasture raised heritage sheep - for both meat and wool - Jacobs and Navaho-Churro. They sell at our year round farmers market where i get most of my purchased veg.

Several years ago i knit a hat, cowel and fingerless gloves for my son when he was doing search and rescue - using some of Karen's wool (I spun using a drop spindle).
They also make and sell buttons from the horns (with the Jacobs, both the rams and ewes are 4-horned!) My key ring has a little bobbed lambtail. As Karen mentions - the lambs they 'bob' are the ones chosen to raise for wool and breeding - as heritage breeds, they are sturdy and have more genetic diversity than industrial Livestock ....

This year I knit a witchy hat using handspun yarn I'd purchased from another market friend Louise, who has passed - I love handing it to someone who compliments it, and letting them feel the soft wool! (Not natural dyes on this one)

My favorite quilt was made by my mom (born in 1912) and grandma with wool they carded, then used 30s cotton yardage to cover, and hand tied. (They made them in the 30s or 40s) (and I got linen and organic cotton sheets when I moved into a small home last year - felt decadent as I've thrifted linens in the past - and love them! I do wash in the machine - but hang dry to extend their life - and use local wool drier balls with other laundry)

Hemp and nettles with their long fibers are lovely to work with - and easier on the land than cotton (they are trickier to spin than wool) .... I've made a bit of nettle cordage .... linsey-woolsy (linnen woven with wool) is one of the ways our ancestors strengthened their clothing!

And kilts are a lovely option

Here in the rainy Pacific NW, cedar was one of the resources our first nations folk used for hats and capes - as well as their building ....
Your unintentional style would fit right in at Breitenbush Hot Springs community, where I lived ~ 4 years in the 90s - lots of natural fibers! We had a room in one of the staff buildings for clothing exchange - I still have some items found there -
I also have a beautiful Irish wool poncho, given me by a school Chum of my kids ~40 years ago! It had a tight neck band that I finally decided to carefully remove, and knit a hood out of handspun (like the hat, the poncho still gets compliments - 45 years after that gifting! And i think she'd found it at a thrift store!)

Re: linen - for about 100 years, (1840s-1950) Oregon's Willamette Valley produced flax - and in the latter years, the most grown in the world! WWII and fires at the state penitentiary processing plant put an end to production

[feliselebihan]

Recently i made my own snood from the wool of my own sheep, i made the whole process to transform the wool. I made the snood with my loom which is quite simple to use. It's an incredible feeling ❤ it makes so much sense

[terrahmama]

Love learning about your clothing. I have been a thrifter since before it was cool. I learned about fast fashion in high-school when I bought a pair of jeans and they made my legs turn blue. I was appalled to learn that rivers ran blue in the areas where jeans were being made...so my campaign at that age was to write letters to the corporations. I knew I still contributed to system even if I bought it at the thrift store or my friends gave me their old jeans but that was as far as I could take it. I appreciate you and how you do things in your way and are not preachy about any of it and never have been. You recognize everyone does the best that they can and even small changes make a difference in the long run.❤

[jonathanm]

Robin, here is a nonprofit idea for you (or anyone reading this), along the lines of supporting small businesses: a nonprofit ecommerce marketplace, where millions of small businesses (and only small businesses) in the US and abroad could easily advertise their products in a common ecommerce platform for free, so it's easy for everyone to find a local, handmade, home-grown, indigenous, etc version of any product. The point would be to give consumers a healthier alternative to Amazon, Walmart, etc.

[sylmarie]

We need to get back to making everything ourselves instead of having to rely on other countries for things that used to grow abundantly here. You've given all of us some great business ideas. Let's all connect with our farmers and support the things they grow and make, so we do not have to rely on big corporations for everything we need. Thank you!

[amymeyer]

18:55 I think it's okay to really like your clothing, especially when you've put so much care into it! And, I think that that love is visible to other people, and that's what makes it "cool"

[sneakerlove]

I love that you blend in with the background ❤ so beautiful

[bradscott]

I am so far away from where you are but I try to make little changes every day. You are an inspiration and I thank you for that.

[karoliinauotila]

I am so happy for this video and about your goal. Clothing industry has gone too wild, poisoning environments and wasting resources in creating so much poor quality clothes that end up in land fields and in the environment. Clothing definitely is one of the most important changes we need in this world.

[sueyoung]

Happy to see you, Robin!Your shawl is reminiscent of the scottish plaid. It functions as a warm blanket, a great warm coat, a backpack, and even protection for the body in the event of a battle.

[josephr]

Your love for Mother Earth shines through you.

[MiriamLove]

I love this so much. I want to find sheep wool from a local farmer to make my own yarn. I hardly by clothes anymore, and I am crocheting my own clothes now.