Nothing these days is simple - and that goes for sustainable clothing too.
This is a brief outline of thoughts from the Greening Campaign but it is an extremely complex situation.
Which is the best sustainable clothing?
Having read masses of material – this is the result
I have written a breakdown below and a good link is at the end of this document
My favorites seems to be Tencel, Hemp, Wool, Linen.
Cotton = environmentally damaging
• Biodegradable
• Recycle only a finite number of times before fibres too short for clothing, often then re-spun with polyester, or made into stuffing eg car seats.
• Uses huge amounts of water – 2-3 pairs of jeans uses about the same amount of water you will drink in your lifetime (this is just to grow it).
• Pesticides, fertilizers = pollution (50% of pesticides worldwide used on cotton)
• Mass clearing of land on huge scale
• Devastates local communites
• World Health Organisation states 20,000 individuals in the developing world.die of cancer/miscarriages from chemicals sprayed on cotton
Organic cotton = environmentally damaging
• Biodegradable
• Same recycling problems as above
• Uses more land because it needs more space without chemicals
• Reduced or no chemicals
• Devastates local communities
• Uses masses of water same as above.
Acrylic = environmentally damaging
• Hugely damaging for many reasons – the main ones being
• Non-biodegradable
• Non-recyclable
• Highly toxic chemicals to create it
• Lots of energy to create it
Polyester = environmentally damaging
• Petrochemical (plastic fibre)
• Non-biodegradable
• Significant carbon footprint
• Can be recycled a finite number of times due to loss of fibre condition and strength
• Recycling uses lots of energy
• Microfibres released into waterways when washing
• However we have already created enough to clothe everyone forever, so if we can develop a way of recycling long term it will save on land use that other methods use.
Rayon = damaging
• Produced from trees, or bamboo
• Biodegradable
• Massive chemical risks when turned into fabric
• Most forms are responsible for mass rainforest destruction
Linen = damaging if bleached only
• Made from Flax which is biodegradable
• Flax crop is soaked in rivers so causes high pollutions of waterways
• Recycled into other items eg car industry (not clothes)
• No waste from the plant (whole plant is used)
• Good for eco-systems
• If not using the natural look, bleaching process is highly intensive and polluting
• Low water uptake
• Creases hideously easily when worn!
Hemp = great stuff
• Been used by humans since 8,000 BC
• Biodegradable
• Tough and resilient for many wears
• Very long fibres are good for weaving
• Long fibres mean recycle more times
• Fast growing
• Easy to cultivate
• Pest tolerant so low pesticides
• Low water uptake
• Grow twice as much per acre than cotton
• Replenishes the soil
• Amazingly I did not know that Hemp can be turned into a PLASTIC – Lego hope to turn to Hemp to make their bricks in the near future.
• Fibres are mildew resistant
Wool – excellent
• Biodegradable
• Let’s assume we are not eating the sheep/lambs and are getting them carefully hand shorn!
• Recyclable as long fibres
• Tough and resilient so clothing lasts for many wears
• Absorbs 30% of it’s weight before feeling damp
• Dyes easily without chemicals
• Sheep can be raised on non-arable land
• Methane from sheep burps contribute to CO2 output
• Can be raised locally all over the world
• Clothes can easily be made by individuals as process fairly simple once mastered
Note- careful shearing should be undertaken which may be more expensive if the animals are not to suffer for our clothes.
Mycelium = excellent
• Made from mushrooms
• Biodegradable
• No toxic chemicals used
• Can be grown anywhere so local means low transport impacts
• Water = 12 litres for a T’shirt /cotton t’shirt uses 2500 litres
Tensel (an environmentally friendly form of Lycell or Rayon)
• Made from the Eucalyptus trees
• Biodegradable
• Wood pulp dissolved and turned into yarn
• Uses 5% of the water used by cotton
• Grows very rapidly in dense forests so uses far less land than cotton
• Grows in many areas across the world
• Can grow in areas not suitable for arable
• No need for pesticides or fertilizers
• Deep root means no irrigation
A very good link looking at the complete life cycle of different materials (although not all) is https://www.commonobjective.co/article/how-to-choose-the-most-eco-friendly-fabric-for-your-garment
This is a brief outline of thoughts from the Greening Campaign but it is an extremely complex situation.
