Textile Archive/T-Shirt McNeal (100% Cotton)

▼This page is part of the Fab Region Bergisch documentation initiative.

This page is open edit.

This green/white t-shirt reached the archive straight from a used-clothing container (Textile Archive, 2026, canvas 23). Its fabric is a mesh tricot: an open, eyelet-like warp knit often used for sportswear (Fashionary, 2021, p. 160). 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).

The NIR scanner confirmed what the label says. Made in China for McNeal – a reminder of how far our clothes travel. It was set aside because of an odour – but its fibres could go back into new yarn (R8 Recycle) and its fabric could become something new (R7 Repurpose; Potting et al., 2017).

Care tip: Air out and wash at max. 40°C with a vinegar rinse (ISO 3758:2023; GINETEX).

Use it to show the path from garment back to fibre. Invite makers to propose a repurposing idea for it. Complete label language and 3D scan quality.

• 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 Unpublished project data.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.
• 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/