Conscious fashion can mean many different things, but one way to ensure a more mindful purchase is to shop for sustainably made garments. Although ‘sustainability’ is a widespread term that refers to the environmental and social impact of a garment, the textiles that are used make the products play a vital role to define how ethical a garment is. With fast fashion production always at a highly accelerated rate to meet demand, manufacturers rely on virgin synthetic materials that are cheap and quick to produce, instead of more ethical and sustainably produced textiles. However, these fabrics, such as polyester, nylon, or acrylic, take decades or more to biodegrade, whilst making up 7.7% of solid waste in landfills.
THE ISSUE WITH NON-SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS
About 65% of all fibres used in the fashion industry are made from synthetic materials derived from fossil fuels. Polyester, the most common synthetic material used in fashion, is a lightweight plastic created through an energy-intensive heating process that requires large quantities of water for cooling down. Furthermore, this material releases microplastics into the water every time it’s washed and takes up to 200 years to decompose. Considering that, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, one rubbish truck of clothes is burned or sent to a landfill every second, which makes the stats become quite alarming.
Cotton, although a natural material and better for the planet to a degree, has a steep environmental toll. In fact, it takes over 700 gallons of water to make one cotton shirt, as well as being the world’s single largest pesticide-consuming crop.
Leather production also has an extreme environmental impact. Aside from animal cruelty, the leather industry is responsible for nearly 15% of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions and contributes significantly to deforestation. The industry also uses a tremendous amount of water and chemicals in the tanning process, which produces wastes and polluted water, as well as gases and particles that pollute the air.
According to a Report produced as part of “Change Your Shoes” (CYS), a three-year Development Education and Awareness Raising (DEAR) project on social and environmental issues, for each tonne of rawhide, the industry obtains 200-250 kg of leather, tanned using chromium, which requires a total of 15-50 tonnes of water, 500 kg of chemical substances and 9.3-42 GJ of energy40. For each tonne of skins processed, it creates 60-250 tonnes of wastewater to be purified (with 20-30 kg of chromium and 50 kg of sulphide, among others), 1800-3650 kg of solid residues, 2500 kg of sludge, 4-50 kg of solvents in emissions of air. Using these numbers, it is possible to calculate the ecological footprint of the skins. For more information read the full report here.
Related – VEGANISM – IS IT SAVING THE PLANET?
WHAT MAKES A FABRIC SUSTAINABLE?
“Sustainable material” is a term often used to group various semi-environmentally friendly textiles and several fabrics have garnered the “sustainable” label, although not fully environmentally friendly.
Real sustainable fabrics are often made from natural or recycled materials, aiming to reduce harm through the production process, fibre properties, or overall environmental impact. These fabrics can also contribute to the reduction of waste, water conservation, lowered carbon emissions, and soil regeneration.
I’ve put together a list of textiles that can be a safer and are more ethical alternatives to environment-damaging materials such as leather, silk, fur, wool and down.
Related – WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE AND ETHICAL FASHION?
LEATHER ALTERNATIVES
While even conventional synthetic leather is far less environmentally impactful than cow skin, there’s still a need to move beyond virgin fossil fuel and animal-derived materials to protect the planet and all those on it. Some of these materials are imperfect, but they are stepping stones to further innovation, while being some of the best options currently available.
MIRUM
This material is completely plastic-free and made from natural inputs, it is also certified as 100% bio-content through the USDA bio-preferred program.
While different Mirum materials vary based on the application and use they are designed for, black Mirum used for handbags, for example, is made of a blend of FSC-certified natural rubber, natural colourants like charcoal, natural fillers like clays, plant-based oils and waxes. The material is completely made out of plant matter and ‘upcycled’ agricultural products, all natural blends, ensuring recyclability at the end of the product’s lifespan.
MYLO
Mylo is a sustainable leather grown from mycelium, which has its root structure in mushrooms. In nature, the mycelium grows underground in soil, forming networks of threads that help recycle organic matter on the forest floor, while providing nutrients to plants and trees. The threads interweave and self-assemble themselves into a 3D matrix that can spread for miles. Bolt Threads Mylo material looks like hand-crafted leather and shares leather’s warm touch and suppleness. Mylo can be produced in days, without the need for animal cruelty or the toxic chemicals used in the production of synthetic leathers.
