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Dr. Laitala’s main research area is clothing consumption and sustainability, and she has researched and published on areas related to textile quality, maintenance, safety, environmental issues, product lifespans, design, as well as fit and size issues. Her current interests include sufficiency connected to standard of living. She uses interdisciplinary research methods based on her educational background in textile engineering (MSc), PhD in Product Design and long experience working with social science research methods.
Project Goal: LASTING will promote lifespans of products as a crucial element of the environmental discourse, and by influencing central actors and decision makers to implement effective political means enforcing product quality and consumer rights.
Current Stage: Start phase
Purpose Garment production and use generate substantial environmental impacts, and the care and use are key determinants of cradle-to-grave impacts. The present study investigated the potential to reduce environmental impacts by applying best practices for garment care combined with increased garment use. A wool sweater is used as an example because wool garments have particular attributes that favour reduced environmental impacts in the use phase. Methods A cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to compare six plausible best and worst-case practice scenarios for use and care of a wool sweater, relative to current practices. These focussed on options available to consumers to reduce impacts, including reduced washing frequency, use of more efficient washing machines, reduced use of machine clothing dryers, garment reuse by multiple users, and increasing number of garment wears before disposal. A sixth scenario combined all options. Worst practices took the worst plausible alternative for each option investigated. Impacts were reported per wear in Western Europe for climate change, fossil energy demand, water stress and freshwater consumption. Results and discussion Washing less frequently reduced impacts by between 4 and 20%, while using more efficient washing machines at capacity reduced impacts by 1 to 6%, depending on the impact category. Reduced use of machine dryer reduced impacts by < 5% across all indicators. Reusing garments by multiple users increased life span and reduced impacts by 25–28% across all indicators. Increasing wears from 109 to 400 per garment lifespan had the largest effect, decreasing impacts by 60% to 68% depending on the impact category. Best practice care, where garment use was maximised and care practices focussed on the minimum practical requirements, resulted in a ~ 75% reduction in impacts across all indicators. Unsurprisingly, worst-case scenarios increased impacts dramatically: using the garment once before disposal increased GHG impacts over 100 times. Conclusions Wool sweaters have potential for long life and low environmental impact in use, but there are substantial differences between the best, current and worst-case scenarios. Detailed information about garment care and lifespans is needed to understand and reduce environmental impacts. Opportunities exist for consumers to rapidly and dramatically reduce these impacts. The fashion industry can facilitate this through garment design and marketing that promotes and enables long wear life and minimal care.
Stephen G. Wiedemann; Leo Biggs; Quan V. Nguyen; Simon J. Clarke; Kirsi Laitala; Ingun G. Klepp. Reducing environmental impacts from garments through best practice garment use and care, using the example of a Merino wool sweater. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 2021, 26, 1188 -1197.
AMA StyleStephen G. Wiedemann, Leo Biggs, Quan V. Nguyen, Simon J. Clarke, Kirsi Laitala, Ingun G. Klepp. Reducing environmental impacts from garments through best practice garment use and care, using the example of a Merino wool sweater. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 2021; 26 (6):1188-1197.
Chicago/Turabian StyleStephen G. Wiedemann; Leo Biggs; Quan V. Nguyen; Simon J. Clarke; Kirsi Laitala; Ingun G. Klepp. 2021. "Reducing environmental impacts from garments through best practice garment use and care, using the example of a Merino wool sweater." The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 26, no. 6: 1188-1197.
Increasing product lifespans is one of the most effective environmental strategies and therefore repair is a part of the circular economy approach that aims to keep products and materials longer in use. This article explores drivers and barriers for repair from consumers’ and commercial repair actors’ viewpoints, in order to understand how the repair rates of household appliances, mobile phones and clothing could be increased. The study is based on a consumer survey of 1196 respondents in Norway, and 15 qualitative interviews with actors in the commercial repair industry working with repairs of household consumer goods. A surprisingly high share of repairs was conducted by consumers themselves. The main barrier is the consistently low price of new products, and often of poor quality, which contributes to low profitability in repair work for businesses and low motivation from consumers. Furthermore, access to competent personnel is a major challenge for the repair industry, a need which is expected to increase in the coming years. Both the industry and consumers agree that better quality of products is a starting point for increased product lifespans, and this will also increase the motivation and the number of profitable repairs. These results have political implications on how to promote longer product lifespans through repair such as increased utilization and knowledge of consumers’ complaint and warranty rights.
