What’s in a label? What do we look for when we’re choosing sustainable fabrics? Whether you’re a clothes maker or a fashion lover who doesn’t love fashion’s impacts, selecting more sustainable fabrics is one area where our choices can have a tangible impact on the wellbeing of people, planet, and animals.

But there is a lot of debate about which fabrics are better. Does plant-based always equal good and synthetic equal bad? What new and innovative materials are backing up their claims with evidence? And what happens when we wash or dispose of these materials? Let’s find out.

Plant-based fibres

Recycled cotton

Cotton is one of the most common fabrics in the world. This plant-based fibre is light and breathable, which makes it a wardrobe staple. But growing cotton can be problematic: conventional cotton is one of the thirstiest and most chemical-intensive crops to grow. It requires a lot of pesticides and, as a result, harms the planet and the people who grow it.

Organic cotton can be a more sustainable alternative to conventional cotton, and has been booming in recent years. In theory, it aims to minimise the environmental impact of cotton production by trying to remove harmful pesticides and other chemicals from the production process. GOTS certified cotton is often the go-to recommendation for consciously grown cotton that is gentler on the planet and the people who create it. However, organic cotton certification recently came under fire when it was discovered much of the fibre marketed as organic may not be so: according to a report by The New York Times, “at the heart of the problem is an opaque certification system rife with opportunities for fraud.”

If you’re looking for the most sustainable cotton, go for recycled. Recycled or upcycled cotton is made using post-industrial and post-consumer cotton waste. According to the Textile Exchange’s Preferred Fiber and Materials Market Report 2021, recycled cotton is a more sustainable alternative to both conventional and organic cotton. It has the potential to help reduce water and energy consumption, as well as help keep cotton clothes out of landfills⁠.

Organic hemp

It seems like hemp is everywhere at the moment. Marijuana’s “sober cousin” is extremely versatile: it’s used as a food, a building material, in cosmetics, and it has been cultivated and used for hundreds of years as a fabric.

The great thing about hemp is that it’s grown all around the world, and it requires very little water, no pesticides, and naturally fertilises the soil it grows in⁠—making it much better for the environment than other crops.

One of the oldest fibres in the world, hemp helps keep you warm in winter, cool in summer, and gets softer the more you wash it, making it a great option for pieces that will stay in your wardrobe rotation for years to come.

Organic linen

Linen is another plant we’ve been growing for centuries. Similar to hemp, it’s derived from a very versatile crop: the flax plant. Linen requires minimal water and pesticides, and even grows in poor-quality soil. Plus, every part of the plant is used, so nothing is wasted. Linen is strong, naturally moth resistant, and⁠—when untreated⁠—fully biodegradable. In addition to being good for the planet, it is also light and can withstand high temperatures, absorbing moisture without holding bacteria. What’s not to like?

TENCEL® lyocell

TENCEL® is a light cellulose fabric which is created by dissolving wood pulp. The fibre is produced by Austrian company Lenzing AG. It’s been growing in popularity recently, and is said to be 50% more absorbent than cotton, and requires less energy and water to produce. Plus, the chemicals used to produce the fibre are managed in a closed-loop system. This means the solvent is recycled which reduces dangerous waste.

There’s another version of Tencel, called Refibra, made from upcycled cotton scraps. The cotton scraps are transformed into cotton pulp, which is then added to conventional dissolving wood pulp.

In addition, Tencel has moisture-wicking and anti-bacterial properties, making it perfect for activewear.

Animal-derived materials

Recycled wool

Wool is a durable animal-based fibre that is known for its longevity, warmth, and comfort. In its original form, wool is a resource-intensive material to produce and has associated ethical concerns. Recycled wool, like that traditionally processed in Italy by Manteco, reduces the environmental and ethical impacts significantly and, with so much of the fibre already in circulation, is becoming a desired recyclable option. It’s also diverse and easy to mix with other materials such as fleece. The industry is beginning to see less demand for virgin wool with the higher value placed on discarded garments or offcuts in the manufacturing process.

Futuristic and innovative fabrics

ECONYL

Another recycled material to consider is ECONYL. This yarn, created by Italian firm Aquafil, is derived from recycled synthetic waste such as industrial plastic, waste fabric, and fishing nets from the ocean. Despite being derived from recycled materials, ECONYL yarn is said to be of the same quality as virgin nylon yarn.

The manufacture of ECONYL uses less water and generates less waste than the manufacture of conventional nylon yarn. In the manufacture of ECONYL, waste is collected, cleaned, and shredded, and then depolymerised to extract a raw material called caprolactam. The caprolactam is then repolymerised and transformed into ECONYL yarn.

A clear downside of ECONYL is—like other synthetics—it emits microfibres. While this means it’s not the best choice for clothing that is frequently machine washed, it can be a practical and more sustainable option for shoes or clothing that is rarely washed or generally handwashed like activewear, swimwear, and outerwear. Pick yourself up a Guppy Bag for when you must machine wash.

Bananatex®

Launched in 2018 by Swiss brand QWESTION, Bananatex® is the world’s first durable fabric made purely from banana plants. Cultivated in the Philippines through a mix of agriculture and forestry, the banana plant is said to be self-sufficient, and requires no pesticides, fertiliser, or extra water.

In addition to winning a variety of international sustainability awards, such as the Green Product Award 2019 and the German Sustainability Award Design 2021, the Bananatex® fabric was certified Cradle to Cradle Gold.

In short, Bananatex® has the potential to be a truly circular alternative to synthetic fabrics already on the market, contributing to reforestation in areas once eroded due to monocultural palm plantations while enhancing biodiversity and the economic prosperity of its farmers.

Learn more about sustainable and ethical materials

The post What Are the More Sustainable Fabrics on the Market Right Now? appeared first on Good On You.

Is cashmere the same as wool?

While sheep and alpacas are shorn for their wool, it’s goats who are most often combed for cashmere production. Cashmere fibre is just another name for the hair of a specific breed of goat originating in Kashmir, India, where cashmere production is said to have begun around the 13th century.

Unlike the vast majority of wool production, most cashmere goats live nomadically with herders rather than confined to one fenced area for the entirety of their productive lives.

