Fashion doesn’t have to be bad for the earth! But, there are some textiles you should avoid. Find out about the most sustainable fabrics here.
Looking for the most sustainable fabrics, but unsure where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got your back.
Delving into recycled fashion garments and organic fabrics can be confusing, but it’s a great decision to make. Fashion can be sustainable and more and more retailers are starting to embrace organic cotton clothes, alongside other alternative fabrics. You can even explore a world of sustainable wool fabrics too! All options are on the table once you know what to look for.
If you’re ready to revamp your wardrobe with eco-friendly fabrics, keep on reading! Here’s a complete guide to the most sustainable fabrics.
Which Fabrics Are The Friendliest?
While many new fabrics are eco-conscious or “green”, the most sustainable fabrics to choose from include:
- Organic-Linen
- Recycled Cotton
- Recycled Wool
Though we understand that not all garments in your wardrobe can be organic linen or recycled cotton, it’s good to choose these fabrics when you can. Sustainability in fashion starts with small steps towards a big goal – and education is an important first step for us all!
Other Fabrics To Consider
These textiles aren’t the most sustainable fabrics, however, they’re still much better than the synthetic-based fabrics used in most fast fashion stores. For example, organic cotton clothes are better than a new acrylic jumper (always re-wear recycled fashion garments if possible).
The next best fabrics to consider when creating a sustainable wardrobe include:
- Organic Cotton
- Linen
- Hemo
- Bamboo (Organic and Linen, not conventional Bamboo)
- Lyocell
- Tencel
- LENZING ™
- Recycled Synthetics
Clothing made from these fabrics is starting to appear in many well-known stores, but they still have a way to go. Here at GH Threads we only offer sustainable options and many of our ranges include the most sustainable fabric options, including those listed here.
What About Vegan Fabrics?
Vegan fabrics are becoming a popular subcategory in many fashion stores. But, how ethical are vegan leathers? Typical plastic-based substitutes are often worse for the environment than genuine leather due to their chemical processes and water usage.
There are some up-and-coming substitutes such as Pellemella, which uses apple pectin (a waste product) to mimic traditional leather characteristics. The finished Pellemella textile is completely compostable, yet still hard-wearing enough to be used for accessories.
Another alternative to leather is cork. This sustainable textile also emulates leather as cork is a durable and water-resistant material. Will these alternative textiles be the future of our fashion accessories?
At the end of the day, the best fabrics for vegans are organic cotton clothes or any plant-based materials. Unfortunately, there are cons to the majority of textile manufacturing processes as they all require a lot of water. One way to mitigate this issue is to use recycled fashion garments or pre-loved clothes when possible.
Is Wool Sustainable?
Do sustainable wool fabrics exist? The debate about sustainable materials always gets heated when wool is involved. The most sustainable fabric to use is recycled wool, as often standard wool production has some of the highest CO2 emissions per kg of fabric produced. Wool production also comes under fire due to questions about ethics and animal rights issues too, for example, Merino Wool and sheep being bred specifically for fabric production.
Depending on your personal opinions, sustainably sourced wool or alpaca wool products are OK to wear. Make sure you investigate the website and supply chain if possible to check for their eco-friendly practices.
Finding The Right Fabric For You
Here at GH Threads, we take sustainability seriously. Our products are sustainable, recyclable, and often organic too. We make sure to ethically source all products to give customers the peace of mind that their clothes are friendly to the planet. We hope you’re feeling more confident about the most sustainable fabrics now and you’re ready to start your ethical fashion journey.
Also, the GH Threads team always donates a portion of our profits to organizations that help clean microplastics from the ocean. Ultimately, there are some industrial processes that even we can’t avoid, so it’s our wish that we give back as often as possible!
Are you interested in sustainable clothing? Start exploring our sustainable ranges today.