Sustainable Fabric Guide - Part I

What makes a garment beautiful? Definitely the cut, the colors but most definitely also the fabrics. Many of us take fabrics for granted without thinking about where they come from and what kind of impact they have on our environment. The production of many conventional materials such as polyester, conventional cotton, acrylic, rayon, and nylon can increase land pollution, water consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions.

More eco friendly fabrics are usually derived from sustainable resources and biodegradable materials. They don’t contribute such a significant to the overconsumption and pollution of land, air or water. 

In our production we are currently focusing on European linen, TENCEL and organic cotton. But our plan is to expand soon. There are so many more options for sustainable fabrics. Here are a few of them:

1) Hemp

Hemp is a cannabis plant grown for its fibrous materials. It is easy to grow hemp because it doesn’t require pesticides or very much water. Just a small amount of water and some natural fertilizer are the only elements needed to grow a hemp plant successfully. 

Hemp fibers can keep a person cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Although fibrous hemp clothing can be more on the expensive side, especially when it is certified organic, it can be very comfortable to wear. 

2) Tencel

Tencel is one of the newer sustainable fabrics to enter the fashion industry. Manufacturers dissolve wood pulp and turn it into a light cellulose fabric for clothing, which is Tencel. 

Recyclable and non-toxic solvents are used to create Tencel. This reduces the toxic emissions that would have entered the atmosphere.

Thanks to the ultra-fine structure of the fiber, Tencel is very comfortable to wear. The surface of Tencel is silky-soft and at the same time vegan.

3) Recycled Materials

Recycled polyester and cotton can be used as sustainable fabrics for clothing. When plastic bottles are collected from dumps and landfills, a significant percentage of them get recycled into other materials. One of which is recycled polyester. However, during the washing process, micro plastic can still be release. Solutions such as the Guppy Bag offer an option to reduce this negative impact.

Recycled cotton is the conversion of cotton materials into cotton fibers for clothing. Since cotton materials get thrown away regularly, they can be recycled into sustainable fibers for clothing. That way, more precious land and natural resources don’t have to be used to produce more cotton.

4) Linen

Linen fibers come from a blue-flowered herbaceous plant called flax. The plant is easy to grow because it can thrive in places where most other plants cannot grow well. You don’t even need fertilizer to produce it. 

If linen is grown without dangerous chemicals or pesticides, it is a biodegradable and sustainable fabric for clothing. The benefits of linen are that the fabric is very breathable and highly absorbent and on top of that naturally insect repelling.

5) Bamboo

Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world. It is also a plant that doesn’t require fertilizer to grow either. When bamboo plants get harvested for their fibers, it doesn’t take long to replace them.

Bamboo is an excellent material for clothing because it is comfortable, moisture resistant, and highly absorbent. 

However, manufacturing bamboo into yarn is usually a very water and chemical intensive process. And truly sustainable bamboo fabrics, made from an organic and eco friendly process, are quite rare.

6) Organic Cotton

Conventional cotton is grown with a lot of water, chemicals and pesticides. But when farmers grow cotton with no chemicals or pesticides and far less water, it becomes a more sustainable form of cotton for the environment. 

Sustainable fabrics are the future of the fashion industry. They can cost a little but more than their conventional alternatives. However, they offer environmentally conscious options. Just make sure that after the purchase, you treat your clothing and its delicate fabrics well so that they last for a long time.

If you want to find beautiful organic cotton, Tencel and linen garments, don't hesitate to visit our shop.

References

Kaitlyn. (2020, June 4). A Guide to the Most and Least Sustainable Fabrics. Eco-Stylist. https://www.eco-stylist.com/a-guide-to-the-most-and-least-sustainable-fabrics/. 

Rauturier, S. (2019, May 31). What Are the Most Sustainable Fabrics? Good On You. https://goodonyou.eco/most-sustainable-fabrics/. 

Sustainable fabrics 101: Everything you need to know before you shop. The Good Trade. https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/sustainable-clothing-fabrics.