Kirsi Laitala; Ingun Grimstad Klepp; Vilde Haugrønning; Harald Throne-Holst; Pål Strandbakken. Increasing repair of household appliances, mobile phones and clothing: Experiences from consumers and the repair industry. Journal of Cleaner Production 2020, 282, 125349 .
AMA StyleKirsi Laitala, Ingun Grimstad Klepp, Vilde Haugrønning, Harald Throne-Holst, Pål Strandbakken. Increasing repair of household appliances, mobile phones and clothing: Experiences from consumers and the repair industry. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2020; 282 ():125349.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKirsi Laitala; Ingun Grimstad Klepp; Vilde Haugrønning; Harald Throne-Holst; Pål Strandbakken. 2020. "Increasing repair of household appliances, mobile phones and clothing: Experiences from consumers and the repair industry." Journal of Cleaner Production 282, no. : 125349.
Increasing the length of clothing lifespans is crucial for reducing the total environmental impacts. This article discusses which factors contribute to the length of garment lifespans by studying how long garments are used, how many times they are worn, and by how many users. The analysis is based on quantitative wardrobe survey data from China, Germany, Japan, the UK, and the USA. Variables were divided into four blocks related respectively to the garment, user, garment use, and clothing practices, and used in two hierarchical multiple regressions and two binary logistic regressions. The models explain between 11% and 43% of the variation in clothing lifespans. The garment use block was most indicative for the number of wears, while garment related properties contribute most to variation in the number of users. For lifespans measured in years, all four aspects were almost equally important. Some aspects that affect the lifespans of clothing cannot be easily changed (e.g., the consumer’s income, nationality, and age) but they can be used to identify where different measures can have the largest benefits. Several of the other conditions that affect lifespans can be changed (e.g., garment price and attitudes towards fashion) through quality management, marketing strategies, information, and improved consumer policies.
Kirsi Laitala; Ingun Klepp. What Affects Garment Lifespans? International Clothing Practices Based on a Wardrobe Survey in China, Germany, Japan, the UK, and the USA. Sustainability 2020, 12, 9151 .
AMA StyleKirsi Laitala, Ingun Klepp. What Affects Garment Lifespans? International Clothing Practices Based on a Wardrobe Survey in China, Germany, Japan, the UK, and the USA. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (21):9151.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKirsi Laitala; Ingun Klepp. 2020. "What Affects Garment Lifespans? International Clothing Practices Based on a Wardrobe Survey in China, Germany, Japan, the UK, and the USA." Sustainability 12, no. 21: 9151.
Clothing maintenance is necessary for keeping clothing and textiles functional and socially acceptable, but it has environmental consequences due to the use of energy, water and chemicals. This article discusses whether clothes made of different materials are cleaned in different ways and have different environmental impacts. It fills a knowledge gap needed in environmental assessments that evaluate the impacts based on the function of a garment by giving detailed information on the use phase. The article is based on a quantitative wardrobe survey and qualitative laundry diary data from China, Germany, Japan, the UK and the USA. The largest potential for environmental improvement exists in reducing laundering frequency and in the selection of washing and drying processes, and through a transition to fibres that are washed less frequently, such as wool. Adopting best practice garment care would give larger benefits in countries like the US where the consumption values were the highest, mainly due to extensive use of clothes dryers and less efficient washing machines combined with frequent cleaning. These variations should be considered in environmental assessments of clothing and when forming sustainability policies. The results indicate the benefits of focusing future environmental work on consumer habits and culture and not only technologies.
Kirsi Laitala; Ingun Klepp; Roy Kettlewell; Stephen Wiedemann. Laundry Care Regimes: Do the Practices of Keeping Clothes Clean Have Different Environmental Impacts Based on the Fibre Content? Sustainability 2020, 12, 7537 .
AMA StyleKirsi Laitala, Ingun Klepp, Roy Kettlewell, Stephen Wiedemann. Laundry Care Regimes: Do the Practices of Keeping Clothes Clean Have Different Environmental Impacts Based on the Fibre Content? Sustainability. 2020; 12 (18):7537.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKirsi Laitala; Ingun Klepp; Roy Kettlewell; Stephen Wiedemann. 2020. "Laundry Care Regimes: Do the Practices of Keeping Clothes Clean Have Different Environmental Impacts Based on the Fibre Content?" Sustainability 12, no. 18: 7537.