While advertisements may lead us to believe that goats grazing grasslands live happy lives and contribute positively to the ecosystem they are bred into, unfortunately, this is not necessarily the case. Is cashmere ethical or sustainable? Let’s take a look.

Cashmere: how a status symbol got so cheap

People used to pay a lot more for cashmere than they do today. This isn’t unique to cashmere, as the fast fashion industry continues to spew out all kinds of garments for lower market prices while the true cost is footed by the people, animals, and environments harmed in their making.

As more people (particularly those in the West) demanded more cashmere knitwear, an industry that requires four goats to be combed for a single sweater has had to ramp up its pace. This has led to far lower welfare standards for goats and reduced payments to herders and industry workers, causing socio-economic struggles.

Four goats need to be combed for a single cashmere sweater.

This alone doesn’t pull expensive cashmere off the ethical hook, though—most problems with cashmere laid out in this guide occur industry-wide to varying degrees.

Impact on animals

The ethical questions around cashmere primarily centre around animal welfare—in this case, the wellbeing of goats. Before we get into the problems goats face in the cashmere industry, it’s worth knowing more about the animals themselves.

Goats are clever, known to be inquisitive, at times a bit cheeky, and highly expressive. They communicate with each other, recognising both positive and negative emotions just through the sound of a call from another goat. Researchers have compared the way goats engage with humans to our relationships with dogs.

So how are these sentient animals—capable of feeling pleasure just as much as pain—treated in the cashmere industry?

Combing: not as ‘cruelty-free’ as it sounds

Many companies selling cashmere sweaters, scarves, and beanies will explain on their websites that cashmere goats aren’t shorn like sheep but gently combed. This claim can make it sound as though the process is comfortable for the animals. However, this isn’t the case.

While in Iran, Afghanistan, New Zealand, and Australia, cashmere goats are shorn—resulting in the same welfare problems found in wool supply chains—the majority of goats are combed with sharp-toothed metal combs. These combs can scratch deeply into their skin, sometimes causing bruises and injury.

The RSPCA, considered a conservative animal welfare organisation, does not support the use of these metal combs. Across Asia and most Middle Eastern countries where cashmere production is most common (China and Mongolia are the leading suppliers), here’s how cashmere collection usually goes down:

• Goats are tied up, all four of their legs wrapped together, so they are immobilised. This immobilisation is, as you would imagine, frightening and stressful.
• Goats are roughly combed for as long as an hour, on average. Investigations have shown goats screaming out in pain and distress during this long and gruelling process.
• While goats are often claimed to be combed when they are naturally moulting (shedding their thick winter coats), this moulting process varies based on unique differences between individuals. This means some goats in a herd may not be moulting come combing time.

A slaughter industry

Not only do cashmere goats suffer through the distressing combing process—as well as painful mutilations like castration (for males) without pain relief—they are killed once they are of little financial value.

Goats would naturally live to be about twelve years old, though some have lived far older. Goats treated as commodities in the cashmere industry don’t get to live out their full lifespan, as once their hair thins and brittles with age (just like our own), they are slaughtered.

In countries like Australia, goats are killed some years before reaching even half their natural lifespan. What’s more, if goats are born with a coat of hair that is considered “the wrong colour”, or if their hair isn’t thought of as “high quality” enough, they’ll be killed far sooner.

Across leading cashmere suppliers China and Mongolia, there are practically no laws protecting goats from cruelty. Here, investigations have shown goats to be killed while fully conscious.

Impact on humans and their land

While research shows that jobs involving slaughtering animals can lead to severe negative mental health outcomes, cashmere herders face other problems, too.

Reporting has consistently shown that rising demand for cashmere in the West is tied to a cashmere-debt cycle and poorer social outcomes for those working in the industry. It has also been directly linked to rising climatic temperatures, land degradation, and even some native species endangerment.

This reality can be devastating for many nomadic herders who feel they have no choice but to contribute to this destruction for our cashmere demand.

Yes, I know my goats are harmful to our grassland and the more we have, the worse our land becomes. I get that. But this is how we earn our money. All I can do is watch my grasslands disappear.

Lkhagvajav Bish – nomadic herder

Bish’s words reflect the broader struggle that comes with knowing the cashmere industry is causing detrimental harm to the land herders live on while feeling there is no choice but to continue unless demand dies down again. If consumers shifted away from purchasing new cashmere due to its detrimental impacts, we would need to factor the wellbeing of herders into that shift and find new, more just and sustainable ways to economically support them going forward.

Impact on the planet

Here’s the good bit: cashmere is biodegradable and a renewable resource. As far as materials go, it is more eco-friendly than some others.

However, the agricultural side of cashmere does have planetary impacts: 65% of Mongolia’s once biodiverse grasslands have been degraded due to cashmere goat grazing, as well as the impact of the climate crisis. The breeding of ruminant animals like goats and sheep who burp methane is responsible for 472 million metric tons of CO2e each year. Removing this problem would be equal to taking 103 million cars off the road for a year.

What’s more, goats are notoriously unfussy eaters, ripping all sorts of plants up from the roots, contributing to biodiversity loss. The sharp hooves of these goats also cut into and can degrade the earth underneath them.

While this all sounds grim, researcher Bulgamaa Densambuu has some good news about these grasslands: “90% of this total degraded rangeland can be recovered naturally within ten years if we can change existing management. But if we can’t change today, it will be too late after five to ten years.”

Is there more ethical and sustainable cashmere?

Given the significant harm that cashmere production causes goats, herders, and the environment they share, conscious consumers’ best bet is to avoid new cashmere.

If you’re really keen on snuggling into the warm fibre, opting for the many well-made vintage or second hand garments knitted from the material is the ideal option.

Recycled cashmere is available on the market and is an eco-friendly option, though keep in mind that many partly recycled garments are blended with new cashmere.

