Eco-Friendly Fabrics

The use of synthetics for clothing is contributing to the rapid depletion of the world's forests. Petroleum-based products are detrimental to the environment on many levels. Fortunately there are alternatives. Eco-conscious fabrics exist and we need to be aware of them, so that we're able to make choices that allow us to lessen our impact on the environment. Here are few ECO friendly Fabrics as alternatives for people who want to make a move towards eco freindly dressing.

Bamboo

Bamboo fabric is a natural textile made from the pulp of the bamboo grass. It has been growing in popularity because it has many unique properties and is more sustainable than most textile fibres. Bamboo fabric is light and strong, has excellent wicking properties, and is to some extent antibacterial. The use of bamboo fibre for clothing was a 20th century development. Bamboo fibre resembles cotton in its unspun form, a puffball of light, airy fibres. Many companies use extensive bleaching processes to turn bamboo fibre white, although companies producing organic bamboo fabric leave the bamboo fibre unbleached. To make bamboo fibre, bamboo is heavily pulped until it separates into thin component threads of fibre, which can be spun and dyed for weaving into cloth.

In textile form, bamboo retains many of the properties it has as a plant. Bamboo is highly water absorbent, able to take up 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. For this reason, clothing made of bamboo fibre is often worn next to the skin.

Bamboo also has many antibacterial qualities, which bamboo fabric is apparently able to retain, even through multiple washings. This helps to reduce bacteria that thrive on clothing and cause unpleasant odors. It can also kill odor causing bacteria that live on human skin, making the wearer and his or her clothing smell sweeter. In addition, bamboo fabric has insulating properties and will keep the wearer cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Bamboo fabric has something in it called “Bamboo Kun” which means it’s naturally an antibiotic - even after 50 washes! Another cool fact about Bamboo is that it has got mild UV blocking protection.

Bamboo fabric is very soft and can be worn directly next to the skin. Many people who experience allergic reactions to other natural fibres, such as wool or hemp, do not complain of this issue with bamboo. The fibre without chemical treatment does not have sharp spurs to irritate the skin.

On the pulp trend, to create bamboo fibre, a process of hydrolysis-alkalization and multi-phase bleaching refines bamboo pulp from the plant, which is then processed into fibre. Bamboo fibre works for both you and the environment. As the fastest growing plant in the world, bamboo reaches its maximum height within a few months and maturity within less than a handful of years. The pesticide and fertilizer-free growing process is entirely natural –without human assistance –and bamboo spreads rapidly across large areas, which is argued to improve soil quality in degraded and eroded land areas. The point is, don't feel badly for any chopped-down bamboo shoots –there is plenty where that came from.

Hemp

By far, the crop with the most potential for eco-friendly textile use is hemp. The ecological footprint of hemp is considerably smaller than that of most other plants considered for their fibres. Hemp plants grow very quickly and densely which makes it difficult for weeds to take hold, eliminating the need for herbicides and artificial fertilizers. It requires no irrigation as it thrives on the amount of water in the average rainfall, and it is highly pest-resistant.

Hemp has naturally long fibres which makes it suitable for spinning with a minimum of processing. The hemp fibres are also long-lasting; in fact, historically hemp has been used for making naval ropes that were used in and around water because they resist rot. If it held up to those conditions, imagine how well it will wear as a pair of jeans, or a shirt?

Hemp fabrics come in a variety of weights and textures. You can purchase fabric or clothing, woven or knit; buy yarn, rope, belts and a wide range of products made of this versatile plant.


Organic Cotton

Organic cotton is much more environment-friendly than the traditional variety as it uses no pesticides, herbicides, or insecticides during the growing cycle. There are many growers of this crop, and the number is steadily increasing. Usually manufacturers using this plant to make textiles follow up the process by using natural dyes to further reduce the amount of chemicals dumped into our ecosystem.

Did you know?
That growing cotton uses 22.5 percent of all the insecticides used globally?


Even more promising is new cotton that is grown in the tradition of the Aztecs –colored cotton. Sally Fox, a biologist, spent ten years perfecting colored cotton with long enough fibres to be spun into thread. She managed to get it to grow naturally in shades of green and brown. It has the added benefit of not fading (in color) and in fact, it gets more vibrant with the first few washings.

Soy Silk

Soy fabric is created from leftovers in soybean and tofu production, and has all the great benefits of moisture wicking. Soy silk is made from the by-products of the tofu-making process. The liquefied proteins are extruded into fibres which are then spun, and used like any other fibre (woven, knitted, etc.).

You can purchase soy silk yarn and test it out for yourself. The high protein content makes it receptive to natural dyes, so you can create your own colors.

Corn Fibre

Corn fabric, being sold as “Sorona” is touted as the new nylon. It is a fabric that uses much less energy to create than traditional fabrics and is a renewable resource. It is created by extracting the starch and then sugars from corn, and processing them to make a fibre, which can be spun into a yarn or woven into fabric.


Seaweed

The newest eco lovechild is a fabric called SeaCell, a mixture of seaweed and wood pulp. The word on the street is that when you wear Seacell, your body actually absorbs some of the delicious goodness found in seaweed like calcium, magnesium, and vitamin E.


Coconut
Coconut fabrics offer a natural solution incorporated into the yarns and fibers which provides enhanced performance without adding steps and costs for additional finishes. By using natural ingredients incorporated into yarns and fibers, there are no harsh chemicals or topical treatments to irritate the skin.

The coconut carbon woven into the fibre increases the ability of the fabric to draw moisture from the skin. The carbon particles are irregularly shaped so that the moisture accumulates in small hollows on the carbon’s surface, which then unloads the moisture by evaporation. This process ensures that the wearer stays dry and cool. Tests have been conducted in which the characteristics of fabrics made of coconut fibers and other fabrics were compared. These revealed that using coconut fiber based clothes increased moisture absorption by 50%, compared to ordinary Polyester, and was 45% better than the fabric that until now has been considered best in the world. Like bamboo fabric, it gives protection against UV rays.

The coconut shell carbon woven into the fibre increases the fabric’s performance in protecting the wearer from ultraviolet rays by absorbing the rays rather than letting them reflect onto the skin. It is also able to protect the skin from damage caused by the sun’s rays. It also minimises body odor: Since the surface of the coconut carbon is uneven, then it also absorbs various odor molecules into the small hollows, and minimises bad smells. The fabric retains them there until the carbon replenishes itself when washed.

Mold:
A smooth ,water absorbent fiber,Model is made by spining reonstituted cellulose from beech tree.Because of its silky finish the material is often used in intimates and other clothing worn close to the skin.

Yak:
Similar to cashmere in its physical properties, this luxury fiber comes from Yak, a large long halved bovine indigenous to the Himalayan Mountains. This incredibly sustainable fiber doesn’t itch like some knits and can even be washed at home. So you do not have to send your special clothes made of this fiber for expensive dry cleaning.