Old Clothes In The Future

Question

Up front, I am aware of this question. My question is more about the material than the style and is not a duplicate.

I was thinking about the clothing for my homebrew RPG and something about my intrepid band of space traders exploring the ice planet "Yetika" dressed in thick wool/leather coats appeals to me.

This question is in two parts:

1. Do older textiles made from naturally occurring fibres present any clear benefits over synthetic fibres?
2. Given the following information about the setting, is there any reason that organic materials would be preferable to fibres like nylon.

Here are some handwaves and background info.

• Complex 3D printing is available and is capable of replicating any known textiles.

• There's no shortage of energy because fusion is cheap. Therefore, it's not hard to make most textiles in a colony.

• Radiation shielding for spaceships is very good.

• There is enough of an infrastructure in space that if you're in a space suit, you're probably having a really bad day.

• Space travel is really common. Humanity has spread across a good portion of our spiral arm colonising and currently setting up the infrastructure for mass terraforming so lots of people on inhospitable planets with minimal resources.

• Since a clearer definition of "natural" was sought, I basically mean anything we could make up to 1900.

Answers do not have to be super hard science but the more believable an explanation, the better. Also, I'm willing to change the setting minimally, if you have a particularly believable explanation.

Answer 1

It's worth noting that in the modern world natural fibres outperform synthetic fibres in some ways. Wool and down are still used, wool generally for its wicking properties as a base-layer and down for dry-cold weather insulation.

Another point to consider is how are you defining 'natural'? It may well be that having worked out what is required from a fibre, that the best way to make it is to genetically engineer an organism to grow it.

Answer 2

If planetary colonisation, space travel, and terraforming are all good enough, this may not be enough of a benefit. However, natural fibres can biodegrade and be healthier for the environment - if space per person is at a capital (which it may well be, if your society has a particular incentive to colonise other planets), then looking after the current available space might be worth it.

Also, on a more social level: would there simply be some kind of cultural cachet inherent with natural fibres? Although one could theoretically synthesise anything, it suggests a certain amount of time, labour, and therefore money to produce something organically. Homespun hemp clothes could be the preserve of the rich and fashionable, while old Joe Bloggs is stuck wearing the cheap nylon clothes produced artificially in massive quantities.

Equally, however, those establishing an off-world colony may need to know how to use natural materials, if modern technology is still being brought to the planet (if the one 3D printer in the village breaks, they might need an alternative). Once technology does arrive in full force though, any organic materials and homewards from new planets may command a high price tag for customers on other planets, for whom this new environment is an exciting spending opportunity.

EDIT

It could be that some of the planets colonised in your universe have some kind of constraint imposed upon them (a question raised in Terry Pratchett's "The Long Earth", for example). What if you couldn't use metal on a particular planet? Would that hinder your 3D-printing technologies, so that colonists had to rely (at least temporarily) on organic materials and processes? And what if there was already a sentient indigenous species? Would your colonists attempt to merge with their culture (whatever that may be), or demonstrate their difference by utilising artificial or alien materials?

Answer 3

Why not do blends?

If you can re-create natural fibers, AND what's currently available synthetically, it would make sense to do blends, like what we see in stores today.

Advantages/Disadvantages of natural fibers

• Wicking, with wool, and breathability with linen (from flax) and cotton.

• Shrinkage at high temps, wrinkling.

Advantages/Disadvantages with synthetic fibers

• Less wrinkling, resistant to stains.
• Not as comfortable
• Can melt at high temps.

Polyester, for instance, can cause skin irritation and, stifling in summer. Current methods of production mean that there are toxins associated with them because of the chemical process used--if your method eliminates those, that would be helpful.

When it comes to durability, both sides, argue that synthetic is better or natural is better. I think it depends on what it's used for. Here's an exchange on the outdoor stack which talks about natural leather vs. synthetics.

Fabric blends of natural and synthetic get you the best of both worlds, but for things such as underwear and tees, that are worn close to the skin, you may want natural

Hikers that hike in the cold are actually the best place to get this info--and this is a debatable point. It can be personal and cultural, so I don't see why it would be a problem in your world.

This thread talks about when wool is a good idea (when there's a chance for wetness, so you'd want a wet cold, not a dry one, and glacial streams). And you'll notice that at least one of the posters shills for a blend of synthetics and wool. And this link talks about the actual structure of wool and its advantages.

If you want your folks to wear thick woolen cloaks, make sure it's wet, basically.

Because you say:

Complex 3D printing is available and is capable of replicating any known textiles.

It really doesn't matter if the fabrics are natural or not, you can make them have the same structure, even though, technically, they are synthetic as they are man-made and not derived from a natural fiber. And further, they can have any structure you would like, lightweight or not. They can be 100% wool structure, or be a blend to make it more lightweight, but still have the characteristics of wool.

As for leather, it isn't actually great for clothing in cold weather without a lining/fur/wool. It keeps the wind out, but is terrible insulation.

ECONOMIC FACTORS Part of what you need to solve is just what the limitations of the 3-D printer are, and how much it costs for various designs. If natural fabrics are cheaper to make via-printer, or to make using fabrics, those will be used. Also, the options may be limited-- as in, you make the blueprint or license for certain things more expensive--so wool and leather might be the cheaper option. If you're talking post-scarcity, or that it doesn't take a lot of time or resources, that's a different thing, but the printer has to be fueled somehow, and the raw materials used to make things have to come from somewhere.

CULTURE & CUSTOM It's possible the colony was given a bunch of fabrics for when they landed, and that's what they have worn ever since, because they do work for the population.

Answer 4

There's a very good reason for natural fibers: Fire safety. If you get burned it's much better to be wearing natural fibers (which don't melt) vs synthetic ones (which generally do.)

Answer 5

The only reason is prestige. Rarity means value. There is no physical reason to wear natural fibers on an ice world when you can have electrically heated clothes, natural fibers or synthetic.

Now if you are a trader, your clothes and look shows your success. Having a hand crafted woolen jacket shows your wealth and success as a trader far more than a off the rack, mass produced jacket.

In a world where anything can be robotically mass produced for next to nothing, the only things of real value is hand made