How to Choose Sustainable Fabrics
After reading our last book club book The Craft of Use by Kate Fletcher, we’re once again reminded that sewing our own clothes is the most sustainable fashion statement. Connecting our time, creativity and hands to our clothes deepens our relationships to them. We take better care and feel more pride in clothes we make for ourself. But what about the fabrics we work with ? How can we make wise choices about their sustainability?
Fabric Storage at Sew Co.
Sustainable fashion is about much more than just sustainable materials. It's about the entire process, from start to finish. Swearing off fast fashion and making your own clothes is the most sustainable fashion statement. To be sustainable, a garment has to be made with sustainable materials and it also needs to be produced sustainably: by people who are paid fairly for their work.
The textile industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world, and the production of harmful chemicals are used in the production of textiles and clothing, and these chemicals can end up in our water and air. The fashion industry is also responsible for a lot of waste. The average person throws away about 81 pounds of clothes each year.
All of these factors make sustainable fashion a complex issue. There are no easy answers, but choosing sustainable fabrics is a good place to start.
Natural fibers, such as cotton, wool, and silk are sustainable because they're biodegradable and require less energy and water to produce than synthetic fibers. These textiles produced in massive scale, all have their flaws - at least they are biodegradable! Renewable, organic, and fair trade certifications are helpful watchdogs in the green-washed world we are living in.
What is Greenwashing?
Greenwashing is a term used to describe the act of misleading consumers about the environmental practices of a company or the sustainable nature of a product. Many companies will make false or exaggerated claims about their sustainable practices in order to appeal to environmentally conscious consumers. The fashion industry is notorious for greenwashing. Is it even possible for the fast fashion industry to participate in sustainable practices?
Fashion brands love telling consumers about their recycled fabrics or how they're going circular. Just how sustainable can any company be when their clothing production practices are reliant on consumers buying more and more?
Renewal, Organic and Fair Trade Certifications
There are a few different organic fabric certifications that exist. The most well-known is the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), which is the most rigorous organic certification standard in the world. To be certified as GOTS, a fabric must meet a number of sustainable criteria, including:
- the use of sustainable materials
- the use of renewable energy
- the use of water-saving methods
- the prohibition of toxic chemicals
- the fair treatment of workers
The Organic Content Standard is a certification for sustainable textiles. To receive the OCS certification, a product must be made with at least 95% organic fibers. The standard also requires that the products are produced sustainably, with fair labor practices.
Organic certifications can be helpful in determining whether a fabric is sustainable, but they are not always reliable.
There are a few different fair trade fabric certifications that exist. The most well-known is the Fairtrade Mark, which is the most rigorous fair trade certification standard in the world. - the use of water-saving methods.
Human-made Synthetic Fibers
Polyester is a synthetic fabric that is made from petrochemicals - meaning it is derived directly from oil and is essentially plastic. It is one of the most common types of synthetic fabrics, and it is often used to make clothes, curtains, and upholstery.
These materials are non-renewable and they pollute the environment. Polyester is also not biodegradable, which means that it will stay in the environment forever.
Rayon is a semi-synthetic fabric made by chemically dissolving renewable wood pulp, also called viscose, modal, bamboo and lyocel/Tencel (the most sustainable choice).
Rayon also requires less energy and water to produce than synthetic fabrics. However, rayon is not biodegradable, which means that it will stay in the environment forever.
Nylon is a synthetic fabric made from petrochemicals. It is often used to make clothes, curtains, and upholstery. Nylon is less sustainable than synthetic fabrics, such as polyester, because it is made from non-renewable resources and it pollutes the environment.
Acrylic is a synthetic fabric made from petrochemicals. It is often used to make clothes, blankets, and upholstery. Acrylic is less sustainable than synthetic fabrics, such as polyester, because it is made from non-renewable resources and it pollutes the environment.
Natural Fibers
Cotton is biodegradable. Which is wonderful. However, commercial cotton production is one of the most water-intensive crops in the world. This is because cotton is a crop that is grown in fields that are flooded with pesticides and herbicides.
Linen/Hemp/Flax are made from the “bast finer” plants. It's biodegradable, doesn't require a lot of water or energy to produce and requires fewer chemicals than other fibers. Linen is also comfortable to wear and it wrinkles easily, which gives it a natural look.
Silk is produced from the salvia of the silkworm. It is clotalso biodegradable, doesn't require a lot of water or energy to produce and requires fewer chemicals than other fibers. However, it uses more energy to produce and needs more heavy metals than any other textile.
Silk is also comfortable to wear and it wrinkles easily, which gives it a natural look.
Wool is made from the fleece of sheep. It is generally one of the most sustainable cloths to work with because it is biodegradable, doesn't require a lot of water or energy to produce and doesn't require many chemicals. The environmental impact varies from farm to farm, high global warming footprint due to pesticide uses, scouring agents and methane release.
Wool is also comfortable to wear, naturally insulates and wicks moisture.
Now what fabrics to choose...
It can be difficult to live a sustainable lifestyle, especially when it comes to fashion. Finding sustainable textile options that are also stylish and affordable is a challenge. Not every textile we buy to showcase our patterns at Open Studio Patterns is sustainable, but we try just like you. It’s important to share this kind of information for those who are committed to shifting the impact of fashion on our environment.
Some popular fabric stores that sell fair trade fabrics by the yard include:
Ecology Center
Our Next Read
The book Conscious Closet, by Elizabeth Cline is a great resource for sustainable fashion. It discusses the environmental and social impacts of the clothes we wear, and it provides tips for turning your closet into a sustainable one. This will be the next book we read for our Open Studio Book Club. Get more info by signing up here to receive details on reviews, live chats, and book sharing!
Take your slow fashion practice to the next level.
Use sustainable textiles.