PINATEX
Piñatex is a pioneer in leather alternatives, made from cellulose fibres extracted from pineapple leaves, and is much more ethical than real leather made from animal skins.
Pineapple fruit farms generally discard the leaves of the fruit plant, but this material makes use of their fibres, offering additional income to farming communities. The pineapple leaf fibres are then coated with a water-based PU resin that is REACH-compliant and makes a material that is partly biodegradable in controlled conditions.
TREEKIND®
Biophilica, founded in 2019, is the company behind Treekind®, which is a plant-based leather alternative that can be home-composted under the right conditions, fully submerged in water or in water and soil over time, while remaining sturdy and strong for use. Completely free from plastic and also recyclable, Treekind is estimated to use less than 1% of the water cow skin leather production does. It is made from wood that is sourced sustainably, such as from wasted Christmas trees to fallen wood and leaves.
For more examples of natural leather alternatives read my article: VEGANISM – IS IT SAVING THE PLANET?
WOOL ALTERNATIVES
Wool is a slaughter industry full of hidden cruelty and environmental destruction, whether it is wool from sheep and alpacas or cashmere from goats. With major emissions and biodiversity issues, choosing alternatives to these animal fibres is a decision to protect life on earth. Furthermore, the fabrics I have listed below, although not perfect, are far more transparent industries than the wool ones.
Related – Material Guide: Wool
TENCEL
Tencel™ is the trademark name for a lyocell produced by Lenzing Fibres, using the cellulose from Eucalyptus trees, which can be planted on marginal lands and does not require irrigation or pesticides. Tencel is produced in a closed-loop system, so 99% of the water and chemicals used to produce the material are reused again. The material is also silky smooth and very thermo-regulating, the reason why is the perfect alternative for your winter wool coat.
BRANDS
Neu Nomads
Neu Nomads’ luxury womenswear is wrapped in eco-conscious, ethical manufacturing practices. Their plant-based Satin Tencel is sourced sustainably from naturally grown beech wood which is renewable.
The collection is also non-toxic, OEKO certified and processed with AZO-free dyes. On top of that their staple Tencel modal clothing are made with energy and water-conserving methods. As for their factory, it is an official member of the Greenpeace DETOX campaign.
Paneros
Paneros’ 100% Tencel clothing and commitment to slow-batch production make them not only one of the best Tencel clothing brands but pioneers in elegant sustainability as well. With a range of gorgeous bold prints and boho-inspired patterns, certified by the Oeko Tex Standard 100, the artisan handmade collection is every eco-conscious shopper’s dream.
THOUGHT CLOTHING
When it comes to the best Tencel clothing brands, Thought is definitely a top e-destination for contemporary eco-conscious fashion.
The inclusive brand’s assortment of 100% Tencel clothing ranges from leggings, tops & t-shirts, knitwear and underwear and printed dresses to shirts, and more, and their garments are increasingly GOTS and Fairtrade Certified.
Thought are committed to achieving the best for their workers and have high social standards supporting ethical factories; they have a strict Environmental Policy commitment and are proud members of the ethical trading initiative.
HEMP
This material is extremely versatile: it’s used as food, building material, in cosmetics and it has been cultivated and used for hundreds of years as a fabric. The great thing about hemp is that it’s grown all around the world, and it requires very little water, no pesticides, and naturally fertilises the soil it grows in, making it much better for the environment than other crops.
One of the oldest fibres in the world, hemp helps keep you warm in winter, cool in summer and gets softer the more you wash it, making it a great option for pieces that will stay in your wardrobe for years to come. Plus, it can be blended with cotton for extra softness.
BRANDS
Rawganique
Rawganique was born on an off-grid homestead, which isn’t surprising considering their place among organic hemp clothing brands.
They produce a range of t-shirts and button-down shirts, skirts, cardigans and sweatshirts, hoodies, joggers, and yoga pants made from 100% organic hemp, dyed with water-based eco-friendly inks, as well as everything from shower curtains and rugs to slippers and sandals.
They not only stick to natural fibers, but use them in their most unprocessed state, meaning everything is free of dioxins, VOCs, PVC, latex, and formaldehyde. Any hemp scraps are made into drawstring mailer bags.
