Eco-friendly materials to look for in your garments

The Emily from two years ago would not be writing this blog post. The Emily from two years ago had no idea about natural vs synthetic fibers. I’ve always been frugal, but I have purchased some fashion garments and accessories that are more expensive because I was hoping they’d be a good investment, but never with the sole intention of choosing eco-friendly fashion. Since then, however, I’ve learned many of the differences between man-made synthetic fibers versus natural ones. Everyone has different values, lifestyles and opinions so nothing will always please everyone, but I wanted to provide a look into the environmental impact of certain fibers. But again, some people would choose not to endorse animal fibers or choose affordable and that’s totally understandable - everyone and their lifestyle is different!

After about a year of research, my go-to resource I have discovered is Good On You, which is a website and app that explains the environmental impact of materials as well as rates brands on their ethical and environmental standing. I recommend it as a resource when supporting fashion companies! Good buzz words to look for include ‘organic‘ and ‘recycled‘. Reusing and/or repurposing is often better than purchasing new pieces! Another great resource that looks at all types of fibers (not just natural and not just sustainable ones) is this article from Good On You.

Cotton

Pro: Organic Cotton

No harmful chemicals = healthier for farmers and for you, the consumer
Seeds are more affordable for farmers to purchase

Con: Water Usage

Cotton requires significant amounts of water to grow, especially in the arid climate it is most often grown in. “According to studies, it can take more than 2,700 litres of water to produce enough cotton for just one t-shirt.,” according to Good on You
However, this amount of water is not only due to the irrigation of the crop, but also due to pollution because of pesticides used in the growing process, chemicals in the production process and dying of the fabric. This is often called “virtual water” so keep all of the water necessary to create cotton in mind when purchasing cotton products

Con: Human impact

“Genetically modified (GMO) cotton seeds now account for 89% of the cotton planted in India – and by 2015, more than 12,500 Indian cotton farmers had died by suicide.” - Good on You
GMO Cotton is often used because it is though to be resistant to pests, however it is not reproducible, which means farmers have to buy new seed each year. The seed is expensive and sometimes unavailable or sold out so they need to find other means (like the black market) to purchase the seed. Many of the pesticides created to protect the cotton are banned in other countries and not used with protective equipment or training. - Good on You
“Child labour is often used at various stages of the cotton production process, and even after the plants have been harvested, the conditions under which workers refine and process the raw cotton can amount to bonded labour.” - Good on You

Econyl

PRO’s

This recycled fiber “uses synthetic waste such as industrial plastic, waste fabric, and fishing nets from the ocean, then recycles and regenerates them into a new nylon yarn that is exactly the same quality as nylon.” - Good On You
“This regeneration system forms a closed-loop, uses less water, and creates less waste than traditional nylon production methods. Waste is collected, then cleaned and shredded, depolymerised to extract nylon, polymerised, transformed into yarn, and then re-commercialised into textile products. Econyl is a promising fibre, far more sustainable than nylon.” - Good On You

Hemp

“Hemp is a type of “bast fibre” which means it’s one of a number of natural fibres derived from the stems of plants such as flax, jute and stinging nettle. The fabric has various natural advantages such as keeping you warm in winter, cool in summer and even protecting you from UV rays.” - Good on You

PRO’s

Because of the nature of the hemp plant, it does not need harsh chemicals to thrive
Hemp also requires less water than cotton to grow - approximately 50% less water according to Slate. Per the same article, when you take production into account, “cotton uses more than four times as much water as hemp.”
“Hemp also requires a relatively small amount of land to cultivate. According to the Guide to Sustainable Textiles, this means it can produce up to double the fibre yield per hectare than cotton.” - Good on You
Turning hemp into fiber can be completed through an organic mechanical process, but (see below) this doesn’t always happen organically - Good on You

CON’s

Farmers still sometimes use pesticides and damaging fertilizers to grow hemp that is not organic or environmentally-friendly
“Many companies now produce hemp fabric chemically, in a process that is much more intensive on the environment, but faster and cheaper to create.” - Good On You
Dying of the fabric, as is the case in most fabrics, can be environmentally harmful as well

Linen

Fun Fact: According to Good On You, linen is one of the oldest known fibers and dates back to as early as 8000 BC

PRO’s

“Linen is one of the most biodegradable and stylish fabrics in fashion history. It is strong, naturally moth resistant, and made from flax plant fibres, so when untreated (i.e. not dyed) it is fully biodegradable.” - Good On You
“Flax, the plant from which linen is made, is also extremely versatile. Every part of the flax plant has traditionally been used to create a worthwhile product—nothing is wasted, and production is cost effective.” - Good On You

CON’s

Can be crinkly or wrinkly sometimes
Non organic linen may be dyed with harmful dyes
Unless the linen is certified organic, there’s no guarantee pesticides or other chemicals aren’t used in the growing process

Piñatex

PRO’s

Piñatex is an environmentally-friendly alternative for leather and is actually made from pineapple leaf fiber! “Not only is it a cruelty-free replacement for leather, it is natural and sustainable. As Piñatex is made from a food by-product, it reduces waste and helps the farming communities that grow the fruit!” - Good On You

TENCEL/Lyocell

“The continuous search for better, sustainable and environmentally friendly fabrics has led to some interesting inventions. One of such creations is the Lyocell fabric commonly known as Tencel.” - Lyocell

PRO’s

Made from plant materials and is biodegradable
“The solvents used to turn the wood pulp into fibre are made using petrochemicals. However the closed loop production process, means that the solvent is recycled time and time again to produce new fibres and minimise harmful waste.” - Good On You
Required less dye than cotton when using conventional dyes
“Tencel is a great alternative to synthetic activewear. It’s breathable, absorbs moisture and is soft on the skin”. - Good On You

CON’s

Honestly I’m not sure of any

Wool

Wool is obviously an animal fiber and one that I work with often and have chosen to work with even more often as I work with more sustainable and environmentally-friendly fibers, but there are controversial practices regarding it (mulesing, for example) and I have chosen to use wool that I can directly follow it’s story/know where it is sourced from so ensure the animals are treated with care and dignity.

PRO’s

Biodegradable, meaning it will decompose if you bury it in the ground
Breathable and natural insulator. I love it for its temperature regulating properties!

CON’s

Especially in Australia, some farms practice mulesing on their sheep. The intention of mulesing is to prevent fly strike, which can cause infection or death in the sheep, but the practice of mulesing is harmful and painful to the animal. I have chosen not to use any wool that is sourced from farms that practice mulesing and if I cannot verify this, I have chosen not to source from that company.
“Intensive sheep farming uses methods that harm the environment. Industrial size livestock grazing can also increase land clearing and degradation. There are holistic land management methods of grazing like animals being grazed in smaller paddocks for shorter periods of time, allowing the paddock to be in recovery for most of the time. Unfortunately these practices are not widespread but they are gaining popularity and support.” - Good On You

*I didn’t include bamboo here because while bamboo itself is a sustainable crop, the process of turning it into fiber is highly intensive and not environmentally friendly. Here’s Good On You’s take on bamboo.

*Cashmere and silk are both also natural fibers, but have serious drawbacks when it comes to the environment and the treatment of the animals that these fibers are derived from.

Photos are from Unsplash