Given the rapid pace of fashion production and consumption, it’s essential to purchase clothing that is eco-friendly. Not only will your garment last for years, but you will be lessening its environmental impact as well.
Sustainable fabrics use minimal to no chemicals, are soft on the skin, and biodegrade at the end of their usefulness. Here are some of the most popular eco-friendly fabrics currently available on the market.
Organic Cotton
Organic cotton is an environmentally friendly fabric commonly used in clothing. It’s hypoallergenic, durable, breathable and naturally absorbent – making it the ideal fabric choice for clothing items.
Fabric is soft and easy to care for, making it ideal for robes and loungewear as it provides comfortable wear.
Furthermore, it is hypoallergenic – making it ideal for sensitive or atopic skin types. Furthermore, those seeking a sustainable alternative to polyester should look no further than this product.
Organic cotton differs from non-organic cotton in that it is grown without the use of pesticides and fertilizers that can be hazardous to both the environment and farmers. Not only does it use up to 88% less water, keeping rivers and lakes free from toxins, but organic cotton also helps combat climate change by trapping carbon in the soil.
Bamboo
Bamboo is an efficient, rapidly-growing crop that can be used for everything from toothbrushes to flooring. Not only does it grow quickly and require minimal water or pesticides, but it absorbs up to 35 percent more carbon dioxide than trees do.
But while bamboo fabric can be an excellent source of eco-friendly fabric, it’s essential to understand its production process. If bamboo is processed with chemicals (involving carbon disulfide) that could pose risks to both environmental and human health, its green credentials are diminished.
Bamboo fabric comes in two varieties: viscose rayon and lyocell-type. Viscose rayon uses a chemical process to manufacture its fibers, while lyocell uses an eco-friendly closed-loop manufacturing method without using hazardous chemicals.
Hemp
Hemp is one of the most eco-friendly fabrics on the market and it’s also one of the fastest growing textile crops worldwide. Hemp plants don’t need pesticides or fertilizers, and only need a minimal amount of water for maintenance.
Hemp is an ideal sustainable fashion option that can be grown in most temperate climates. Unlike cotton, which contributes to deforestation, hemp is biodegradable after use and does not contribute any further to deforestation.
Hemp fiber is used in a wide range of products, such as clothing, shoes, furniture, paper, rope and canvas. Additionally, hemp fiber has become an ingredient in numerous beauty and skin care items.
Linen
Linen is an environmentally friendly fabric used for many applications such as bedding, bath textiles (tablecloths and towels), home and industrial furnishing products, apparel and reusable diapers. It comes from flax fibers and boasts an impressive sustainability record.
Producing linen requires first the cultivation and harvest of flax plants. The long fibers are then collected, separated, spun into yarn before being woven into fabric.
This process is laborious and requires manual work. Linen is generally more expensive than cotton or synthetics, though it also tends to be stronger and last longer.
Leather
Leather is a highly-durable fabric used in clothing, shoes, bags, car seats and more. It’s typically tanned from animal skins such as cattle, sheep, goats, pigs or horses – or sometimes even aquatic creatures!
Leather has long been considered a sustainable fabric, yet there are some environmental concerns associated with its production. Tanneries often use hazardous chemicals like chromium and formaldehyde to tan the skins of animals they kill for leather production.
Other than animal-based faux leather, there are several alternatives that can be used instead. Vegan polyurethane (PU) or PVC leather is one example; it is created using plant-based fibers like eucalyptus, cacti, pineapple leaves and apple skins to replicate the feel of real leather without harming animals or the environment.