As always, buying pre-loved and caring for the clothes you already have is the most ethical and sustainable way to get dressed. But if you’re looking for new knitwear and want to avoid cashmere (as well as wool), here are some more ethical and sustainable materials you might want to keep an eye out for:

• Recycled plant-based materials like cotton
• More sustainably, fairly sourced cotton such as GOTS certified cotton
• Hemp and hemp blends
• Tencel, which has similar thermo-regulating properties
• Organic linen
• Recycled or second hand synthetic materials (though these do still shed plastic microfibres—consider buying a Guppyfriend wash bag, which many brands encourage)

If you’re worried about keeping warm, remember that there are lots of technical fabrics and garments designed for staying toasty made from recycled human-made materials, as well as more innovative plant-based ones.

The post Material Guide: How Ethical Is Cashmere and Is It Sustainable? appeared first on Good On You.

Leather may not be as eco-friendly as claimed

Leather boots, bags, wallets and jackets are considered essential staples in many wardrobes. With promises of being a long-lasting, “natural”, and even “biodegradable” material, it can be easy to believe there’s a way to source animal-derived leather that’s not harmful to the planet and, in fact, even part of a sustainable system. But is this accurate? Let’s explore the many hidden costs of leather and why consumers concerned about animal welfare and sustainability are best to avoid it.

How does leather impact the environment?

The environmental impacts of leather production extend across the lengthy and sometimes complex supply chain. Lots of people think leather is sustainable because it’s simply a by-product of the meat and dairy industries—in other words, that leather reduces waste. However, it’s not true that leather is a mere by-product. As a consequence, the environmental impact of cattle rearing should be “economically allocated” across the different sectors and products that profit from this system. So, what’s the impact of cattle ranching?

Deforestation

Deforestation is a serious problem across the fashion industry, caused by a reliance on unsustainable cellulose materials made from logged, often old-growth trees, and other land-inefficient material production. Too, among the most alarming harms caused by leather production is deforestation. As much as 80% of deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest is tied to cattle ranching. This deforestation results in massive biodiversity destruction and, in turn, the endangerment of native animal and plant species. And it’s not just deforestation—all land and vegetation clearing is harmful to the planet, which is why land efficient agriculture is so important.

Another primary driver of deforestation is soy production, which is closely linked to leather, as well. Around 80% goes towards feed for cattle and other farmed animals. 77% of all agricultural land around the world is used to raise animals for slaughter and grow feed for them. The rearing of cattle is the leading driver of habitat destruction in Australia, with similar stories playing out across the globe.

You can see the visible impacts of deforestation in Brazil, the third most significant bovine skin exporter worldwide (close behind India and China). To put this back into a fashion context, 10,000 square metres of land in Brazil must be cleared or kept cleared to produce around nine leather jackets. It is likely this land was cleared illegally and that it is land in the biodiverse Amazon Rainforest. You need just over a metre of leather to make a jacket. By comparison, Piñatex’s pineapple leaf-based leather alternative needs just about 16 square metres of pineapple-growing land for each metre of material.

Greenhouse gas emissions

Let’s start with something you might have in your closet: a pair of cow skin leather boots. These seemingly innocuous shoes have an estimated climate footprint of 66kg of CO2e. Where does that CO2 come from?

Cattle are ruminant animals, which means that when they breathe, pass gas, and burp, they release methane—a greenhouse gas 84 times more potent than CO2 in the short term. The United Nations says, “livestock are one of the most significant contributors to today’s most serious environmental problems”.

Excluded from these calculations are further emissions, associated with land clearing. Land clearing for cattle rearing not only impacts biodiversity but also our warming climate. When we cut down and destroy trees, carbon is released into the atmosphere. This is one component of leather’s carbon impact.

Water, chemicals, and leather processing

Leather production is also water-intensive. Some estimates suggest that the creation of a cow skin tote bag might require more than 17,000 litres of water. Conventional cotton is often water-intensive, too, but studies find leather to be one of the most water-intensive materials that’s commonly used in fashion.

It’s not only that water is used up by leather production, but that it’s polluted, too. Skins are transformed into leather through the tanning process, and 90% of leather is tanned with carcinogenic chromium and often with formaldehyde and arsenic. These chemicals are detrimental to human health, reported to cause asthma, back pains, bronchitis, chronic dermatitis, DNA damage, and even cancer, to name a few. Today, the majority of tanneries have been moved to lower- and middle-income countries in an effort to export pollution problems. In these places, wastewater is often released into waterways untreated, impacting surrounding land and human and non-human animal communities.

What’s more, some evidence suggests that tanning processes—including vegetable tanning—can hinder the ability of animal skins to biodegrade. Considering biodegradability is hailed as one of animal leather’s main benefits over most non-animal alternatives, this is significant.

Vegetable-tanning is also far less innocent than it may first sound, requiring tannins found in the bark of trees, and with some reports finding “no significant differences” in the environmental footprint of leather tanned with tannins as compared to chromium.

How does leather impact people?

We know leather production causes harm to human communities nearby, like through toxic chemicals released into waterways. But are there more direct harms to people? The answer lies in the experiences of workers along the supply chain, from those rearing the cattle to those tanning the leather.

Tannery workers

Tannery workers are often exploited and face serious health risks, illness, and even death due to exposure to carcinogenic and harmful chemicals. For example, some reporting finds tannery workers have a 50% higher risk of pancreatic cancer linked to chemical exposure. Due to the pollution impact, industrial areas of China where leather is tanned are even referred to as “cancer villages” by local and international news outlets.

Farm workers

Forced labour can be a problem in leather supply chains, as with so many other fashion supply chains. Labour trafficking, debt bondage, and other forms of forced labour have all been recorded in Brazil, Paraguay, and Vietnam. This is of great concern given the lack of transparency in leather supply chains.

Many farm workers have also reported mental anguish related to their work, as they connect with the sentient animals they are paid to harm.

Slaughterhouse workers

We cannot forget that leather is produced in a slaughtering supply chain, and the human implications are significant. Slaughterhouse workers, like soldiers, commonly experience perpetration-induced stress (PITS), a mental illness similar to PTSD, but which comes from being “the direct reason for another being’s trauma”. According to the report by the Yale Global Health Review, as with PTSD, symptoms include “substance abuse, anxiety issues, depression, and dissociation from reality”.

