4 Sustainable Fabrics You Should Definitely Buy When Shopping For Clothes

Which sustainable fabrics should you invest in, and which fabrics should you avoid when buying clothes?

With debates surrounding sustainability in fashion rising steadily in the last decade, we as a society have recently become more curious as to the production of clothing, and the fabrics that are used in such processes. As the textile industry continues to expand every year, sustainable fabrics are shaping the fashion industry now more than ever.

While these more modern synthetic fabrics can have some benefits when manufactured for clothing, they can also have drawbacks. This is where this article comes in, think of it as your whistle-stop tour on all things fabric. We’ve researched the most common fabrics found in the clothing of the twenty-first century, natural and synthetic, and weighed up their benefits and drawbacks for the modern wearer.

So, if you’ve ever been curious about the effects of fabric on the body and the environment – look no further than this article.

Read – Sustainable Fashion. Here’s Everything You Need to Know

Sustainable Fabrics

What are sustainable fabrics?

Sustainable fabrics are ones that are made from eco-friendly, natural or recycled resources. These materials aim to reduce their environmental impact through the processing and manufacturing of the product. Let’s take you through the best sustainable fabrics, that are long-lasting, (capsule wardrobe items) softer, easy to wear and the best ones to invest in.

Organic Cotton

The most important crop in the world, a piece of natural and traditional fabric, cotton has got to be one of the best materials for clothing. organic cotton is produced without any toxic pesticides or genetically modified seeds (GMOs). It’s innately sustainable to be sourced, hypoallergenic, odour-free and low maintenance. What more could there be to love about this unproblematic fabric.

Better still, due to its lightweight composition, it can be worn comfortably through the warm Summer with ease. Cotton is a natural fibre, moisture caused by sweat is drawn away from your body and absorbed into the fabric, rather than forcing sweat to sit atop the material like in polyester.

Cotton is a durable and versatile fabric that is a great choice for your own comfort in the summer months, as well as the comfort of the planet due to the fabric’s natural composition and sustainable sourcing.

Linen

Another fabric that is a must to invest in is linen, and it’s perfect for the summer months, too. Like its sister fabric cotton, linen is a natural fibre derived from the flax plant, again one of the oldest textile fibres used by humans as far back as the Egyptians.

Its breathable and highly absorbent wefts are naturally insects and bacteria repelling, making it recognised as one of the cleanest fabrics around. Investing in linen items for summer just got even more tempting. Better still, linen has an even more regenerative environmental impact than cotton, making it not just a great investment for your own health, but also that of the planet. 

The linen must be 100% linen [meaning not mixed with any other fabric] to ensure it is bio-degradable.

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Silk

Probably one of the most luxurious fabrics you can come by, silk is made from a natural fibre produced by insects like silkworms, beetles and bees, to name a few. The benefits of silk on the body are seemingly endless. From being hypoallergenic to anti-ageing, the fabric has incredible benefits for the skin and hair due to its ultra-delicate and soft composition that cushions the face and hair effortlessly when used on a bed. Investing in a 100% silk pillowcase has never been so popular!

Despite its many benefits, silk is a notoriously fragile fabric that shows signs of wear and tears easily compared to its more durable counterparts like cotton and linen. Something you might want to keep in mind when investing in this fabric. To make sure you’re treating this fabric with the utmost care, be sure to hand wash where possible, as this will keep it better for longer.

Wool

Wool is a natural protein fibre found on the backs of millions of sheep across the globe since the Stone Age. Another renewable source, wool is a fabric that is biodegradable, easy to clean and breathable – yet another win for your body and the planet. While the previous fabrics are better to be worn in warmer months, wool is a fantastic insulator even in the rain.

A perfect choice for a winter jumper or cardigan. However, if you do decide to wear your woollen jumper in the summer, wool has natural UV protection, meaning you’ll have protection against the harmful rays of the sun.

Other Sustainable Fabrics you should look for when buying clothes are:

• Tencal™ Lyocell – Lyocell is best known for its soft, silky feel and is made from renewable wood sources. TENCEL™ is a trademark of Lenzing AG that makes lyocell is even better.
• Organic hemp – Hemp fibres comes from the hemp plant. The plant requires less water to cultivate and can produce large amounts of fibre per yield.
• RWS Wool – Certified according to the Responsible Wool Standard
• Piñatex – 95% plant based alternative to leather

Read – The Ultimate List of Cruelty-Free Beauty Brands 2022

3 Fabrics to Avoid

Now that we’ve established the best fabrics to invest in when looking for clothes, let’s talk about ones to avoid, perhaps these fabrics should be given a wide berth by you and your wallet.

Polyester

Although polyester is a durable fabric and retains its shape well, the composition of the fabric is derived from synthetic polymers made from esters, dihydric alcohol and terephthalic acid that could be seen as carcinogenic. Another drawback to this fabric is its excessive tendency to hold onto odours that natural fabrics do not usually possess.

Due to the microplastics used in the creation of polyester, the fabric can also pose skin problems and can irritate pre-existing conditions such as eczema and dermatitis- perhaps avoid this fabric if you can.

Unfortunately, according to The Robin Report, polyester is found in approximately 60% of garments on retail shelves today, so giving this fabric the cold shoulder might be harder than we once thought. Perhaps one of the only benefits of having your clothes made of polyester is the fact that you don’t need to iron them! 

Nylon

Without boring you with the scientific jargon of the process of making nylon, essentially, the fabric is composed of large polymers that form sheets of nylon when heated in high pressurised environments. Having been called ‘the most useful synthetic material’ nylon is not arguably as problematic as its artificial contemporary polyester- it’s not generally considered as harmful to the body.

Despite nylon’s resilient and shiny disposition, the fabric does have some major drawbacks that might put you off. No form of the fabric is regarded as biodegradable and can sit in landfills for up to 30 years.

Additionally, as nylon is fire-resistant, it is prone to melting when exposed to high heat, which is perhaps not ideal if washing in high temperatures or living in hot climates, perhaps rendering the fabric less favourable to invest in.

Elastane

Also known as lycra and spandex another synthetic material that is made from harmful chemicals like polyurethane, which is considered to be potentially cancerous. Commonly seen mass-produced through bikinis, sports bras and clothing designed to be wet and tight, elastane is extremely unbreathable.

Trapping moisture, sweat and bad odour directly onto the skin- creating a breeding ground for infections. As with polyester, one of the upsides of elastane is the lack of a need to iron it.

Although elastane is the perfect fabric for durability in water, perhaps we ought to search for an alternative that absorbs moisture and doesn’t trap it against our bodies.

By Lois Gilbert