Interaction of Diseases

''In such conditions it is not surprising that workers suffered from many illnesses. Eye inflammation, Deafness, Tuberculosis''



Tuberculosis also known as TB is most prevalent in countries where sanitation is poor and living conditions are crowded, but can occur anywhere. This relates to the situations of the cotton mills and the over crowded population of the living conditions aswell and how the interactions pass on the diseases and germs. Looking at images of what 'TB' is represented, I like how the colours and cells and all bundled together and the way the colour spreads throughout the image as a simbolisation of the infections spreading.


'TB' bacteria under the microscope

Working in the Mills

Taking a step back in my research from looking at recycled fashion I started looking at where everything initially started. The cotton Mills, whilst researching into where they all started and how they rapidly grew causing lots of problems ''As towns and cities sprang up around the factories, living conditions declined. Badly planned, poorly built slums were seriously overcrowded''. From this I decided to focus on diseases and interaction that occurred whilst the living conditions whilst other people in the group went in other directions.

Mechanisation may have shifted cotton spinning from a craft to an industrial process, but it came at a cost - a human cost.

The noise from machinery was deafening, many workers became skilled lip readers in order to communicate over the noise.

Ear protection was not compulsory leading to many workers becoming deaf.

Fighting for breath

The air in the cotton mills had to be kept hot and humid (65 to 80 degrees) to prevent the thread breaking.

A dangerous job

In such conditions it is not surprising that workers suffered from many illnesses.

The air in the mill was thick with cotton dust which could lead to byssinosis - a lung disease.

Although protective masks were introduced after the war, few workers wore them as they were made uncomfortable in the stifling conditions.

Eye inflammation, deafness, tuberculosis, cancer of the mouth and of the groin (mule-spinners cancer) could also be attributed to the working conditions in the mills.

Long hours, difficult working conditions and moving machinery proved a dangerous combination. Accidents were common and could range from the loss of a finger to fatality.

Recycled Fashion

Looking at how revolution changes and where fashion is at the moment everyone is trying to be 'green' enviromental friendly and looking at ways we can recycle old clothes to re-make new ones. I first starting thinking about this after visiting the Global: Cotton threads. During this exhibition it showed the ways current artist are going back to old techniques, back to the roots of where fashion began.


Gary Harvey is one of the main designers who have took the recycling idea and ran with it. This one in particular is made from 30 copies of the 'Financial Times' Looking at his work I find it amazing how he takes everyday objects and clothes and turn them into an extraordinary high fashion peices. ''The collection creates a dramatic display designed to change people’s perception of second-hand clothing and create fashion with a conscience''









Baseball puffball dress made from 26 nylon baseball jackets

Denim dress, made from 41 pairs of Levis 501's

Wearing it

Starting out with this brief it took me a while to get my head around what was asking of me and with the majority of it working in a group it was a big change to my usual way of working. Meeting up with my selected group we watched the four videos which we had to choose one and base our work around. After discussing each we chose 'Techno Chic' http://vimeo.com/9574286 . The clip discussed how technology has become so advanced there is now a machine to do almost anything which will eventually leave everyone without jobs. Taking this into consideration we visited the MOSI museum to look at textile pieces and how they have changed over the years and also the machinery used.