Increasing the use of each product, most often called longer lifespans, is an effective environmental strategy. This article discusses how garment lifespans can be described in order to be measured and compared. It answers two sub-questions: (1) what to measure (units), and (2) how to measure (methods). We introduce and define terms related to clothing lifespans and contribute to discussions about an appropriate functional unit for garments in life cycle assessments (LCA) and other environmental accounting tools. We use a global wardrobe survey to exemplify the units and methods. Clothing lifespans can be described and measured in years, the number of wears, cleaning cycles, and users. All have an independent value that show different and central aspects of clothing lifespans. A functional unit for LCAs should emphasise both the number of wears for all users as well as the service lifespan in years. Number of wears is the best measure for regular clothing, while number of years is most suited for occasion wear, because it is important to account for the need of more garments to cover all the relevant occasions during a specified time period. It is possible to study lifespan via carefully constructed surveys, providing key data relating to actual garment use.
Ingun Klepp; Kirsi Laitala; Stephen Wiedemann. Clothing Lifespans: What Should Be Measured and How. Sustainability 2020, 12, 6219 .
AMA StyleIngun Klepp, Kirsi Laitala, Stephen Wiedemann. Clothing Lifespans: What Should Be Measured and How. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (15):6219.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIngun Klepp; Kirsi Laitala; Stephen Wiedemann. 2020. "Clothing Lifespans: What Should Be Measured and How." Sustainability 12, no. 15: 6219.
The present food system faces major challenges in terms of sustainable development along social, economic and environmental dimensions. These challenges are often associated with industrialised production processes and longer and less transparent distribution chains. Thus, closer distribution systems through Short Food Supply Chains (SFSCs) may be considered as a sustainable alternative. This study explores the role of different types of SFSCs and their contribution to sustainability through participants’ (consumers, retailers and producers) views and perceptions. As part of the European H2020 project “Strength2Food” we conducted a cross-case analysis and examined 12 European SFSC cases from six countries: France, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Poland and the UK. We applied a mixed method approach including primary data collection, via in-depth interviews and customer surveys, as well as desk research. The findings suggest that, irrespective of the type of SFSC, a strong agreement among the participants were found on the contribution of SFSCs to social sustainability. However, participants’ views considerably differ regarding the economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability. These differences relate to the way the SFSCs were organised and to some degrees to regional differences attributed to the significance of SFSC in different parts of Europe. The article concludes that the spatial heterogeneity of SFSCs, including supply chain actor differences, different types and organisational forms of SFSCs as well as regional and territorial characteristics, must be taken into account and further emphasised in future policies aimed at strengthening European food chain sustainability.
Gunnar Vittersø; Hanne Torjusen; Kirsi Laitala; Barbara Tocco; Beatrice Biasini; Peter Csillag; Matthieu Duboys De Labarre; Jean-Loup Lecoeur; Agnieszka Maj; Edward Majewski; Agata Malak-Rawlikowska; Davide Menozzi; Áron Török; Pierre Wavresky. Short Food Supply Chains and Their Contributions to Sustainability: Participants’ Views and Perceptions from 12 European Cases. Sustainability 2019, 11, 4800 .
AMA StyleGunnar Vittersø, Hanne Torjusen, Kirsi Laitala, Barbara Tocco, Beatrice Biasini, Peter Csillag, Matthieu Duboys De Labarre, Jean-Loup Lecoeur, Agnieszka Maj, Edward Majewski, Agata Malak-Rawlikowska, Davide Menozzi, Áron Török, Pierre Wavresky. Short Food Supply Chains and Their Contributions to Sustainability: Participants’ Views and Perceptions from 12 European Cases. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (17):4800.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGunnar Vittersø; Hanne Torjusen; Kirsi Laitala; Barbara Tocco; Beatrice Biasini; Peter Csillag; Matthieu Duboys De Labarre; Jean-Loup Lecoeur; Agnieszka Maj; Edward Majewski; Agata Malak-Rawlikowska; Davide Menozzi; Áron Török; Pierre Wavresky. 2019. "Short Food Supply Chains and Their Contributions to Sustainability: Participants’ Views and Perceptions from 12 European Cases." Sustainability 11, no. 17: 4800.
