Sustainability

If you want to understand the reasons for each rating more in-depth, we’ve provided some details below. It can get a little complicated, but essentially you want to understand what you are taking from the earth and what you are adding to the earth. There are five main things that go into whether or not fabric is sustainable:

1. The source of the fiber (natural or man-made/synthetic).
2. The resources required to create the fiber (water, pesticides, land, energy, carbon dioxide, fossil fuels, etc.) and whether they are renewable.
3. The process of turning the fiber into yarn (does it use harmful chemicals? how are they disposed of? does it use large amounts of energy?)
4. The longevity of the fabric (does it last)?
5. The end-life of the fabric (is it biodegradable)?

Generally, natural fabrics like organic cotton and linen (made from plants) and Tencel (made from sustainable wood pulp) are more sustainable than man-made fabrics like Polyester and Nylon (which are petroleum-based and take thousands of years to biodegrade).

It gets a little tricky because there are always exceptions, but if you understand that little trick it should help. We hope this post serves as a helpful guide for the next time you’re internally deliberating over a new piece.

When a garment is made using eco-friendly fabrics, that’s a definite pro for the piece in our books!