Personal accounts from slaughterhouse workers killing cattle are disturbing and distressing, but the impact of slaughterhouse work doesn’t end there. Physical injuries are prevalent in this line of work, with around two injuries a week reported in the UK and two amputations a week in the US. But what’s perhaps even more concerning is what Yale researchers call “spillover in the psyches” of these workers who are often refugees, migrants, and other marginalised people, as many people with privilege avoid this work.

The mindset that slaughterhouse workers must maintain to survive their work can mean violence towards cattle transforms into violence against other people in their communities, too. Across 500 US counties, communities surrounding slaughterhouses fall victim to disproportionately high numbers of violent offences, including sexual assault.

How does leather impact animals?

While people on farms and in slaughterhouses report feeling traumatised by their treatment of animals, the animals themselves face intense trauma, only ending through slaughter.

Cattle and other animals tied up in leather supply chains like buffaloes, sheep, goats, pigs, and so many others are sentient and capable of fear and pain as much as joy and pleasure. Cows get excited when they learn something new, enjoy music, and form close social bonds. Sounds sweet, unlike the treatment of these creatures.

Some of the softest leather comes from calves, sometimes reared and killed specifically for luxury fashion. Other times, calf skin sales are a way to increase profits in the dairy industry, where male calves (who cannot produce milk) are slaughtered at five days old. Separating these young calves from their mothers—who are forcibly impregnated—can lead to depression in calves and extreme distress for their mothers, who are known to chase after vehicles taking their young away.

Cattle kept alive for longer often face painful yet legal mutilation like dehorning, branding, and castration without any pain relief.

Despite a potential lifespan of over 20 years, cattle whose skins are sold after their slaughter in the beef industry are generally a couple of years old. Cattle killed in leather supply chains are often slaughtered while fully conscious, in countries where animal welfare laws are either not enforced or non-existent. Even in countries with supposedly high animal welfare laws, cattle are regularly found to be slaughtered while conscious.

But what about certified sustainable and ethical leather?

Some certifications and standards claim to ensure sustainable and ethical leather. But is this possible? What are these standards changing, if anything?

The Leather Working Group (LWG) label is often seen on leather goods labelled as “sustainable” and “ethical”. On the plus side, LWG addresses environmental issues like the use of harmful chemicals such as chromium, effluent treatment, and also promotes traceability. But it’s not perfect: the Leather Working Group certification only covers tanneries, meaning many brands—such as Adidas, H&M, Zara, Prada, and Off White which use LWG certified leather—have been linked to Amazonian deforestation. Further, these tannery audits do not require social auditing to protect workers, and no consideration of cattle wellbeing is made, either.

What about leather made from animals raised in “regenerative agriculture” systems? Proponents claim that there is a sustainable and low-impact way to continue the widespread use of animal agriculture in a warming climate, saying that “high intensity, short duration grazing management can not only achieve greater livestock productivity and health but also sequester significantly more carbon than either continuous grazing management or the removal of animals from the land”. However, as the University of Oxford’s massive “Grazed and Confused” report finds, animal agricultural systems—even if they are more holistically managed—still have worsened environmental impacts than non-animal, plant-based systems do. The report concluded that data could not properly back up many of the aforementioned claims.

If you don’t mind wearing cow skin leather and want to continue wearing it, the most sustainable way is to keep wearing what you already have. You can also ensure that this leather lasts longer by caring for it properly. You can also look for vintage and pre-loved leather or recycled leather—but make sure that it’s reputably certified to be recycled and not greenwashed. It’s worth noting, too, that recycled leather can often contain plastic.

Sustainable leather alternatives

Are there any better alternatives to leather that aren’t simply plastic? While for now, synthetic leather remains the most common alternative to animal skin leather, that’s starting to change. And even plastic is getting a little more environmentally conscious, despite it still being plastic. PU, or polyurethane, is now more common than PVC (polyvinyl chloride), which is comparatively more harmful to the planet. Some synthetic leathers are now water-based or certified by standards like REACH and OEKO-TEX 100 which, while imperfect, are still a slight improvement on conventional synthetics.

PU synthetic leather has a reduced environmental impact during production when compared to cow skin leather, when considering climate, water, eutrophication, chemistry, and other impacts. This is worth keeping in mind if your options are limited (and you’ve already tried looking for pre-loved vegan leather— of which there is plenty). However, ideally, we should all be opting for more sustainable leather alternatives when buying new, especially as less synthetic options become more accessible.

Recycled, bio-based, and biodegradable leather alternatives

So, what are the options? First up, we have recycled leather (animal-based or synthetic), ideally certified by the Global Recycling Standard. Next, improving on purely synthetic leather are partly bio-based leather alternatives, like VEGEA, made from wine industry repurposed grape waste; Desserto, made from cacti; AppleSkin, made from—you guessed it—apple skins, cores, and seeds, and the earlier mentioned Piñatex, made from pineapple leaf fibre.

All of these materials are only partly bio-based and, like animal leather, won’t completely biodegrade. This is because they are coated in plastic, even if it’s a bio-based resin made from plant starch. While this is an improvement, it’s not the end of the road.

If you’re looking for a biodegradable leather alternative that’s available right now, opt for cotton-backed cork; washable paper, or more innovative and upcoming materials, like leaf-based Treekind—keeping in mind how new they are to the market and that comprehensive peer-reviewed studies on their environmental impacts might not yet exist.

The future of animal-free leather

In the future, we’ll also see much greater access to mycelium-based leather alternatives, like Mylo Unleather and Reishi. While these aren’t yet biodegradable, they’re far more climate, water, and land efficient and have some of the best tactile qualities.

There’s plenty to explore when it comes to the world of leather alternatives, and it’s an exciting time to see how this industry progresses. Material Innovation Initiative reporting has found that around 50 companies are currently working on next-gen leather-free materials. Almost all major brands are keen to use them, and there is plenty of financial support backing their development.

The future of leather-free fashion is looking good for people, the planet, and of course, our animal friends.

Learn more about sustainable and ethical materials

The post Material Guide: Is Leather Ethical or Sustainable? appeared first on Good On You.

Down feather: what’s all the fluff about?

