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Kim O’Driscoll: ‘I wanted to use visible mending as a feature, to reduce the stigma around second-hand clothes.’ Photograph: Nick Bradshaw <\/p>\nIt\u2019s jumper season, and many of us are rediscovering our woollies after months in storage, hoping we won\u2019t find that our favourite sweater has been munched through by moths just as the weather turns crisp.<\/p>\n
Ireland is home to around 1,500 species of moth, but only two are known to feast on our clothes: the aptly named common clothes moth, and the case-bearing clothes moth. The latter gets its name from the small case its larvae spin from silk and fibres stolen from hats and jumpers, creating a multi-coloured protective shell.<\/p>\n
The larvae are after keratin, a protein found in natural fibres. Wool, silk, and other animal-derived materials are a rich source. <\/p>\n
In the wild, moths are nature\u2019s recyclers, helping to break down animal remains, bird nests, fur in mammal dens, and even Barn Owl pellets, which contain regurgitated remains. They are also part of the food web: larvae are a valuable food source for birds, spiders and other insects, while adult moths provide protein for bats.<\/p>\n
We have helped clothes moths along by making our homes so cosy, with central heating, wall-to-wall carpets and overflowing wardrobes. We provide the perfect environment for them to thrive. Eggs are laid and hatch in spring or summer, when our jumpers are tucked away. By the time we pull them out in autumn, the damage has been done. The larvae have long since matured into adult moths, who have no interest in eating clothes. They don\u2019t even have mouths.<\/p>\n
Delicate silver and gold wisps, they would usually have a single annual life cycle in the wild, but milder winters, combined with well-insulated homes, allow multiple generations each year.<\/p>\n
There was a decline in clothes moth numbers in the 1980s, when synthetic fabrics such as polyester, acrylic, nylon, spandex, and PVC became widespread, leaving less natural material for moths to eat. Dry cleaning also reduced numbers, and chemical treatments like permethrin-based sprays and fumigants disrupted moths\u2019 nervous systems. <\/p>\n
While effective, these chemicals carried health risks, including respiratory irritation and, in the case of naphthalene, potential liver and kidney damage.<\/p>\n
In recent years, pest controllers have reported a marked increase in callouts. But what can you do yourself? <\/p>\n
Kim O’Driscoll: ‘I wanted to use visible mending as a feature, to reduce the stigma around second-hand clothes.’ Photograph: Nick Bradshaw <\/p>\n
Cleaning clothes before summer and storing them in airtight containers helps, as do natural repellents such as cedar and lavender. Some people freeze items to kill larvae, but textile designer Kim O\u2019Driscoll of Project Prolong in Dublin has found that putting 100 per cent wool or cashmere jumpers in the oven on the lowest temperature for about 30 minutes works even better. <\/p>\n
\u201cJust not anything containing plastic or polyester: it might melt,\u201d she warns. Another tip: store knitwear in cotton tote bags. \u201cI never vacuum-pack wool,\u201d she says. \u201cIt loses shape, and moths can still get in.\u201d<\/p>\n
[\u00a0How to be better at keeping your clothes alive for longerOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n O\u2019Driscoll, from Cork, founded Project Prolong in 2022 after completing a master\u2019s in design for sustainability and circular economics. \u201cI wanted to use visible mending as a feature, to reduce the stigma around second-hand clothes and celebrate the act of caring and repairing,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n She began posting pictures on Instagram of jumpers she had repaired for friends, and the business grew from there. Clients now come from near and far, including the owner of a cashmere store in America who brought in 12 jumpers because she couldn\u2019t find anyone locally in the US with the skill to do invisible repairs. Others have travelled down from Belfast or shipped items from abroad.<\/p>\n All repairs, starting at around \u20ac10, are done by hand with a darning needle. Small cashmere holes might require 50 stitches, while chunky knits can be faster. \u201cWool is warm, repairable and biodegradable,\u201d says O\u2019Driscoll. \u201cI\u2019ve never had a wool garment I couldn\u2019t repair.\u201d<\/p>\n
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A cardigan mended by Project Prolong <\/p>\n