Crucial Characteristic Features of Sustainable Fabrics for Clothing
Sustainable clothing materials refer to fabrics that come from eco-friendly resources. How the fabrics are manufactured also determines how sustainable they are. What makes a fabric sustainable? Not all natural fibres are created equally. Yes, it is true that a garment can be handmade from hemp, but was the hemp woven ethically? That’s the true marker of a sustainable fabric for clothing. Sustainable fabrics for clothing are durable and built to last for a long time. Thus, they are easy to take care of.
There shouldn’t be any issue using a machine to wash sustainable fabrics. However, it is important to check the tags just to be safe. Unless the tags say otherwise, it is better to use mild detergent when cleaning the clothes. If you want the ultimate treatment for sustainable fabrics for clothing, get in touch with us. FabricSeal, developed by Australian Hi-Tech Fabric Treatments, repels water and oil-based stains without you having to clean them frequently. The best thing about FabricSeal is it doesn’t change the feel or behaviour of the treated fabrics.
Here are the crucial elements of sustainable fabric for clothing.
The Crucial Characteristic Features of Sustainable Fabric
Sustainable Fabrics Don’t Use too Many Chemicals
The production process of a lot of fabrics includes chemicals. Chemicals are used in different stages of the production process. There are some materials that are treated with chemicals before they become actual fabric, like wool, silk, or cotton. Other materials need chemical processing, rayon and leather. Some fabrics are simply made of chemicals like polyester. Even natural fibres can be chemical because large-scale production of fabrics often requires pesticides and chemicals to prevent the infestation of the animals.
The chemicals used during the production process get disposed of in water during the washing stage. Thus, it pollutes the rivers, forests, and even oceans! The chemicals used to produce leather not only harm the environment but also the workers too! It is better to opt for fabrics that use almost little or no chemicals.
Sustainable Fabrics for Clothing Cause Lesser Waste
There is no denying that every production process causes waste. This is inevitable. However, with a more sustainable production chain, the amount of waste has been reduced. Chemicals often end up in the environment when the fabrics are dyed to make items waterproof, colour-proof, windproof, wrinkle-free, odour-free, softer, and even to make them durable. To reduce the ecological footprint, choose garments naturally resistant to water, wrinkles, smells and naturally untreated.
Sustainable Fabrics for Clothing Use Less Water
If the production process causes waste, chemicals are added to the materials; fabrics are painted, and it needs a lot of water to mix. Cotton is known to use a lot of water. Since it is prone to shrinking, it is washed repeatedly to offer customers a non-shrinkable product. Other materials, too, like wool, use large quantities of water to rinse the fibres before they are spun into a yarn.
Sustainable Fabrics for Clothing Don’t Harm Animals
Wool is the most used animal fibre, and many sheep are kept for mass wool production. Mass production focuses on quantity, and animal treatment is below par. Looking for organic alternatives is crucial. If you want to avoid animal fibres, you can opt for vegan fibres. It is better to avoid highly synthetic fibres like polyester or controversial fibres like seaweed, bamboo, and vegan leather.
Sustainable Fabrics for Clothing are Durable
It is crucial to have fabrics that have little impact on the environment or the workers. The durability of fabric has a significant impact on the climate. When an item is durable, it lasts for a long time, even when it is used frequently.