Consumer electronics are made of a wide range of materials, including precious metals and critical minerals with limited global reserves. Ensuring the recycling of these materials is essential for future use, especially since many renewable energy solutions are based on them. In addition, improper end-of-life treatments of these products cause harm to the environment and human health. This study explores the incentives that have been used to increase consumer collection rates for end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment (EoL EEE). Based on extensive global literature reviews, we propose an alternative to existing consumer incentives. The research suggests that implementing an economic incentive based on the electronic bonus card system (EBCS) has several benefits compared to existing incentives. It compensates the consumers for the transaction costs of proper collection and satisfies the consumer perception of EoL EEE as having a residual value. However, application of the EBCS motivation technology will require the cooperation of various stakeholders, including electronics producers and national and international authorities.
Tetiana Shevchenko; Kirsi Laitala; Yuriy Danko. Understanding Consumer E-Waste Recycling Behavior: Introducing a New Economic Incentive to Increase the Collection Rates. Sustainability 2019, 11, 2656 .
AMA StyleTetiana Shevchenko, Kirsi Laitala, Yuriy Danko. Understanding Consumer E-Waste Recycling Behavior: Introducing a New Economic Incentive to Increase the Collection Rates. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (9):2656.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTetiana Shevchenko; Kirsi Laitala; Yuriy Danko. 2019. "Understanding Consumer E-Waste Recycling Behavior: Introducing a New Economic Incentive to Increase the Collection Rates." Sustainability 11, no. 9: 2656.
This article discusses what kind of strategies people with a stoma or various chronic skin conditions, such as psoriasis or atopic dermatitis, use to find clothes that fit and enable them to fit in. Based on qualitative interviews in Norway, we study how they manage to dress with a demanding body, a poor market and limited economic resources. This includes describing how purchases take place, which clothes fit, how much clothing is needed, and which laundry practices are used. Their main strategy was to reduce the requirements for their own appearance rather than to cleanliness and body odours. If they were unable to appear appropriately dressed, as a minimum odourless and stain free, they reduced their participation in social life.
Kirsi Laitala; Ingun Grimstad Klepp. Dressing a Demanding Body to Fit In: Clean and Decent with Ostomy or Chronic Skin Disease. Social Inclusion 2019, 7, 124 -135.
AMA StyleKirsi Laitala, Ingun Grimstad Klepp. Dressing a Demanding Body to Fit In: Clean and Decent with Ostomy or Chronic Skin Disease. Social Inclusion. 2019; 7 (1):124-135.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKirsi Laitala; Ingun Grimstad Klepp. 2019. "Dressing a Demanding Body to Fit In: Clean and Decent with Ostomy or Chronic Skin Disease." Social Inclusion 7, no. 1: 124-135.
This thematic issue aims at developing and disseminating knowledge about how consumption can promote and inhibit social participation and social inclusion through increased access to and use of marketplaces, goods and services. This editorial briefly presents the topic and summarises the different articles published in the issue.
Kirsi Laitala; Anita Borch. People with Disabilities: The Overlooked Consumers. Social Inclusion 2019, 7, 111 -113.
AMA StyleKirsi Laitala, Anita Borch. People with Disabilities: The Overlooked Consumers. Social Inclusion. 2019; 7 (1):111-113.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKirsi Laitala; Anita Borch. 2019. "People with Disabilities: The Overlooked Consumers." Social Inclusion 7, no. 1: 111-113.
Textiles release fibres to the environment during production, use, and at end-of-life disposal. Approximately two-thirds of all textile items are now synthetic, dominated by petroleum-based organic polymers such as polyester, polyamide and acrylic. Plastic microfibres (<5 mm) and nanofibres (<100 nm) have been identified in ecosystems in all regions of the globe and have been estimated to comprise up to 35% of primary microplastics in marine environments, a major proportion of microplastics on coastal shorelines and to persist for decades in soils treated with sludge from waste water treatment plants. In this paper we present a critical review of factors affecting the release from fabrics of microfibres, and of the risks for impacts on ecological systems and potentially on human health. This review is used as a basis for exploring the potential to include a metric for microplastic pollution in tools that have been developed to quantify the environmental performance of apparel and home textiles. We conclude that the simple metric of mass or number of microfibres released combined with data on their persistence in the environment, could provide a useful interim mid-point indicator in sustainability assessment tools to support monitoring and mitigation strategies for microplastic pollution. Identified priority research areas include: (1) standardised analytical methods for textile microfibres and nanofibres; (2) Ecotoxicological studies using environmentally realistic concentrations; (3) Studies tracking the fate of microplastics in complex food webs; and (4) Refined indicators for microfibre impacts in apparel and home textile sustainability assessment tools.