Patagonia
Patagonia’s hemp clothing for men and women is geared toward durable workwear, but you’ll also find more casual and outdoor sport-oriented hemp t-shirts, shorts, overalls, socks, pants, hats, tanks, and jackets.
Since US industrial hemp farming was legalized, Patagonia has been working to bring hemp back to American soil (literally).
The Footprint Chronicles identifies which factory each sustainable clothing piece was manufactured at, and the brand also turn some byproducts of their hemp crops into sustainable building materials.
Founders of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, and Craig Mathews, (owner of Blue Ribbon Flies) are also co-founders of 1% for the Planet, pledging 1% of sales to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment, awarding over $140 million in cash and in-kind donations to domestic and international grassroots environmental groups making a difference in their local communities.
Tentree
tentree is a Certified B Corp producing hemp loungewear and activewear that is, durable, and breathable, and free of herbicides and pesticides. Tentree plant ten trees for every purchase in high-impact areas where they’ll help repair damaged biodiversity or provide benefit to local communities. They offer climate offset subscriptions and packages through their Climate+ program.
They follow a three part climate action plan created in partnership with Climate Neutral that means measuring, completely offsetting, then reducing their emissions. So far, they’ve accomplished the first two and are 30% of the way toward current emission reduction goals. Their factory ledger, shows where every garment is made and how each factory is certified (by third-party organizations like WRAP, fair trade, BSCI, and SA8000). Using blockchain technology, they’re working to obtain full traceability in the supply chain.
Related – B Corp Brands
BAMBOO
Bamboo is a fast-growing, hardy plant that does not require the use of pesticides to grow and be healthy. It can be grown with less impact on soil, too. There are two types of bamboo fibres: natural bamboo, most commonly called linen, which is extracted directly from bamboo culms; and bamboo viscose, or rayon, which is the chemically treated counterpart. Here, the bamboo is actually substituted for beech and gets processed in a chemical bath of caustic soda and lye. This process is obviously highly toxic and requires a lot of energy, hence very polluting for the environment.
Natural forms of bamboo are the most sustainable, as they are less intensive and require fewer non-recycled chemical outputs than bamboo rayon.
BRANDS
Riot Theory
Riot Theory is a Vancouver-based and women-run company that is committed to creating ethical and sustainable lounge and sleepwear for the modern woman. The brand thoughtfully designed each piece in its repertoire to align with restfulness, sleep, and the environment.
Founded by Samantha Margetson, Riot Theory offers a range of bamboo-made pieces for an ultra-soft feel. Riot Theory is devoted to sustainable practices and sourcing materials with the lowest environmental impact.
The brand uses Bamboo Rayon for various sleep-oriented loungewear pieces, including the Riot Theory Parker Robe, shown on the left.
Encircled
Encircled is a Canadian-made work-leisure clothing brand located in Toronto, that ships both locally and globally, and offers ultra-soft sustainable womenswear that looks great and feels better. Encircled’s sustainability practices have earned its place as a certified B corporation, and each factory they work with has signed up to their Ethical Code of Conduct which exceeds what’s required by law. Learn more here.
Encircled uses fabrics that include Modal, made from Beechwood pulp, Tencel Lyocell, made with wood pulp and yarn, all-natural organic cotton and Rayon, made from bamboo.
BOODY
An Australian brand, Boody is a certified B Corporation that makes everyday essentials made from organically grown bamboo, which is UPF50+ rated that protects from UV rays and PETA approved, which means they are 100% vegan. All bamboo involved in the production of Boody comes from FSC®-certified forests that follow FSC®-defined best practices throughout the production and supply chain. Although their plantations are FSC®-certified, their finished garments are not.
They have joined the Fashion Forever Green Pact, which is a call to immediate action for the fashion industry—brands, retailers and manufacturers alike— to adopt responsible sourcing in support of the world’s forests.
Boody follows the highest standards of labour and environmental practices; their garments are certified by the Oeko Tex Standard 100, and are Ecocert certified, which has become the leader in Organic Certification globally. Boody also work with companies including SGS and Intertek to ensure they meet the benchmark for quality and integrity. Their core services are split into four categories: inspection, testing, certification and verification
SILK ALTERNATIVES
Silk is a material that is often produced inefficiently and with forced labour. Unlike silk, the following materials are not based upon needless killing and pose far less of a risk for human rights violations. They all have transparent supply chains instead.
