5 Most Eco-friendly & sustainable fabrics for Fashion

Fashion is certainly an industry that is worth more than a trillion-dollar. Millions of textiles products are produced on a daily basis. In the past few years, we have seen a surge in sustainable and eco-friendly products. Consumers are looking for sustainable products more than ever. This trend is also pushing manufacturers to find alternative solutions.

We have seen strange innovations like clothes made from avocados or Apples hitting the markets. But the question we need to ask is? Is it really sustainable? Will the fashion industry be able to cater to all the needs in a greener and eco-friendly way?

In this article, we will look into the reality of sustainable products and how much difference it actually makes in the world.

Why sustainability?

Humans have finally woken up to the reality we are in. When the temperature increased and arctic ice vanished, countries and governments continued their business as usual activities. It took many climate activists, celebrities, and other minimal living humans to make the entire world aware of the climate crisis. Greta Thunberg, the Swedish school child is a prominent figure in the climate strike campaigns around the world. The girl shook the world.

"Sustainability is the combination of ethical business practices, supply chain transparency, minimal import policies, give back programs and most importantly sustainable materials"

Fashion is considered one of the most polluting industries in the world. The reason is that from raw material sourcing to finished goods, it pollutes very high and uses high energy too. Besides, the old garments end up in the sea and other natural resources.

"Can you recall what happened to your used clothes?"

In the last couple of years, countries have come together and put forth ambitious targets to achieve sustainability in various energy and natural resource exploitation. Fashion is also a game-changer in this plan.

Today we have various sustainable products. But considering the demand and requirements, only certain products can be really considered for bulk manufacturing of textiles.

I have divided fabrics into two. Sustainable fabrics and semi-sustainable fabrics.

SUSTAINABLE FABRICS

1. Organic Cotton

Cotton is one of the dirtiest crops in the natural fiber industry. But it is also the most used and highly demanded. Organic cotton is a kind of cotton that is cultivated without any pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. It is also not processed with any chemicals making it friendly to the earth.

It is reported that organic cotton uses 62% less energy and 88% less water than conventional cotton.

How can we make sure such practices are followed while cultivating and manufacturing? By verifying the process with globally standardized certifications. There are several certifications available in the market which signifies that the cotton is grown without any chemicals, pesticides, or even child labor.

Such certifications are: Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Organic Content Standard (OCS), Fair Trade, OEKO-Tex 100, and BCI

Dinesh Exports is proud to have these certifications as we are manufacturing organic cotton fabrics.

2. Recycled Cotton

Recycled cotton is made from post-industrial waste or landfills. Fabrics are collected from waste, treated, and then made into new yarns for fabric making.

Many companies that are slow fashion brands use recycled cotton a lot.

The only problem with recycled cotton is that it is difficult to verify from where exactly did the cotton come from. There is also a high chance of getting other contents in the form of blends to cotton.

Still, it is a good deal considering the amount of pollution and energy it saves. Certifications like GRS and OEKO-TEX are considered global standards in recycled cotton.

3. Hemp

In this article, we have discussed deeply the benefits of hemp fabrics and why it is considered sustainable. Hemp is one of the most eco-friendly natural fibers around.

• Grows fast
• Requires less attention
• Need less water
• Doesn’t deplete soil
• Absorbs CO2

Because it has many benefits, it is still considered expensive.

Check out our Hemp Fabric collections.

4. Linen

Linen is an ancient fiber. Loved by everyone for its smoothness and breathability. It has similar characteristics to hemp. The only difference is that it comes from flax plants.

Read interesting facts about linen here.

5. Bamboo

Bamboo fabrics are also called bamboo linen. It grows super quickly. One of the fastest-growing plants in the world. While harvesting, it can be done without killing the plant.

It has similar qualities to hemp where it consumes large quantities of carbon from the air.

Organic Bamboo can be considered as one of the most sustainable fabrics that can be used for bulk industries.

SEMI-SUSTAINABLE FABRICS

Semi sustainable fabrics are those that are synthesized by humans from organic elements. We can consider Lyocell, Modal, and Lycra as semi-sustainable fibers. Wanna know why? Read this article.

That was it, the 5 most eco-friendly and sustainable fabrics that can be used in fashion. Comment your thoughts below. If I have missed any, do mention it as well.

My name is Palanivel K. I am the founder of Dinesh Exports, a woven fabrics manufacturing and exporting company. I have accumulated a great deal of knowledge on fabrics and have been writing it ever since.