The fashion industry is a machine that churns out new cloth patterns and designs on a regular basis, but they are not designed for longevity. Once the season for a piece of apparel is over, it is recycled or tossed out. People do not want to wear yesterday’s styles, and they purge their closets on a regular basis to be able to fit in the new look for the next season. The old clothes often go to thrift stores where they are bought by people who unconcerned about fashion, or they are made into rags for various uses.
There has always a part of society that lives off the waste of others, and the textile industry is part of this lifestyle. Smaller pieces of cloth can be recycled, and quilting is one way to do this. It is recycled into useful items that will warm a loved during a cold night, or it can be displayed as folk art.