New fiber shredder device

Coming out of the most local-to-me state university: https://system.umn.edu/healthier/creating-profitable-and-sustainable-solutions-fast-fashion



I don't know that this has a homestead application, and I think a lot of it is going to be applied to materials I don't really even approve of, but I guess reuse is generally better than filling the landfill! And also, go Minnesota!

The Victorian period used to have great mills like this.  At one time, something like half the clothes in england were from shredded cloth.

The reasons it went out of style are...

... poor fibre content labeling. Each time clothing goes through the mill, it gets shorter so a cloth could only be recycled in this way about 4 times.  Things are much better now.

... TB and other pestilence was possibility spreading through used materials.  Especially children's goods (notice how kids cloth now says made with all new materials).  We have a better understanding of germs and abilities to sanitize to prevent this.

... because class consciousness was a big deal during the Victorian times, people didn't want to buy shoddy clothing.

Shoddy means cloth that has been recycled by shredding like we see in the video.  It used to be very good quality cloth, but obvious.  It made one look poor, so it fell out of fashion.

All these previous objections can work in its favour now.  Just like laundry lines and mending cloth.  It's long past tim for shoddy to return as a sign of caring and wealth.

First off, we really need ways to recycle and upcycle clothing, and this is a step in the right direction.

However, secondly, equipment like this creates "micro dust" and their comment at the end suggesting these machines be in every Thrift shop scares me. Dust of any sort is bad for human lungs. I've read that plastic dust is in the air and landing everywhere on the planet. Dust from cotton and wood  may not get as far as the blood stream or be found in placentas as plastic molecules have been, but they're still damaging to lungs.

I think machines like these need to be run in special facilities with exceptional air filtration systems. We need them, but we don't need a version of the "black lung" causing cancer in our coal miners, to afflict our recyclers.

I would love to move away from the man made fibers (that includes 1/2 man made like bamboo fabric which involves a lot of toxins) and back to a whole collection of plant fibers. Focusing on a single "most wonderful" fiber - like cotton or wool - leads to monocultures that also damage the environment. They don't need to, but Humans seem to think this is the way to farm despite the plethora of history demonstrating how bad an idea it is!

We need to explore the wide range of fibers that do a fine job of making clothing. We likely need to get big business out of the clothing business to do this, but a woman can dream?

I can't watch the video but wonder if that is a hollander beater?
For the longest time I researched and tried to figure out how to justify owning one.
For making paper though not clothing, using only thrift store, well worn bast fibers, cottons and hemp.

I still think it's a great idea for a home based business
https://permies.com/t/44895/recycling-materials-paper-Hollander-beater

Judith Browning wrote:  I still think it's a great idea for a home based business
https://permies.com/t/44895/recycling-materials-paper-Hollander-beater

The shredder in the video does not appear to involve water. That Hollander beater sounds interesting because it appears to use less water (a resource that's becoming more precious world wide very quickly) and seems like it is also more efficient in its energy demand.

You link is a wonderful read. There may come a point where making paper is again critical to everyday life, if the electronics we currently rely on, become less available.

Wonderful innovation....I have no doubt the dust issue can be solved.
There must be other uses for the shredded fibers in addition to more clothing?