Choosing Fabrics
Many folks think that natural and organic fibers are the same thing. But in the clothing industry, natural fiber clothing simply refers to clothing made from fibers found in nature, such as wool, cotton, silk, or hemp. It has nothing to do with the purity of the clothing or the production and manufacturing processes.
Natural Fibers
Natural fibers are either plant-based (cotton, hemp, and flax), or animal-based (wool, alpaca, silk, and cashmere). In comparison, human-made or synthetic textiles, such as rayon, acetate, and polyester, are fibers that have been chemically and structurally produced to form a fiber.
Synthetic Fibers
The most common synthetic fibers used to make clothing include acrylic, polyester, rayon, and nylon. Each of these fibers wreaks havoc on the environment in its production.
Do not buy your maternity clothing too far in advance. It is difficult to estimate just how (and where) your body will expand and change during pregnancy. What looks good today may be too small by your eighth month. If you do need to purchase maternity clothing, buy a few items at a time that you can grow into.
Acrylic fabrics are made from a class of chemical compounds called polycrylonitriles, which may be carcinogenic. Nylon and polyester are made from petroleum-based chemicals, whose production creates nitrous oxide, a gas that pollutes the environment and contributes to global warming. Rayon is made from wood pulp that has been treated with chemicals, including caustic soda and sulphuric acid.
Fabric Finishes
Most garments that are produced from natural fibers are not organic. Conventionally manufactured fabrics, whether they are natural or synthetic, rely heavily upon chemicals to clean and bleach the fibers and to prepare them to be spun into yarns. Most conventionally produced clothing is made using dyes and finishes that are loaded with chemicals. During finishing, most fabrics are chemically treated to be stain-resistant, wrinkle-resistant, odor-resistant, or any of a number of the other toxic chemical treatments used in our modern society.
According to the Environmental Justice Foundation, it takes more than 500 gallons of water to produce one cotton T-shirt. In addition, the worldwide production of cotton is responsible for the release of $2 billion worth of pesticides every year, and accounts for more insecticide release than any other single crop.
All of these chemicals leach into the environment, leaving an impact on groundwater, wildlife, air, and soil. They are also harmful to consumers as they may be absorbed or inhaled into the body.
There are also social costs, in addition to the environmental and health costs, associated with the production of clothing. To keep clothes cheap, many garments are produced using child labor forces in deplorable sweat-shop conditions. Natural fibers may originate from nature, but they take a heavy toll on the planet before they are made into clothing.
Organic Fibers
Clothing that is certified as organic has not been subject to any of these chemical processes mentioned above. Fabrics that bear the organic label must be free from synthetic chemicals for at least three years. In other words, the cotton or hemp crops, or the sheep used to produce the wool must be farmed without the use of synthetic chemicals. Organic clothing must also be produced without the use of genetically modified crops. Cotton, linen, wool, and hemp can all be grown organically and used to produce green clothing.
Still, it is sometimes unclear just which fibers are actually organic because there are no global or even national standards for organic clothing like there are for foods. But because cottonseeds and cotton oils can be considered food products, they may fall under the USDA standards for organic certification.
In other words, a cotton T-shirt may bear a label claiming that it is made from 100 percent certified organic cotton, but that just means that the cotton used to make the shirt was free of chemicals. After production, that organic cotton T-shirt may have been exposed to chemical finishes and heavy metal dyes.
If you buy items without paying attention to where they come from, you may unknowingly be supporting the cycle that causes sweat-shops. In an effort to make cheap stuff even cheaper, sweatshops exploit workers with long hours, unfair pay, and unsafe working conditions. Look for clothing that is locally made or has been independently verified as sweat-free.
Eco-Fibers
The eco-category in between natural and synthetic fibers is known as naturally derived human-made fibers. Wood pulp, bamboo, soy, and corn can all be used to create clothing. The process used to turn these fibers into garments is an energy-intensive industry, but they are considered more eco-friendly than synthetics like polyester or rayon because they can be composted when they are no longer useful. Still, soy- and corn-based clothing tends to come from genetically modified crops. And bamboo and wood pulp are often harvested unsustainably, so use caution before investing all of your money in these supposedly eco-friendly duds.