Whether we think about it or not, hidden inside many of our puffer jackets and winter coats are feathers. Feather down usually comes from ducks and geese, which raises questions about their treatment. And while down is biodegradable, there’s a lot more to sustainability that we need to consider. So, is down feather ethical and sustainable?

A topic that’s ruffled feathers

While it can be easy to forget that people wear down feathers at all as it’s hidden inside our clothes, the down industry has had its fair share of criticism and controversy splashed across the media. The main reason for this? Live plucking.

Sometimes, ducks and geese have their feathers plucked out of their bodies while fully conscious. Their feathers are then sold, and when their new feathers grow back, they’re plucked again. This process is as painful as it sounds and can cause skin tears, severe injury, and even death.

But is this a problem across the down industry, or is there such a thing as ethical feather down? And what is the impact of feather down on the world around us?

Why do people wear down feathers at all?

• The downy feathers of birds are very warm, and until somewhat recently, there have not been alternatives that are as warm, if not warmer
• Down feathers are light, which can be useful if you’re layering clothes to keep warm
• Down feathers are biodegradable

But the supply chains which bring down feathers to the fashion industry are complex and come with a host of environmental costs and ethical issues—let’s take a look.

Impact on animals

Let’s get straight to it—the down industry is a slaughter industry. In the words of the International Down and Feather Bureau, “there are no farms that raise ducks and geese purely for the procurement of down and feather”. This fact doesn’t mean feathers are a worthless by-product of the meat industry, but—as with leather—down is a valuable co-product of meat production, bringing significant profit. The global down and feather market value continues to increase, with the industry estimated to be worth over $6.6 billion USD. Each year, an unimaginable 3.3 billion ducks are slaughtered across the globe—that’s 9 million each day.

Ducks and geese are thinking and feeling individuals just like any other animals—humans included. Ducks bob their heads around when they’re excited, and they’re highly social. Meanwhile, geese choose life partners and even mourn their deaths.

Sadly, even Responsible Down Standard certified down, and other supposedly “ethical” down certifications do not prevent ducks and geese from being slaughtered. While there is merit in attempting to reduce the amount of suffering involved in an animal’s life, it’s important to remember that commercial systems that treat animals as means to profit will always include a level of cruelty and eventual killing.

Let’s explore some of the most concerning aspects of the down industry.

False claims of cruelty-free feather collection

Many people choose to avoid down from birds who have been plucked alive, given how much suffering this causes. However, it’s been found that even Responsible Down Standard certified down suppliers and companies—which assure no live-plucking—have continued to live-pluck ducks and geese on farms. Suppliers have been recorded admitting to lying for the sake of the profit: “nobody dares to buy it if you say it’s live-plucked“.

Similarly, some farms and fashion brands claim feathers are “collected” during birds’ natural moulting process each year. It’s argued that feathers loosen during moulting, meaning that feather collection is a pain-free process. Unfortunately, all birds on a farm won’t moult simultaneously, so there’s no way to ensure many birds aren’t still being painfully plucked.

Foie gras, force-feeding, and feather down

Even if down isn’t sourced from ducks and geese who have been plucked alive, it can come from birds who have lived through suffering. Namely, by way of foie gras. Foie gras has been banned in dozens of countries, and most recently, in the city of New York. Foie gras means “fat liver” in French and is a paste made from the livers of ducks and geese who have been confined to cages and force-fed fatty food with a pipe that is pushed down their throat. This process can grow a duck’s liver up to ten times its normal size, and after 15 weeks of this pain and suffering, ducks are slaughtered.

Whether raised for meat or foie gras, ducks are killed at only a few weeks or months old, despite naturally living for over a decade. While we won’t get into the details, the slaughter of ducks is inherently violent.

Feather down from factory farms

The vast majority of ducks are factory farmed, as with most animals reared for production worldwide. Ducks and geese are aquatic birds, and if you’ve ever seen these birds while out walking, you’ll know that they spend the vast majority of their time on the water or nearby it. Despite this, ducks on factory farms—packed into sheds full of hundreds or thousands of other birds—are largely denied surface water to float in. This can cripple birds, who are not built to carry their weight on land so often.

The confinement ducks and geese face, cramping them in close quarters with so many other birds, can also result in psychological harm and related aggression between birds. Sometimes, factory farms cut or burn the ends of birds’ beaks off to avoid injuries when fighting rather than addressing the root cause.

A lack of animal protection laws

Down predominantly comes from nations with no or insufficient laws prohibiting violence against animals, especially farmed animals. Across the globe, animal laws are far worse than you might assume. China, where the vast majority of down is sourced, has no national laws prohibiting violence against animals. Similarly, while nations including Australia, America, and the United Kingdom have animal protection laws, they essentially exempt farmed animals to protect industry interest. In other words, cruelty to animals like ducks and geese is legal, so long as it can be deemed “necessary” to the industry’s profits—like the industry that sells feather down, which goes into jackets and coats.

Impact on the planet

Not only does down production harm ducks and geese themselves, but the planet is also impacted. While down is technically biodegradable—meaning it won’t hang around for years to come should it be discarded and it won’t leach toxins into the soil—there’s more to consider.

Reduced biodegradability

Here’s the thing: while down may be biodegradable, feathers are always kept inside of jackets and coats, and normally, this outer shell is not made from a biodegradable material. Even if a puffer jacket is made from recycled polyester, making it slightly more sustainable, this synthetic acts as a barrier between the outside world and the down—meaning it won’t be able to effectively biodegrade.

With equal to a garbage truck of textiles and clothing being sent to landfill every second around the world, the polyester of a synthetic jacket filled with down can take as long as 200 years to break down. If we want to talk about biodegradability in fashion, we need to consider garments in full, not solely the elements inside of them.

Inefficient animal rearing

As with all animal agricultural systems, rearing ducks is inefficient, and that means you need to put more into the system that aims to produce feathers and meat than you get out of it. When we factory farm birds, it’s not only the land the farm stands on that’s being used up, but all of the land used to grow monoculture cereal crops that ducks and geese eat, too. 36% of all crop calories grown worldwide go directly to farmed animals, but if we moved away from a reliance on animal agriculture, we could produce more with less land and allow more land to be rewilded, assisting in biodiversity restoration and carbon sequestration.

