The Aran jumper Ailbhe de Bl\u00e1cam\u2019s uncle wore on his First Communion day bears none of the scars you might expect from a garment worn by a boisterous seven-year-old exposed to the rigours of island life. <\/p>\n
And that is exactly the point Ailbhe and her classmates from Col\u00e1iste Naomh Eoin on Inis Me\u00e1in hoped to demonstrate. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s almost perfect,\u201d she said, presenting the handknit that has held its shape, colour, softness and strength through 35 years of hand-me-down tradition. <\/p>\n
\u201cCompare that with the bally sweater you bought six months ago from Temu, Shein or Penneys. That\u2019ll barely last a year \u2013 and in 35 years it could still be in a landfill, not decomposing because it\u2019s made of plastic fibres.\u201d <\/p>\n
Ailhbe, Laylabelle N\u00ed Chl\u00e9irigh and Michelle N\u00ed Fh\u00e1tharta investigated the sustainability<\/a> of clothing made from natural fibres compared with fast fashion<\/a> versions for their project for the Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition<\/a>.<\/p>\n In a series of tests, the Aran jumper and a pair of 50-year-old woollen trousers scored far higher points than their synthetic alternatives.<\/p>\n All three girls have or have had family connections to the local knitting company on the island, but are the first to admit that flannel trousers and cable-knit sweaters are not their number one fashion choice.<\/p>\n \u201cBut this project has really changed our perspective,\u201d said Laylabelle. <\/p>\n \u201cEven financially, you\u2019re better off buying a few good items of wool or natural fibres and getting creative about how you wear them rather than buying cheap items every few months and throwing them away.\u201d <\/p>\n [\u00a0AI gets put to real-life test at Young Scientist ExhibitionOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n The girls\u2019 project is one of 20 presented in Irish at this year\u2019s exhibition, where 550 finalist entries are competing for prizes. <\/p>\n Topical issues feature in many projects which explore subjects such as the competitive advantage of wearing skorts versus shorts, the psychological effect of water quality issues on people in north Cork, the potential for AI<\/a>-powered early flood-warning systems and the success or otherwise of school phone pouch initiatives. <\/p>\n No topic is beyond scrutiny \u2013 at least two projects examine the competition itself, exploring how participation has changed over the last 15 years and seeing whether AI can predict the winning entries. <\/p>\n Some students found inspiration for their project in everyday places such as the bin. <\/p>\n \u201cOur school has a compost bin, and you see the apple cores and banana skins decomposing but the little sticky labels on them are still there. They don\u2019t break down,\u201d said Emma Harmon. <\/p>\n Emma and classmates, Keelynn Keogh and Aimee O\u2019Reilly, from Scoil Chonglais in Baltinglass, Co Wicklow, created biodegradable stickers with plastic sheets made from cornflour, glycerol, vinegar and water, attached with a glue made from porridge and decorated with biodegradable ink. <\/p>\n