THE ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY FABRICS

The textile sustainability issues border the manufacture of fabric from manufactured and natural fibers. As usual, this involves processes such as blending, dyeing, weaving, knitting, or stripping. In a broader context, sustainability in the textile industry focuses on social issues such as working conditions, workers’ safety, and health. However, the environmental aspects of the production process as the core elements of sustainability deserve urgent attention. The main environmental issues regarding textile sustainability comprise chemical use, water use, pollution, and energy use. In essence, materials such as wool have strong resilience and utility, thus making them friendly to the environment, as opposed to new compounds, which are often worried about their sustainability concerns.

It is well known that every consumer product has an impact on the environment. However, an average consumer does not know which product has less or more impact than the other. Any product, which is made, used, or disposed of in a way that significantly reduces the harm it would otherwise cause to the environment, could be considered an eco-friendly product.

The textile industry is shared between natural fibers such as wool, silk, linen, cotton, and hemp, and man-made ones, the most common of which are synthetic fibers (polyamide, acrylic) made from petrochemicals. Most of the clothes in our wardrobes contain polyester, elastane, or Lycra. These cheap and easy-care fibers are becoming the textile industry’s miracle solution. However, their manufacture creates pollution, and they are hard to recycle. The textile and clothing industry is a diverse one, as much in the raw materials it uses as its techniques. At each of the six stages typically required to make a garment, the negative impacts on the environment are as numerous as they are varied. Spinning, weaving, and industrial manufacture undermine air quality. Dyeing and printing consume vast amounts of water and chemicals and release incalculable volatile agents into the atmosphere that are particularly harmful to our health. Textiles could be one of the most unsustainable products in the world and can create a severe problem. Now, it’s up to us, as consumers, to help bring this trend of eco-friendly fibers to the forefront by investing in eco-friendly clothing. Here are some eco-friendly fabrics with a tag of earthy goodness attached to them to combat detrimental effects to the environment, thus making way for the rise of eco-fashion.

Organic cotton: Organic cotton or natural cotton is a fantastic eco-friendly fabric. It is grown without pesticides, herbicides, or other chemical fertilizers, thereby reducing nitrogen emission, making it simply better for one’s health and the environment. Organic cotton farming also contributes to the fight against global warming. It uses 91 percent less water than regular cotton, and it produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Cotton is a natural fiber that is renewable and biodegradable. It has become an inevitable part of one’s living, which is why it is also called the “fabric of our lives.” Today, cotton is the most widely used raw material in the world. It is used for manufacturing apparel, denim, home textiles, towels, lingerie, etc. Organic cotton has proven benefits, and nothing can beat its claim for sustainability. And also, Organic cotton products are softer and safer for the skin. Natural cotton is useful in textile production due to its natural wicking properties, absorption of dye color, and ability to stabilize other eco fibers. Natural cotton is not chemically stripped of its natural wax. Most weaves have a characteristic smoothness and weight, making the fabric particularly flattering in its drape and in the mellow way it reflects and absorbs light.

Hemp - Hemp fashion is not an oxymoron anymore! It is often considered an environmental “super fiber”. Hemp fabric is made from the fibers in the herbaceous plant of the species Cannabis Sativa. It’s a high-yield crop that produces significantly more fiber per acre than either cotton or flax. Hemp creates one of the most eco-friendly fabrics in the world. Hemp requires no pesticides, crowds out weeds without herbicides, controls erosion of the topsoil, and produces oxygen. It is a renewable resource that can be cultivated in as little as 100 days and is the world’s most versatile fiber. The tensile strength of hemp is eight times that of cotton fiber, which accounts for its historical use in sails and rope for the Navies. It is an exceptionally durable and robust eco-friendly fabric. Fabrics made from hemp are hypo-allergenic and non-irritating to the skin. Current tests indicate that hemp can kill staph and other bacteria that come in contact with it. Hemp materials also soften with age and with each washing. It is excellent for hot weather.