Eutrophication

Factory farms have another significant impact on the planet, called eutrophication. Eutrophication is a process in which a body of water becomes too rich in particular nutrients, resulting in the dense growth of blue-green algae that can suffocate everything underneath the water’s surface. This eutrophication can result in dead zones where aquatic life cannot survive. Runoff from factory farms like those confining ducks and geese is full of phosphorus-rich faeces, which often results in eutrophication.

Water worries

Water surrounding slaughterhouses—not just factory farms—is also put at risk by the down industry. When ducks and geese are slaughtered and later plucked of their feathers, it often occurs in abattoirs that release massive amounts of wastewater. The organic matter in this wastewater is not only bad for the planet but for surrounding (usually lower-socioeconomic) communities, too. A slaughterhouse killing birds has even been sued for dumping so much wastewater that members of the surrounding human community reportedly faced miscarriages, congenital disabilities, epilepsy, and other illness.

Can you buy ethical down feathers?

All down comes from ducks and geese who have been slaughtered or plucked alive. Unfortunately, there is no getting around that. Even when considering certifications like the Responsible Down Standard, birds live in factory farms up until they are killed far short of their natural lifespan and often face all sorts of harm until then.

With all of this in mind, there is no way to buy new feather down which does not cause direct suffering for birds. If you really need to buy feather down (though you’ll see some excellent, sustainable and ethical alternatives below), it’s best to try to find something pre-loved. Of course, you can also buy pre-loved non-down filled jackets and coats.

Finally, recycled down is not always 100% recycled, so if you’re considering buying something new made with recycled down, make sure to ask how the brand knows that 100% of the feather down is reclaimed from post-consumer products like duvets and pillows and not from cruelly treated birds.

Animal-free down alternatives

The best way to protect ducks and geese from harm is to choose animal-free alternatives to down. In the past decade, alternatives have become much more sustainable, and this innovation is only continuing. Some of the most sustainable alternatives to down include:

• PrimaLoft P.U.R.E
  This material is proven to be warmer than down, and unlike down, it is water-resistant. It is made of post-consumer waste plastics, resulting in a 48% emissions reduction during production.
  
• PrimaLoft Bio
  With the same benefits as other PrimaLoft materials, this material is 100% recycled and can completely biodegrade within two years.
• Thermore
  Certifiably made from 100% recycled, post-consumer PET plastic, this material is durable and long lasting. One of the benefits of using an innovative material like this, rather than feather down, is that it doesn’t stay damp, grow mould, or become heavy like wet down does.
  
• Recycled materials
  While PrimaLoft and Thermore are known as one of the most sustainable and effective recycled alternatives to down, many coat fillings are made from post-consumer waste. Given these fibres are inside of another material and in a garment that isn’t often machine washed, microfibre shedding is less of a concern, though still something to consider.
  
• Flowerdown
  This innovative material is becoming increasingly accessible and is made of wildflowers combined with aerogel and a biopolymer, increasing water repellency and thermal insulation while maintaining biodegradability.

Brands using down alternatives

The post Material Guide: Is Down Feather Ethical and Sustainable? appeared first on Good On You.

What’s up with conventional viscose?

As one of the most widely used fabrics in the world, you’ve likely heard of the semi-synthetic material known as viscose, a type of rayon. Made from wood cellulose and processed with chemicals to create a durable and versatile fabric, viscose is touted as an environmentally-friendly alternative to other harmful threads like conventional cotton and polyester. But while viscose is not inherently toxic or polluting, it comes with its own set of pros and cons, much like any other fabric.

There are two main concerns with viscose production: the source of the wood pulp and how it is turned into usable fabric. Unless certified by companies like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or produced by LENZING, it is difficult to know if your new silky top contributed to the deforestation of vulnerable forests or released toxic chemicals into the air and waterways near factories. That is a gamble many conscious consumers aren’t willing to take. So, what are the alternatives?

Sustainable alternatives to viscose

As always, using what you have and opting for second hand are your most sustainable choices. But when you do need to buy new and want to make the best choice possible, what are some better alternatives to viscose? And which “Good” or “Great” brands are incorporating them into their designs?

ECOVERO

As technology progresses, new materials are created, such as ECOVERO. Produced by LENZING, this innovative fabric is made using sustainable wood from controlled sources, which are either Forest Stewardship Council or Program for Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes certified in Europe. More than 60% of the trees used to produce the fibre come from Austria and Bavaria to ensure lower emissions. Nearly all the chemicals used during the production of ECOVERO are also recovered and reused, causing 50% less emissions and taking up half as much energy and water.

The post Top 17 Brands Using Sustainable Alternatives to Viscose appeared first on Good On You.

Conventional cotton has a dark side

Cotton. You sleep on it at night, you dry yourself with it after a shower, and you’re probably even wearing it right now.

Despite being so common and so useful (it represents nearly half the fibre used in the textile industry), cotton has a dark side. The story of how cotton is grown, harvested, and produced has some nasty truths that impact the planet and its inhabitants.

Cotton is sometimes referred to as “white gold” because of how lucrative it is in some low- and middle-income (LMIC) nations like Uzbekistan. But how can we make sure the cotton we wear and use has cared for the earth, waterways, and the people who helped make our garments? Is organic cotton a sustainable alternative, or is it a product of greenwashing?

The impacts of cotton production

The planet

Water

Cotton has often been dubbed “the thirsty crop”, with sources claiming for years that it took 2,700 litres of water to produce a single cotton t-shirt—but it’s not that simple. Like most crops, cotton’s relationship with water is complex. While blue water (irrigation) consumption of cotton lint sits at a global average of about 1,900 litres per kilogram, that is only one factor and doesn’t draw any meaningful conclusion about the “thirstiness” of cotton. That said, cotton is grown in many water-stressed regions and can contribute to water management challenges, but with the right support for farmers, it can be done more sustainably.