ORANGE FIBER
Orange Fiber was founded in 2014 in Milan, Italy, and has patented a technology that extracts cellulose from the leftovers that remain after oranges and other citrus fruits are juiced, which today represents 60% of the original weight of the processed fruits that should be otherwise disposed of.
This cellulose can then be transformed into a biodegradable, luxurious silk-like fabric making up a perfect alternative to traditional silk.
The material is completely biodegradable as is made entirely of citrus, it utilises waste in production and has also health benefits. As it’s made from citrus, the natural oils within the fabric contain vitamins A, C and E, which upon contact, are released and absorbed through the skin.
Orange Fiber presented its first fashion collection in 2017 in collaboration with the Florentine fashion house Salvatore Ferragamo. In 2019, citrus fabrics were chosen for the Conscious Exclusive Collection of H&M and the fabric was also featured in the capsule collection of luxury neckties designed by the revered Neapolitan tailoring brand E.Marinella.
CUPRO
Cupro is a regenerated cellulosic fibre made from a cellulose source such as cotton linters, which are by-products of the industrial harvest of cotton. Making use of cotton waste, this material is smooth and biodegradable and a great alternative for brushed silk when sourced responsibly. Some Cupro is made in a closed-loop system, where nearly 100% of the water and chemicals used in processing are recycled.
BRANDS
WHIMSY + ROW
Whimsy + Row is a slow fashion brand focusing on handcrafted, limited runs and locally made garments. Since 2014, their mission has been to provide ease and elegance for the modern, sustainable woman, by creating clothing that is made with low impact fabrics like Certified Organic Cotton, Linen, TENCEL™, Cupro, Silk and Deadstock/Upcycled Fabric. This ethical fashion brand visits their factories weekly, which are all local to their head office, to ensure fair wages are given and the workers are being treated fairly. Learn more about all our factories HERE.
SHAINA MOTE
Shaina Mote creates timeless, well-made slow fashion staples using materials grounded in circularity principles. They are based in Los Angeles, and visit their local factories at least twice a week: all their partners must sign their Code of Conduct that upholds both labour and human rights principles.
All their company vehicles are electric, and they work to limit their carbon emissions and where possible, Shaina Mote partner with mills that run their operations on solar or wind power. They provide care instructions to customers on how to care for their garments in ways that reduce energy and water consumption and have a repairs program for customers to extend the lifetime of their Shaina Mote garments.
They work with safe and renewable materials including Lyocell, Cupro, Linen, Flax and Corozo buttons and use GOTS certified which meet global standards for low environmental impact processing; their local dye houses work within the state environmental standards for safe chemical waste management. In addition, they work with a textile recycling company that recycles 100% of their scraps into new materials.
Mother of Pearl
Mother of Pearl is a sustainable and ethical luxury womenswear and accessories designer brand from the UK that celebrates individuality and authenticity. The brand uses a high proportion of eco-friendly materials including cupro, which is used for the lining of their coats.
Since their Pre AW21 collection, 100% of the materials they have used have been responsible, and their commitment as a brand is traceable throughout the entire supply chain, not only when looking at the final garment production.
Their online sustainable attribute filter enables the customer to check ‘Traced From Fabric To Final’, which traces where the finished fabric has come from to where the garment has been cut and stitched, and their ‘Fibre to Final’ filter means they’ve traced the garment’s full supply chain, from concept to creation, ensuring they make its journey as short as possible.
Mother of Pearl work very closely with their factories, the majority of which are in Europe and make regular visits; they have their own ‘Ethics commitment’ that all factories must adhere to.
You can read more about their sustainability journey and commitment to social responsibility.
FUR ALTERNATIVES
Cruel, animal-derived fur has been out of fashion for a while, although its counter faux fur parts have also been an issue for the environment as all these alternatives are non biodegradable hence, not sustainable for our planet.
Related – MATERIAL GUIDE: FUR
KOBA
KOBA fur is a partly bio-based fur made not from petroleum oil, but oil from vegetable crops. Some of the Koba furs are made from a coconut oil base too. Being 37% plant-based, the material impact has 30% less energy use and 63% fewer production emissions compared to conventional faux fur.
