December 2019

The fashion industry has developed various fibres with which to make fabrics. There are natural fibres, which refer to animal or plant fibres, and synthetic ones. From silk to polyester, each fibre has its properties and environmental implications. That’s why it’s important to choose textiles considerately.
Here is a short how-to guide. Enjoy learning!

SUSTAINABLE FIBRES - RULE OF THUMB

‘Fibers’ refers to the raw material your fashion is made of.
’Sustainable fibres’ means fibres that avoid one or more of the following issues, whether in production or disposal.

To quickly recognise sustainable fibres, watch out for appropriate labelling in the tags of your fashion items.
We compiled a guide for introducing the most popular Fashion Certifications →.

Soil erosion
Rainforest destruction
Non-biodegradable
Animal cruelty

High water need
High energy need
Use of Non-renewable resources
Use of Harmful chemicals
Use of GMOs

Natural Fibres

Opt for natural fibres!
Natural fibres are derived from natural origin and are split into animal and plant fibres.

Plant Fibres

Fabric made of plant fibres is what we should opt for.

Plant fibres can be derived from various plants. They are popular because of their texture, and the great thing is that they are renewable resources that can often be harvested multiple times a year.
To ensure environmental-friendly production practices, opt for certified plant fibres, such as Organic, Fair Trade, GOTS, IVN and Fair Wear Foundation.

Here are various plant fibres to watch out for in the tag: Banana silk, hemp, jute, kapok, linen/flax, lyocell/tencel, modal, sea-cell, sisal, soy silk.

Animal Fibres

Textiles made from animal fibres are often protein-based materials like hair or silk but can include ones such as leather and fur. Of course, the main issue here is animal cruelty and why we should avoid fashion items containing materials of animal origin. Instead, let’s opt for Animal-Considerate Fashion →. Still, some synthetics mimic animal pelts, or better choices of animal products, such as Angora hair is shed from rabbits instead of Angora fibre from goat skins.

Synthetic Fibres

Synthetic fibres are made from fossil fuels, predominantly petroleum, a finite resource. The polymerisation of different monomers produces them. There are two types of synthetic fibres:

Artificial fibres are made out of organic polymers of natural origin.
Synthetic fibres are made out of synthetic polymers.

Further non-renewable resources are needed for these fibres’ production, along with a lot of energy to turn them into threads.

Types of synthetic fibres:

Polyester is durable and long-lasting, but as a petroleum-based plastic, its environmental impact is to do with the oil industry. Opting for recycled polyester avoids the use of producing new materials.
Acrylic is similar, though it can also be produced using gas and coal – further fossil fuels. As a fabric, it resembles wool.
Nylon was the world’s first man-made fibre made from carbon fibres through a resource-intensive process. It is stretchy and durable.
Vegan Leather is a cruelty-free PVC or polyurethane plastic product. Its major disadvantage, however, lies in the fact that it sheds microplastics, which end up in groundwater and oceans, causing a huge environmental impact.
Viscose Rayon is a man-made silk alternative with similar soft and absorbent features. It’s made from wood pulp but is treated with various chemicals, making it a highly polluting process.

Opt for recycled synthetics to avoid consuming such products with an environmentally damaging background – recycled versions of the fibres you want are always much more sustainable.

Some fibres are made from used PET plastic bottles, a method that decreases waste and uses fewer resources and energy. Brands that use recycled fibres mention so in their item descriptions.

INNOVATIVE FIBRES

Some companies are developing fabrics from natural materials with the same properties as their synthetic counterparts. The market is full of solutions and ideas. Here are just a few of them:

Algi Knit - yarns made from seaweed.
Ambercycle - regenerated polyester from recycled textiles.
Crop-A-Porter - harvest waste is turned into textile fibre.
Mestic - fabrics made from cow dung.
Olivenleder - leather made of olive leaves.
Fruit Leather - leather made of pineapple, mangos, etc.
Rubi Laboratories - viscose/ rayon made of Co2

have been exploring producing completely sustainable fibres that avoid the fashion industry's pollution, animal cruelty, and resource depletion.
Even a larger company like Levi’s has developed a laser technique to finish its jeans, eliminating harmful chemicals.