Eco-friendly clothing or "green" fashion

First of all, we would have to make clear which factors make a material environmentally-friendly.

There are three factors to take into consideration:

1) Renewability: if it can be replenished in a relatively short amount of time

2) Ecological footprint: how much land it takes to bring it to full growth and support it.

3) How many chemicals requires to be ready for market. According to those considerations, our current ranking of eco-friendly fabrics is:

1) HEMP: it is the strongest crop ever. It resists pests and weeds, and feeds up with rain, so no irrigation is needed. Besides, it comes in a great variety of textures and weights, so you can find the one that suits you best.

2) WOOL: this is an extremely environmental-respectful material, as it is produced in a natural way and without harming any animals. However, there are certain risks involving chemicals, as sheep can be fed with chemichals in order to increase their productivity.

3) ORGANIC COTTON: it uses no insecticides, pesticides or herbicides during its growing cycle. It is commonly dyed with natural tints, so the environmental impact is minimum or non-existent.

4) SOY SILK: it is made from the by-products of the tofu-making process. The liquefied proteins are introduced into fibres, which are then spun and used in the common way (knitted...).

5) INGEO CORN FIBER: This new material (still being tested), is made 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.

6) BAMBOO: It is biodegradable, renewable, and it has antibacterial properties. It is breathable, as air can pass through it, it lets your skin "breath"

7) FORTREL ECO SPUN: it is a fibre made out of polyester. But this polyester is really special: it is created from plastic bottles, which can be made into fleece. As plastic is a non-renewable material, this is a great use for it.

All these materials have no impact or a minimal impact in our planet, and assure a future in the fashion world even if we run out of petroleum, which isn't likely to happen soon. So, you see, fashion isn't opposite to ecology: you can be both a greenpeace active member and a devoted trend follower!

Source:

http://naturalhealthcare.ca/eco_and_environmentally_friendly_fashion.phtml