Waste knot want not.

    There is a technique in embroidery known as a waste knot. You make a knot at the end of your thread. Then stitch through the front of your fabric so that the knot is on top, and then you proceed to stitch. The trick to this technique is to ensure that the length of thread from the knot lies in the path of your stitching. Once you have stitched over that length of thread several times, you can cut the knot off of the front of the piece. Your stitching now secures the tail of the thread. Finishing off your thread can also employ this technique. Bring your thread up a short distance from your stitching, ensuring stitches cover the tail. Once it is secure, you snip the excess thread. The benefit of this stitching style is that it allows you to stitch without flipping the embroidery over to work on the back to secure your threads.

Please see the front has visible knots in the area meant to be stitched

The back of the same area. You can see the tales that the waste knots hold still until they are stitched down.

    Needles are another material that seems wasteful to discard but helps your embroidery. Once the finish has worn off, needles need safe discarding. The finish allows the needle to glide through the fabric without much resistance, damaging the material and the thread. A needle that, through use, no longer functions as smoothly. It slows down the stitching process and can leave frayed thread, which muddles any stitching. Discarding worn needles improves the embroiderer's ability to create a sturdy piece. While frugality benefits some areas, it does not always work. I change my needle at least once a cross stitch pattern unless the size of the embroidery piece is significant. It seems like such a small item that should not wear out. Unless it is bent, it still works, but the quality of this small tool compromises when it wears out. I have needed to remind myself that changing your tools when they wear out is acceptable and necessary.   

    The concept of waste knots always reminds me of everyday life. On the surface, it looks like you are sacrificing material unnecessarily. It saves you time and creates a very sturdy piece in the long run, much like the sacrifice of the first pancake to moderate the temperature of the griddle. We teach each other not to waste resources, but if it creates a better product as a whole, is it a waste?

    Waste is something that I often think of working in textiles professionally, and I usually save the ends of my thread to incorporate into other pieces. If I make a product out of my waste material, I get another piece that costs me nothing to make but my time. It gives a way to stretch my supplies further and is the greener option. The less I throw away; the less goes to the landfill. The textile/fashion industry is working towards greener practices, but it appears in spurts. The fashion industry does not have just one solution, nor has it embraced green fashion entirely. Some designers and brands have started the conversation by employing greener practices or giving the consumer the provenance of their clothing.       

    The focus on natural fabrics helps. Synthetic materials create plastic waste that harms the environment. Dyeing cloth also can harm nature as well. The downside of natural fibers stems from the amount of land and water used to create them. The question of fast fashion, cheaply made/priced clothing that wears out quickly, vs. something much more expensive that can last for years, parallels the concept of waste knots. You pay for a piece of clothing that lasts through many wears and years becomes the greenest option available to most of us. It costs more money initially, but if you consider how much use it gets, the price is comparable to the cheaper and poorer made fashion. While sustainable fashion may not always have the greenest creation process, the overall carbon footprint impacts the environment positively. It does require investment, much like a waste knot involves the sacrifice of a portion of thread. It is up to the consumer to decide if the investment is worth the benefit to the environment.