Think that all eco fashions are alike? Wrong. The term “eco-friendly fashion” covers a broad range of types of sustainable apparel. Here's some insight to the different terminology used in sustainable fashion.
Visit our "Sustainable Materials" slideshow for more information, or read on...
eco-friendly fabrics
follow three main criteria that distinguish them from ordinary fabrics:
· the use of fewer toxic chemicals
· the use of less land or water
· the reduction of greenhouse gases
sustainable fabrics
Natural fiber fabric simply refers to fabrics made from fibers found in nature such as hemp, silk, and linen. Many natural fibers may have been grown and manufactured without harmful toxins, but there are no certifying organizations to label them organic. Sustainable fabrics can be natural, organic, or from recycled content. Certified organic fabric is third-party certified to be grown and manufactured without toxic chemicals.
natural fibers• Vegetable fibers are made from plants (cotton, hemp, flax)
• Protein fibers such as wool, alpaca, and cashmere come from animal hair
• Silk is the strong, elastic, fibrous secretion of silkworm larvae in cocoons
terminology
eco-friendly fabrics
eco-friendly fabrics
follow three main criteria that distinguish them from ordinary fabrics:
· the use of fewer toxic chemicals
· the use of less land or water
· the reduction of greenhouse gases
sustainable fabrics
Natural fiber fabric simply refers to fabrics made from fibers found in nature such as hemp, silk, and linen. Many natural fibers may have been grown and manufactured without harmful toxins, but there are no certifying organizations to label them organic. Sustainable fabrics can be natural, organic, or from recycled content. Certified organic fabric is third-party certified to be grown and manufactured without toxic chemicals.
natural fibers
• Vegetable fibers are made from plants (cotton, hemp, flax)
• Protein fibers such as wool, alpaca, and cashmere come from animal hair
• Silk is the strong, elastic, fibrous secretion of silkworm larvae in cocoons
terminology
click each term to see related posts on our blog!
Vegan refers to products that have been made without the use of animal tissue (most commonly leather). Instead, Vegan products are made of Amazonian rubber which is basically like leather made of plants.
Ethically Produced fashion refers to standards of respect toward communities and the environment.
Craft/ Artisan means that the item includes traditional art forms such as special embroidery or beading.
Custom is when items are “made-to-order” for an individual. Custom clothing is special in that the quality is higher than of mass-produced clothing due to the care that is involved in making the one-of-a-kind piece.
Fair Trade Certified is a organized movement that promotes social policy, environmentalism, and standards for international labor (no child labor, fair working conditions, reasonable working hours, etc) mainly focused on exports from developing countries to developed countries.
FAIRTRADE Certification Mark
Organic is not solely for food. Organic in apparel means that the clothing is made of natural fibers that have been grown without chemicals or pesticides which are harmful to humans and the environment.
Recycled means that the items are made from existing items or fibers of those items in an effort to reduce waste. (Interested in recycled textiles?)
Vintage/ Second-hand when used loosely refers to items that have been given a new life. Vintage is more specific to items that were created between 1920 and 1975 but it is informally interchanged with second-hand to mean re-used.
common eco-friendly fabrics
Alpaca: The light and soft wool of an alpaca, a South American animal similar to a camel.
Bamboo: Much like hemp, bamboo also grows very fast and doesn’t need pesticides. The fiber is soft and anti-bacterial. Bamboo requires a minimal amount of manufacturing chemicals and is biodegradable.
Calico: Fabric made from unbleached cotton
EcoSpun (which is a trademark name) is fabric made from plastic containers. (Read more.)
Hemp: Fibers from the Cannabis sativa plant. Hemp can grow very quickly without needing harmful fertilizers or pesticides. It’s a strong natural fiber.
Hessian Cloth: A woven fabric made from jute or hemp. It is durable but coarse, so it is popularly used in bag materials such as burlap or sackcloth.
Ingeo: is a man-made thread created from corn, often blended with wool or cotton. It creates a light-weight clothing material that can wick moisture away from the skin.
Jute: A coarse, shiny vegetable fiber. Jute is an affordable natural fiber, second in production only to cotton.
Milk Silk: It is simply silk made from milk. Not much is known about this product but the company Cyarn is currently producing it.
Muslin: fabric made from unbleached cotton.
Nettle Fiber: Made from stinging nettle, a weed.
Organic Cotton: Cotton made without chemicals or pesticides. (More on cotton.)
Organic Linen: Flax fiber grown without pesticides or herbicides. Flax is one of the most ecological natural fibers because it uses no irrigation, purifies the soil, and is both biodegradable and recyclable. (Read more.)
Organic Wool: Wool from well-treated animals that have no synthetic hormones, pesticides, or genetic engineering. Their food and pastures must be certified organic as well.
Ramie: a fiber from the bark of a type of nettle weed
Recycled Polyester: made from post consumer recycled plastic soda bottles. (Read more.)
Soy Silk: This is made from the by products of soy manufacturers, and therefore uses post consumer resources. Soy is also biodegradable and compostable.
Tencell/ Lyocell: Made from wood pulp from fast-growing trees like eucalyptus. Some chemicals are used, although 99.6% of the chemicals go back into the production cycle, therefore not polluting the environment. It is also biodegradable and compostable. (Read more.)
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Check out our research sources for more information!
