What to wear? Or why to wear it.

Ok, so as promised for this post I’m going to give you some more information on organic and renewable fabrics.

Organic Cotton and Linen:

Organic Cotton does not use pesticides in production which benefits both the farmers growing it and the environment. The BCI – Better Cotton Initiatives – are an organisation which aims to help improve working conditions for farmers and aid the development of farming practices. They are also trying to find ways of reducing the excessive use of water and chemicals in Cotton production.

Organic Linen Suit (http://us.hessnatur.com/shop/productdetail.action?modelCode=34674&pos=10)

Organic Linen is made from sustainably grown Flax plants and all of the plant is used in production, nothing is wasted. It is strong and very durable meaning that even after lots of wear it doesn’t grow thin instead it actually gets softer and more comfy. Linen is also very absorbent and keeps you cool when wearing it. Even once past the stage of usefulness organic Linen still doesn’t harm the environment as it is biodegradable.

Tencel Logo (http://www.nienfoun.com/)

Lyocell:

A less well known eco-friendly fibre is Lyocell, often refered to as Tencel as this is a branded form of the fibre. It is made from Cellulose (wood pulp) and has a silk-like feel. During its production process chemicals are used to break down the pulp, however, only non-toxic ones and almost 99% of the chemical solvent is recovered to be recycled back into the process. Lyocell marks a huge development in environmentally sustainable textiles although it is not perfect and still requires a lot of chemical dyes to alter its colour.

Lyocell Dress (

http://www.zalando.co.uk/miss-sixty-april-dress-purple-mi321c00y-916.html?wmc=AFF44_AW_EN.5851_..&awc=3356_1351982639_edf84f51f997a039af11be7fe856802d

)

Organic Hemp:

Organic Hemp could be considered one of the best eco-friendly fibres available. It is a very easy crop to cultivate requiring little water and no pesticides as well as growing in almost any terrain. It grows at a very quick rate and enriches the soil it is planted in making it more fertile for future crops. When its made into fabric it has similar properties to linen and cotton. Also don’t worry it does not release oils that make you high – that is a myth!

Bamboo and Soy:

The use of Bamboo fibres is growing at the moment. Bamboo has a number of good properties such as its hypoallergenic, anti-bacterial and absorbent qualities. Like Hemp it grows very quickly but at the moment uses a lot of chemicals in processing so has not reached a stage of ideal eco-friendliness.

(Bamboo Garment Catwalk

http://www.w-iii.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/eco-fashion-bamboo-clothing-organic-rayon-green_large.jpg )

Finally, Soy fabric which is a by-product of Soybean production. This can be used as a silk substitute because of its lustrous feel and draping qualities but like Bamboo needs more development to reduce its reliance on chemicals.

So, that’s a brief education in eco-friendly fibres and fabrics for you. There are more out there but these were the ones that are used most often so keep a look out and where you can switch to the eco-friendly fabrics and reduce your environmental impact.