Textile Archive/Shirt Ernsting’s Family (67% Cotton, 33% Polyester)
Like every piece in the Textile Archive, this rose shirt came from a used-clothing container, not a donation box (Textile Archive, 2026, canvas 19). Its fabric is corduroy: a sturdy winter fabric with soft corded ridges, once typical of workers' uniforms (Fashionary, 2021, p. 114). Cotton, grown for over 6,000 years, is soft and breathable, but conventional cotton uses a lot of water and chemicals (Fashionary, 2021, pp. 018–019).
Polyester is made from petroleum and is the world's most produced fibre – 59% of all fibre in 2024 (Fashionary, 2021, p. 047; Textile Exchange, 2025). A little elastane (Lycra, since 1959) adds stretch – it extends to over 500% of its length (Fashionary, 2021, p. 050). Blends improve comfort or price, but are harder to recycle (Fashionary, 2021, p. 055; Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2017).
The label says 60% Cotton, 37% Polyester, 3% Elastane, the NIR scanner reads 67% Cotton, 33% Polyester – labels and reality don't always match, which is why infrared sorting is being developed for textile waste (Riba et al., 2020). Made in Germany for Ernsting’s Family – a reminder of how far our clothes travel. It was set aside because of pilling – but it is good enough to be worn again (R3 Reuse) and its fabric could become something new (R7 Repurpose; Potting et al., 2017).
Care tip: Remove pills with a fabric shaver or comb; wash inside out on a gentle cycle (ISO 3758:2023; GINETEX).
Display label and NIR result side by side to start a conversation about label reliability. Invite makers to propose a repurposing idea for it. Link it to the second-hand care & resale guide. Complete label language and 3D scan quality.
Manufacturing information
[edit | edit source]| Size | 122 |
| Color | Rose |
| Product type | Shirt |
| Weight | 180 g |
| Target | Children |
| Origin | Germany |
| Brand | Ernsting’s Family |
Status quo
[edit | edit source]| Status Quo | Level |
|---|---|
| Material out stage | Sale |
| Exclusion | Pilling |
| R strategy | Reuse, Repurpose |
| Reuse | 1 |
| Recycle | 0 |
| Repair | 0 |
| Repurpose | 1 |
Graphics
[edit | edit source]
References
[edit | edit source]- Textile Archive (2026) Labels_Final – sample label sheets of the gesa measuring action, June 2026 [Canva design, 34 canvases]. Unpublished project data.
- Fashionary (2021) Textilepedia: The Complete Fabric Guide. Hong Kong: Fashionary International Ltd. ISBN 978-988-77110-9-4.
- Textile Exchange (2025) Materials Market Report 2025. https://textileexchange.org/knowledge-center/reports/materials-market-report-2025/
- Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2017) A New Textiles Economy: Redesigning Fashion's Future. https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/a-new-textiles-economy
- Riba, J.-R., Cantero, R., Canals, T. & Puig, R. (2020) Circular economy of post-consumer textile waste: classification through infrared spectroscopy. Journal of Cleaner Production, 272, 123011. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123011
- Potting, J., Hekkert, M., Worrell, E. & Hanemaaijer, A. (2017) Circular Economy: Measuring Innovation in the Product Chain. The Hague: PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency. https://www.pbl.nl/en/publications/circular-economy-measuring-innovation-in-product-chains
- ISO (2023) ISO 3758:2023 Textiles – Care labelling code using symbols; GINETEX care labelling system. https://www.ginetex.net/en/labelling/
| Authors | Adriana Cabrera |
|---|---|
| License | CC-BY-SA-4.0 |
| Location | Wuppertal, Germany |
| Cite as | Adriana Cabrera (2026). "Textile Archive/Shirt Ernsting’s Family (67% Cotton, 33% Polyester)". Appropedia. Retrieved November 8, 2026. |