Beverley Henry; Kirsi Laitala; Ingun Grimstad Klepp. Microfibres from apparel and home textiles: Prospects for including microplastics in environmental sustainability assessment. Science of The Total Environment 2018, 652, 483 -494.
AMA StyleBeverley Henry, Kirsi Laitala, Ingun Grimstad Klepp. Microfibres from apparel and home textiles: Prospects for including microplastics in environmental sustainability assessment. Science of The Total Environment. 2018; 652 ():483-494.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBeverley Henry; Kirsi Laitala; Ingun Grimstad Klepp. 2018. "Microfibres from apparel and home textiles: Prospects for including microplastics in environmental sustainability assessment." Science of The Total Environment 652, no. : 483-494.
Mending, re-design, and altering are alternatives for prolonging the use period of clothing. It is a common assumption that nobody mends clothing anymore in Western societies. This paper studies Norwegian consumers’ clothing mending and making practices. We ask how common the different mending and making activities are, has this changed during the past several years, who are the clothing menders and makers, and further, are these practices related to consumers’ environmental opinions? We build on three quantitative surveys in Norway from 2010, 2011, and 2017. Many consumers do mend their clothing at least occasionally, especially the simpler tasks, such as sewing on a button and fixing an unravelled seam. Women and the elderly are more active in making and mending, whereas the young are bit more likely to make something new out of old clothing. The mending activities were correlated with respondents’ environmental opinions. Mending clothes is more common than is usually assumed. Knowledge of current practices and barriers for clothing mending enables us to recommend measures that can potentially increase the use time of clothing. These results can be beneficial in clothing design, home economics, and crafts education as well as understanding consumer behavior and making policies that aim at environmental improvements within clothing consumption.
Kirsi Laitala; Ingun Grimstad Klepp. Care and Production of Clothing in Norwegian Homes: Environmental Implications of Mending and Making Practices. Sustainability 2018, 10, 2899 .
AMA StyleKirsi Laitala, Ingun Grimstad Klepp. Care and Production of Clothing in Norwegian Homes: Environmental Implications of Mending and Making Practices. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (8):2899.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKirsi Laitala; Ingun Grimstad Klepp. 2018. "Care and Production of Clothing in Norwegian Homes: Environmental Implications of Mending and Making Practices." Sustainability 10, no. 8: 2899.
Several tools have been developed to compare the environmental impact of textiles. The most widely used are Higg Materials Sustainability Index (MSI) and MADE-BY Fiber Benchmark. They use data from production to evaluate the environmental impacts of textiles differentiated by fiber type. The use phase is excluded from both tools. This article discusses whether there is evidence that the use of textiles differs systematically between different fiber types and examines the consequences of comparing the environmental impacts of clothing based on differences in production of fibers alone without including differences in their use. The empirical material in this paper is based on analysis of rating tools and a literature review on clothing use. It shows that fiber content contributes to the way consumers take care of and use their clothing. When use is omitted, major environmental problems associated with this stage, such as spread of microplastics, are also excluded. This one-sided focus on material production impacts also excludes the importance of product lifespans, quality, and functionality. The consequence is that short-lived disposable products are equated with durable products. Comparing dissimilar garments will not help consumers to make choices that will reduce the environmental burden of clothing. We need an informed discussion on how to use all materials in the most environmentally sustainable way possible.
Kirsi Laitala; Ingun Klepp; Beverley Henry. Does Use Matter? Comparison of Environmental Impacts of Clothing Based on Fiber Type. Sustainability 2018, 10, 2524 .
AMA StyleKirsi Laitala, Ingun Klepp, Beverley Henry. Does Use Matter? Comparison of Environmental Impacts of Clothing Based on Fiber Type. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (7):2524.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKirsi Laitala; Ingun Klepp; Beverley Henry. 2018. "Does Use Matter? Comparison of Environmental Impacts of Clothing Based on Fiber Type." Sustainability 10, no. 7: 2524.