Which is the best sustainable clothing?
Having read masses of material – this is the result
I have written a breakdown below and a good link is at the end of this document
My favorites seems to be Tencel, Hemp, Wool, Linen.
Cotton = environmentally damaging
• Biodegradable
• Recycle only a finite number of times before fibres too short for clothing, often then re-spun with polyester, or made into stuffing eg car seats.
• Uses huge amounts of water – 2-3 pairs of jeans uses about the same amount of water you will drink in your lifetime (this is just to grow it).
• Pesticides, fertilizers = pollution (50% of pesticides worldwide used on cotton)
• Mass clearing of land on huge scale
• Devastates local communites
• World Health Organisation states 20,000 individuals in the developing world.die of cancer/miscarriages from chemicals sprayed on cotton
Organic cotton = environmentally damaging
• Biodegradable
• Same recycling problems as above
• Uses more land because it needs more space without chemicals
• Reduced or no chemicals
• Devastates local communities
• Uses masses of water same as above.
Acrylic = environmentally damaging
• Hugely damaging for many reasons – the main ones being
• Non-biodegradable
• Non-recyclable
• Highly toxic chemicals to create it
• Lots of energy to create it
Polyester = environmentally damaging
• Petrochemical (plastic fibre)
• Non-biodegradable
• Significant carbon footprint
• Can be recycled a finite number of times due to loss of fibre condition and strength
• Recycling uses lots of energy
• Microfibres released into waterways when washing
• However we have already created enough to clothe everyone forever, so if we can develop a way of recycling long term it will save on land use that other methods use.
Rayon = damaging
• Produced from trees, or bamboo
• Biodegradable
• Massive chemical risks when turned into fabric
• Most forms are responsible for mass rainforest destruction
Linen = damaging if bleached only
• Made from Flax which is biodegradable
• Flax crop is soaked in rivers so causes high pollutions of waterways
• Recycled into other items eg car industry (not clothes)
• No waste from the plant (whole plant is used)
• Good for eco-systems
• If not using the natural look, bleaching process is highly intensive and polluting
• Low water uptake
• Creases hideously easily when worn!
Hemp = great stuff
• Been used by humans since 8,000 BC
• Biodegradable
• Tough and resilient for many wears
• Very long fibres are good for weaving
• Long fibres mean recycle more times
• Fast growing
• Easy to cultivate
• Pest tolerant so low pesticides
• Low water uptake
• Grow twice as much per acre than cotton
• Replenishes the soil
• Amazingly I did not know that Hemp can be turned into a PLASTIC – Lego hope to turn to Hemp to make their bricks in the near future.
• Fibres are mildew resistant
Wool – excellent
• Biodegradable
• Let’s assume we are not eating the sheep/lambs and are getting them carefully hand shorn!
• Recyclable as long fibres
• Tough and resilient so clothing lasts for many wears
• Absorbs 30% of it’s weight before feeling damp
• Dyes easily without chemicals
• Sheep can be raised on non-arable land
• Methane from sheep burps contribute to CO2 output
• Can be raised locally all over the world
• Clothes can easily be made by individuals as process fairly simple once mastered
Note- careful shearing should be undertaken which may be more expensive if the animals are not to suffer for our clothes.
Mycelium = excellent
• Made from mushrooms
• Biodegradable
• No toxic chemicals used
• Can be grown anywhere so local means low transport impacts
• Water = 12 litres for a T’shirt /cotton t’shirt uses 2500 litres
Tensel (an environmentally friendly form of Lycell or Rayon)
• Made from the Eucalyptus trees
• Biodegradable
• Wood pulp dissolved and turned into yarn
• Uses 5% of the water used by cotton
• Grows very rapidly in dense forests so uses far less land than cotton
• Grows in many areas across the world
• Can grow in areas not suitable for arable
• No need for pesticides or fertilizers
• Deep root means no irrigation
A very good link looking at the complete life cycle of different materials (although not all) is https://www.commonobjective.co/article/how-to-choose-the-most-eco-friendly-fabric-for-your-garment