BRANDS
Stella McCartney
British designer Stella McCartney has been proudly creating “sustainable luxury fashion” for almost two decades. Their standards are based on the International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions and industry best practice, and they use bespoke Impact Assessment tools to enable them to benchmark their impact and communicate on their progress.
Stella McCartney’s Spring/Summer 2020 marked the debut of bio-based faux fur Koba, hoping to help it become an industry standard.
GACHA
GACHA is a step up from the above partly bio-based faux fur KOBA, being uniquely 100% biodegradable. GACHA can be commercially composted, completely decomposing in 180 days when it becomes nutritious compost. This fur-like material brings us a step closer to a totally ethical fashion world by providing a solution to the problem of material end-of-life disposal.
“WITH NEARLY 70% OF THE MOST PROFITABLE LUXURY FASHION NAMES SUCH AS GUCCI, CHANEL AND VERSACE HAVING ALREADY MOVED AWAY FROM FUR, AND CONTINUED PRESSURE FOR MORE FUR BANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, IT WILL BE VERY EXCITING TO SEE GACHA BEING USED.”
COLLECTIVE FASHION JUSTICE
DOWN ALTERNATIVES
The horrible truth behind this material is that there is no ethical way to obtain it, as it is either ripped from live birds or their carcasses. With the technological innovation we have today though, we can stay warm even on the coldest of days without compromising our values.
The materials below are free from animal cruelty and are produced with minimal environmental impact.
PRIMA LOFT P.U.R.E
Warmer than down, water resistant unlike down. This material is synthetic and largely made of recycled post-consumer waste plastics with the benefit of a massive reduction in CO2 emissions during material production. For decades, insulation manufacturing methods have relied on fossil fuels like coal and natural gas, but PrimaLoft has transformed the manufacturing of synthetic insulation with carbon savings of up to 70%.
BRANDS
There are a number of outdoor wear clothing and footwear brands using P.U.R.E., which include early adopter Patagonia (exclusivity in 2019/20), Bergans of Norway, Kodiak Boots, Viking Footwear, Athleta, Cotopaxi, Buff, Lands’ End and L.L. Bean.
FLWRDWN
Created by Pangaia, Flowerdown (or FLWRDWN) is made of sustainably sourced wildflowers, which are made into a bio-polymer with the use of an aerogel made largely from recycled paper. This aerogel increases thermal insulation and water repellency. This warm, breathable and animal-friendly innovation is the first of its kind as it is completely biodegradable.
Check out the Pangaia website for more information on their clothing range using Flowerdown.
ACTIVEWEAR SYNTHETICS ALTERNATIVES
Textile technology doesn’t stop where natural fibres do. In fact, there are a couple of innovative materials that are truly mimicking the synthetic fibres we would use for activewear.
ECONYL
For instance, ECONYL is a recycled material derived from recycled synthetic waste such as industrial plastic, waste fabric, and fishing nets from the ocean. Despite being derived from recycled materials, ECONYL yarn is said to be of the same quality as virgin nylon.
The production of this material uses less water and generates less waste than the manufacture of conventional nylon. In fact, waste is collected, cleaned, shredded, and then depolymerised to extract a raw material called caprolactam. The caprolactam is then re-polymerised and transformed into ECONYL yarn.
The only downside of this fabric is that, like other synthetics, it emits microfibres so it’s not the best choice for clothing that is frequently machine washed. But it can be a sustainable option for shoes or clothing that is rarely washed or generally hand-washed like activewear, swimwear, and outerwear.
Check out the ECONYL website for more information about brands using this technology.
QMONOS
After 11 years of research, Spiber Inc., a Japanese biotechnology company, can now spin its own environmentally friendly synthetic spider silk. Spider silk, which is 340 times tougher than steel, is then transformed into a highly durable fabric, Qmonos, that has a very low environmental impact, is biodegradable and really durable.
SPIBER joined forces with The North Face in 2015 when the duo developed a special Moon Parka prototype based on the North Face’s Antarctica Parka, an outerwear jacket designed to endure the harsh conditions and intense cold of the South Pole, which the Moon Parka is designed to match. The QMONOS outer material is the natural web colour of the Golden Orb spider, and the almost unearthly glow inspired them to dub the colour “Moon Gold.”
You can watch the video that shows the creation process and the new coat here, or check out their video online.
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