One of the possibilities consumers have for more sustainable clothing acquisition is to select pre-owned products. This article explores consumers’ motivations for clothing reuse: why they choose or do not choose to acquire second-hand clothing. First, a taxonomy of motivation categories based on previous studies is presented. This demonstrates that similar properties can be used as arguments both for and against acquisition of second-hand clothing. An analysis of a representative sample of Norwegian consumers shows that both environmental and economic reasons are important for those who take part in informal clothing circulation. Uniqueness and style are more important for those who buy second-hand clothing. Those who do not take part in any of the forms of acquisition of used clothing, use vague and open justifications, as well as contextual aspects; hygiene, health and intimacy. Previous studies have mostly been based on how clothing is reused as part of a market exchange, and therefore the motives have been embedded with a rational choice understanding of consumption. Studies of the private exchange of clothing should also address additional reasons such as routinized practices and established rituals, family ties, feelings, friendship and love. The article concludes with an invitation for further research to explore several possible motivations that are more relevant for private circulation of clothes.
Kirsi Laitala; Ingun Grimstad Klepp. Motivations for and against second-hand clothing acquisition. Clothing Cultures 2018, 5, 247 -262.
AMA StyleKirsi Laitala, Ingun Grimstad Klepp. Motivations for and against second-hand clothing acquisition. Clothing Cultures. 2018; 5 (2):247-262.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKirsi Laitala; Ingun Grimstad Klepp. 2018. "Motivations for and against second-hand clothing acquisition." Clothing Cultures 5, no. 2: 247-262.
This chapter takes a close look at the different forms of sharing based on empirical material on leisure clothing in Norwegian families. We ask what forms of sharing are practiced, which terms are used, and how consumers draw distinctions between them. We find that the forms are numerous and have an established place in Norwegian clothing culture. Sharing within the household, outside the pecuniary market, appears still to be the most important and also the most understudied form of sharing. The literature about clothing consumption is increasingly about sharing, but limited to the new forms. However, sharing is a common form of human interaction, often misunderstood or overlooked. In order to understand the role of collaborative consumption in contemporary society, it is necessary to study both new and old forms of sharing. For a more systematic mapping of these forms a good place to start might be the study of relationships between access and ownership, and between different temporalities.
Ingun Grimstad Klepp; Kirsi Laitala. Shared use and owning of clothes: borrow, steal or inherit. Contemporary Collaborative Consumption 2018, 153 -177.
AMA StyleIngun Grimstad Klepp, Kirsi Laitala. Shared use and owning of clothes: borrow, steal or inherit. Contemporary Collaborative Consumption. 2018; ():153-177.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIngun Grimstad Klepp; Kirsi Laitala. 2018. "Shared use and owning of clothes: borrow, steal or inherit." Contemporary Collaborative Consumption , no. : 153-177.
Ingun Grimstad Klepp; Kirsi Laitala. Nisseluelandet—The Impact of Local Clothes for the Survival of a Textile Industry in Norway. Fashion Practice 2018, 10, 171 -195.
AMA StyleIngun Grimstad Klepp, Kirsi Laitala. Nisseluelandet—The Impact of Local Clothes for the Survival of a Textile Industry in Norway. Fashion Practice. 2018; 10 (2):171-195.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIngun Grimstad Klepp; Kirsi Laitala. 2018. "Nisseluelandet—The Impact of Local Clothes for the Survival of a Textile Industry in Norway." Fashion Practice 10, no. 2: 171-195.
Reuse organized by non-profit and commercial actors is a sustainability strategy that recently received a lot of attention. This article discusses the question: what do we know about the amount of clothes that circulate outside the pecuniary markets? And is this amount increasing or declining? The questions are answered based on quantitative material from Norway. Almost twice as many had received used clothing as those who had bought used clothing, and our material do not indicate that this is declining. At the same time, 59 per cent of Norwegian adults had neither received nor bought used clothing for themselves during the past two years. For children, inheritance is very common and the younger the children are, the more they inherit. The amount of the private clothing exchange is greater than the formal market in Norway. Therefore, when the goal is a more sustainable clothing consumption, we need to include the parts of consumption that are not only related to money.
Kirsi Laitala; Ingun Grimstad Klepp; Laitala Kirsi; Klepp Ingun Grimstad. Clothing reuse: The potential in informal exchange. Clothing Cultures 2017, 4, 61 -77.
AMA StyleKirsi Laitala, Ingun Grimstad Klepp, Laitala Kirsi, Klepp Ingun Grimstad. Clothing reuse: The potential in informal exchange. Clothing Cultures. 2017; 4 (1):61-77.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKirsi Laitala; Ingun Grimstad Klepp; Laitala Kirsi; Klepp Ingun Grimstad. 2017. "Clothing reuse: The potential in informal exchange." Clothing Cultures 4, no. 1: 61-77.