Like linen and cotton, hemp is a cool choice for summer. It breathes well and is recommended for warm, humid climates as the fabric resists mildew and absorbs moisture, and protects you from the sun with its UV-resistant qualities.

Bamboo - bamboo fabric is a natural textile made from the pulp of bamboo grass. The Bamboo used to produce fabrics is quickly replenished and requires no pesticides to grow. Bamboo is considered one of the most sustainable plants because it proliferates and does not require chemicals or irrigation, and biodegrades more quickly than oil-based synthetics. Bamboo rayon is made by dissolving pulp bamboo into its cellulose component and then spun into viscose fibers. Clothing made of bamboo rayon typically lasts even longer and holds its shape even better than clothing made of simple bamboo fiber. Bamboo is a powerhouse when it comes to protecting the planet’s resources. Maturing in only two years, it doesn’t require fertilizer or pesticides to grow quickly and firmly. Bamboo retains many of its properties. It is highly water absorbent, able to take up to three times its weight in water. In bamboo fabric, this translates to an excellent wicking ability that will pull moisture away from the skin so that it can evaporate. This makes it great for both hot and cool climates. Bamboo clothing offers built-in temperature control. It traps warm air in its cross-sectional fibers to keep you warm in the winter, while its breathable nature and wicking properties keep moisture at bay for greater comfort in hot times. After processing, the bamboo fiber does not contain any harmful chemicals, and Bamboo clothing has a naturally hypo-allergenic and luxuriously soft fabric and is moisture-absorbent. The fiber is naturally smooth and round without chemical treatment, meaning that there are no sharp spurs to irritate the skin and protects you from the sun with its UV-resistant qualities.

Soy silk: This eco-friendly fabric is derived from food production waste as it is made from the hulls of soybeans. Sometimes called the “vegetable cashmere”, soy is soft, easy to care for, and absorbs dyes quickly, requiring fewer dye-stuffs.

The use of soy textiles is good for our planet because it is made from fibers spun from the ‘leftovers’ of the soy food industry. Because the plant itself is easily renewable and the fiber biodegrades more quickly than oil-based products like polyester, its use has a minimal environmental impact. This fabric is so biodegradable that you could throw it on your compost pile when it wears out. Soy clothing is light and silky soft, with just a bit of stretch, to gently caress your body with its natural drape. It is called the vegetable “cashmere” because of its luxurious and soft texture. It holds some excellent absorption qualities which allow perspiration to evaporate. This makes it relaxed and comfortable during hot weather, and due to its moisture management, soy textiles are also anti-bacterial.

Lyocell - lyocell fabric is a fantastic eco-friendly fabric representing a milestone in the development of environmentally sustainable textiles. Lyocell is a natural, human-made fiber. Made with wood pulp from sustainable tree farms, lyocell textiles are created through nanotechnology in an award-winning closed-loop process that recovers or decomposes all solvents and emissions. It is 100% biodegradable. Perhaps the most significant benefits are the variety and exceptional comfort you can experience with lyocell clothing. It is made from the natural cellulose found in wood pulp. The fiber is economical in its use of energy and natural resources and is fully biodegradable. Lyocell was created with color in mind because of the fibers’ high absorbency. The fabrics can be dyed to high-quality standards. This eco fabric has natural breathability and 50% greater moisture absorption than cotton, and due to its moisture management, lyocell is also anti-bacterial. It is similar to rayon in feel. Soft, breathable, lightweight, and comfortable. Lyocell has an extremely smooth, soft surface that drapes beautifully to flatter every figure and is exceptional for sensitive skin. Lyocell’s smooth fiber surface feels soft and supple against the skin, and its incredible wicking abilities keep the skin dry, making lyocell a fabulous fabric for sensitive skin.

This eco fabric has controllable fibrillation, which can be manipulated into everything, from suede-like softness to a silky smooth finish. This super fiber can hold up to a beating when both wet and dry and is most conveniently resistant to wrinkles.

- Puneet Kathuria