Pesticides

The production of cotton requires large quantities of insecticides. Pesticides can infect local waterways, destroying the environment and harming animals. Pests continually build a resistance to the chemicals used, so new formulas are continuously developed, resulting in greater pesticide use and spiralling costs for farmers.

The people

Pesticide poisoning isn’t limited to the environment. Food and water supplies can be easily contaminated from runoff, and it’s the local communities—sometimes already facing hardship—that suffer through disease, illness, and even congenital disabilities.

In many LMIC countries, cotton is hand-picked. In the past, countries like Uzbekistan often had children do this backbreaking work, taking them away from pursuing a life-changing education while running the risk of injury and illness. A recent ILO report outlines the drastic decrease of child and forced labour in Uzbekistan specifically from 2020, though there are still some concerns for working conditions.

Want to know more about cotton? Have a look at our “How Sustainable Is Cotton?” material guide

Is organic cotton a more ethical and sustainable solution?

To put it simply, organic cotton is a more sustainable solution. It is grown without pesticides from seeds that have not been genetically modified.

Organic farming practices avoid using harmful chemicals while aiming for environmental sustainability and the use of fewer resources. Chemical-free agricultural land even stays fertile much longer than land hampered by the constant use of pesticides, so organic cotton farmers generally have a longer cotton commodity lifespan than otherwise.

The benefits are clear: using fewer pesticides means that workers’ health improves dramatically, communities can live in relative health with access to clean water and food supplies, and the land has a longer lifespan because chemicals are not damaging it. It also means the clothes we wear are safer for us since they don’t contain the myriad of chemicals often found in conventional cotton garments.

On the social front, organisations such as the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) have been working to ensure organic textiles also enhance (or at least do not harm) people’s lives. GOTS covers the processing, manufacturing, packaging, labelling, trading, and distributing of textiles, ensuring that environmental and social standards—such as safe and hygienic working conditions, no workplace discrimination, and fair pay rates—are respected. Also, look out for Fair Trade certification to ensure workers are treated well along the supply chain.

By seeking out organic cotton alternatives to everyday products, you can quickly act ethically and sustainably by encouraging cotton grown without pesticides and reducing harm for the planet and people.

A couple of things to note

We know that consumers are increasingly looking for better products for themselves and the environment. The search for “organic” products began with food and has since reached the fashion industry. More and more brands are starting to offer organic options to their consumers (like Primark, which launched its first organic denim jeans in 2019).

However, organic cotton production is not perfect. Because organic cotton yields fewer fibres than GMO cotton, it requires more plants and more land to produce.

Plus, before the organic fibre is turned into your favourite t-shirt, it requires lots of processing and dyeing, which can also be very chemically intensive. Unless the garment is GOTS certified, it can be hard to tell if it has been coloured using safe or low impact colourants.

Nowadays, using the word “organic” can be incredibly persuasive. Beware of greenwashing and fashion brands claiming to do better when they are still not addressing other vital issues.

But don’t get us wrong: if sustainably and ethically produced, organic cotton is a fantastic alternative to conventional cotton.

Where to buy organic cotton

As always, if you want to have a more positive impact on people and the planet, we recommend buying less, choosing well, and making it last. If you are in the market for new clothes, we’ve also listed a few of our favourite organic brands below:

The post Material Guide: How Sustainable and Ethical Is Organic Cotton? appeared first on Good On You.

When you think of velvet, you might think of luxurious Renaissance drapings and ancient clothes, but these days you’re more likely to find it in trendy skirts, trousers, and dresses on the high street. This luminous and soft fabric feels and looks more luxurious than most textiles, and it has transcended trends and styles without a hitch. But how exactly is velvet made, and more importantly, is velvet sustainable?

A brief history of velvet

Although velvet is strongly associated with European nobility, it is most commonly believed to have originated from Eastern culture. Pieces of velvet woven from silk have been found in China dating back to as far as 403 B.C. Iraq and Egypt were also among the first producers of velvet, with pieces dating back to 2000 B.C.

Europeans introduced it into trade along the Silk Road, and Italy was the first European country to have a velvet industry. It soon became the largest producer and supplier in Europe. At the time, velvet was used in many luxury items such as curtains, furniture, and clothing. Velvet production peaked during the Renaissance, especially those patterned velvets we usually associate with the era.

As the Industrial Revolution brought technological advancement, it allowed for clothing and textile manufacturing—including velvet—to be quicker and cheaper. Despite this, velvet’s association with luxury stuck, and it was still used to make clothes feel and look more glamorous.

People’s love of velvet has lasted throughout the decades, through the glamorous vibes of the ’70s and the ’80s, and the pop icons of the ’90s. Nowadays, we see velvet in many different collections, styles, and forms, whether to help the trending ’90s revival in more innovative and modern takes on the textile, or lining your nearest theatre’s seats.

How is velvet made?

The word “velvet” refers to the structure of the fabric, not the actual fibre or material used. You can recognize velvet thanks to the short pile, raised loops, and tufts of yarn that cover its surface.

Unlike other fabrics, velvet is not flat-woven (or knitted, in which case it is called velour). It requires more yarn and steps to produce. First, yarn from different materials is woven together on a loom between two layers of backing. Then, the fabric is split down the middle, which creates two identical pieces, each with the upraised pile that gives it that soft texture.

Velvet can be woven from any type of yarn. While in the past it was traditionally woven from silk, today cheaper materials are commonly used alone or in combination, such as cotton, linen, wool, or synthetic fibres. The fashion industry, and especially fast fashion retailers, mostly replace silk or other natural materials with plastic-based polyester or nylon.

The impact of velvet fabric

Since it can be made from a variety of materials, the impacts of velvet are diverse and inconsistent. Here’s the low-down and whether velvet is ethical and sustainable.

On the planet

If your new velvet acquisition is made from polyester—which is derived from petroleum—it has major impacts on the planet. Because it is made of plastic, polyester is not biodegradable. It is also extremely water-thirsty. Velvet is also often treated with stain repellents, adding more chemicals to the already harmful process.

Some other materials used to make velvet like viscose or bamboo which are sometimes thought of as more sustainable can also have a negative impact on the environment. Be sure to check the eco credentials of the brand and fabric to make sure you’re not buying into the destruction of our planet.