This paper discusses consumers’ wool washing habits and the possibilities for improving the laundering process with the aim of reducing the total environmental impacts of clothing consumption. Wool has great potential when compared to other fibres, such as cotton, especially when the energy per day of use is compared to energy per washing cycle. Wool products can be used longer between washing cycles due to the natural soil repellence, some washing can be replaced by airing, and the wool wash programs have lower washing temperatures and shorter washing cycles. Two surveys supplemented with in-depth interviews were conducted to study consumers’ clothing maintenance habits in Norway and Sweden. Results confirm that consumers use woollen products longer between washes than similar products made from cotton. However, there is still a potential to reduce the energy consumption from wool wash further both through technical washing program development and through changes in consumer behaviour.
Kirsi Laitala; Ingun Grimstad Klepp. Wool Wash: Technical Performance and Consumer Habits. Tenside Surfactants Detergents 2016, 53, 458 -469.
AMA StyleKirsi Laitala, Ingun Grimstad Klepp. Wool Wash: Technical Performance and Consumer Habits. Tenside Surfactants Detergents. 2016; 53 (5):458-469.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKirsi Laitala; Ingun Grimstad Klepp. 2016. "Wool Wash: Technical Performance and Consumer Habits." Tenside Surfactants Detergents 53, no. 5: 458-469.
Cotton is the “natural” choice and the dominating material in bed linen and sleepwear in Norway as in many other European countries. Regulation of temperature and humidity are important for good sleep, but they are not cotton’s strong points. There must have been other than the functional reasons which made cotton the winner in the bedding market. This article builds on literature about bedding in Norway from the 1800s and survey questions from 1951. We ask the question: what materials have been used and why? Wool was used in all bed textiles, both closest to the body and the layers over and under, from the cheapest chopped rags to the most costly textiles. The decline was seen throughout the 1800 and 1900s, but only in the 1960s does wool become totally absent as a next to skin bed textile. The cheap imports of cotton made cottage industry and home production unprofitable and the new emphasis on cleanliness gave cotton a clear leverage.
Ingun Grimstad Klepp; Tone Skårdal Tobiasson; Kirsi Laitala. Why Cotton as Linen? The Use of Wool in Beds in Norway. TEXTILE 2016, 15, 68 -85.
AMA StyleIngun Grimstad Klepp, Tone Skårdal Tobiasson, Kirsi Laitala. Why Cotton as Linen? The Use of Wool in Beds in Norway. TEXTILE. 2016; 15 (1):68-85.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIngun Grimstad Klepp; Tone Skårdal Tobiasson; Kirsi Laitala. 2016. "Why Cotton as Linen? The Use of Wool in Beds in Norway." TEXTILE 15, no. 1: 68-85.
Sport and fitness are increasing in popularity, and so is awareness of body odor. Both are aspects people wish to gain control over, as promised by the marketing of sportswear with odor-controlling properties. This article discusses how the heightened awareness of body odor has developed, and how unpleasant odor varies between textiles made of different materials. A sensory analysis by a consumer panel was used to evaluate the odor intensity of 13 different fabric samples taken mainly from sportswear. The so-called odor-control textiles smelled less intense than similar polyester samples without such treatment. Wool and cotton smelled significantly less intense than both odor-control and polyester when the samples were sweaty or aired. After washing, the odor-control textiles had a level of odor intensity that was in between that of the cotton and woolen samples. The odor-control treatment reduced the smell, but not enough to make a difference on laundering frequency, and the textiles smelled still more strongly than wool.
Ingun Grimstad Klepp; Madeline Buck; Kirsi Laitala; Marit Kjeldsberg. What’s the Problem? Odor-control and the Smell of Sweat in Sportswear. Fashion Practice 2016, 8, 296 -317.
AMA StyleIngun Grimstad Klepp, Madeline Buck, Kirsi Laitala, Marit Kjeldsberg. What’s the Problem? Odor-control and the Smell of Sweat in Sportswear. Fashion Practice. 2016; 8 (2):296-317.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIngun Grimstad Klepp; Madeline Buck; Kirsi Laitala; Marit Kjeldsberg. 2016. "What’s the Problem? Odor-control and the Smell of Sweat in Sportswear." Fashion Practice 8, no. 2: 296-317.