On animals and people

Velvet was traditionally made from silk, which many people consider low-impact. However, there is a growing debate on the ethics of silk-making. Silkworms are usually boiled alive in order to extract the fibres, and even Ahimsa or “peace silk” isn’t entirely cruelty-free. What’s more, there have been reports of child labour in the silk industry, and a variety of negative health effects can be found in sericulture.

A study from the University of California funded by ethical outdoor wear brand Patagonia found that clothes made from polyester can shed on average 1.7 grams of microfibres each wash. Even if companies use recycled plastic bottles to make their fleece, research indicates that the plastic might ultimately end up in the oceans. Those synthetic microfibres are particularly dangerous because their size allows them to be consumed by fish and other wildlife, going higher and higher up the food chain, concentrating toxins, until they reach us.

How to wear velvet sustainably

If you really want a velvet item in your wardrobe, we recommend shopping second hand to avoid contributing to the production of new plastics or silk. Choosing well and buying less is a great way to reduce your impact on the environment while creating your own unique style.

Alternatively, try to look for velvet made out of TENCEL Modal or Lyocell which is made from sustainably harvested beech trees and eco-friendly processing methods. If you can find it, recycled velvet is also a good option.

Finally, look for brands that care about their environmental impact, the rights of their workers, and animal welfare. Our directory and app are great tools for finding brands that share your values.

Learn more about sustainable and ethical materials.

Here are a few “Good” and “Great” brands using upcycled, deadstock, or organic cotton velvet for some gorgeous pieces:

The post Material Guide: How Sustainable Is Velvet? appeared first on Good On You.

A woolly topic

The wool industry has a fairly wholesome image, which we take comfort in, too, as we picture well cared for sheep, roaming rolling hills. We imagine they’re rounded up every so often for a haircut which, if done with care, is an essential part of the life of a sheep. It seems as though the wool industry is mutually beneficial: sheep are cared for, we get warm woolly clothes. Win-win, right?

Unfortunately, the reality is far more complex. More and more investigations of the wool industry have found this picturesque ideal far from the truth. A few years ago, ethical outdoor clothing company Patagonia discovered animal cruelty practices in what they had believed were ethical farms. The world has been shocked by countless undercover exposés revealing painful mulesing and tail docking, two “surgical” practices legally performed with tools like knives, often with no pain relief.

But are these practices all we need to avoid for wool to be ethical? And how does wool production impact the world around us?

Why do we wear wool?

• Wool is breathable and a natural insulator
• Wool has an ability—similar to Tencel—to react to changes in the body’s temperature, meaning it keeps you cool in summer and warm in winter
• Wool is usually biodegradable. It decomposes readily, much like cotton and other plant-based fibres. That means once a woollen garment is worn out, you can bury it in the ground, and it will eventually compost. As long as it’s not superwash wool, which is coated in plastic.

But wool comes with a host of environmental costs and ethical issues—let’s take a look.

Impact on animals

Sheep have been domesticated for an extended part of human history but didn’t start as they are now. Humans have selectively bred sheep to maximise the amount of wool they carry. As a result, sheep risk death from heat exhaustion if not shorn. The sheep’s original ancestor, mouflon, could naturally shed their winter coats. The sheep we know today only continue to exist because we cyclically breed and slaughter them for our consumption of meat, wool, and sheepskins. We could see a future without sheep farming if we opted for plant-based materials instead and if lab-grown materials (and proteins) became a viable alternative.

In Australia, one of the world’s largest wool producers, it is widely believed that there are comprehensive animal welfare laws and standards. However, current Australian animal welfare legislation exempts farmed animals from the protections our dog and cat friends have. Sheep and other farmed animals are sentient creatures like pets and have an equal capacity to feel pain. There is also ample evidence that proves sheep are not as unintelligent as popular culture makes them out to be. Did you know sheep can remember as many as 50 sheep faces in addition to familiar human faces?

Some people consider alpaca wool a kind alternative to sheep’s wool, as it is often marketed as small-scale and sustainable in the industry. Unfortunately, an investigation into the leading production country of alpaca wool, Peru, has shown the opposite to be true. Following the release of footage showing alpacas suffering as they are tied down for shearing, even UNIQLO has banned the fibre. While these findings are always shocking and upsetting, it’s powerful to know that people raising their voices against poor treatment can foster change, even in big brands.

Painful standard practices

Current laws allow for standard practices such as castration, tail docking, and mulesing, all without pain relief. There is discussion about potentially making pain relief mandatory for mulesing in some places—as is already the case in New Zealand and Victoria—but not for castration or tail docking yet.

Both tail docking and mulesing are practised to reduce the risk of flystrike. Flystrike happens when blowfly eggs laid on the skin hatch, and the larvae feed on the sheep’s tissue. It can cause infection and even death. Mulesing involves cutting skin from the buttock region with a knife, and tail docking is exactly what it sounds like—cutting or otherwise severing sheep’s tails. These painful practices are recommended to be performed on lambs only a few weeks old.

Fortunately, flystrike can be avoided without mulesing or tail docking, thanks to regular surveillance, crutching (shearing around the buttocks of a sheep), and other interventions. We see this happen at rescue animal sanctuaries. However, large flock sizes are often more profitable, with the average Australian flock containing 2,700 sheep and worldwide flock sizes generally being large. It is near impossible to ensure that such a large number of sheep receive this level of care and attention in the industry.

The good news? Numerous brands are pledging to use mulesing-free wool or go wool-free altogether in response to the painful practice. This is a clear indication that animal rights are being more considered. Learn more about Four Paws’ #woolwithabutt campaign and add your signature to support mulesing-free wool. However, mulesing is only one form of mutilation performed on sheep, and we’d love to see the others be considered, too.

Wool and meat

The wool industry is often considered different from or “kinder” than the leather industry because skin comes from a dead animal, whereas wool may not. However, the wool and meat industries are intrinsically linked, as animals used for their wool are usually slaughtered for their flesh once they stop producing quality wool. This is the case for sheep and alpaca wool production.

Three-quarters of the sheep in Australia are merino—known as the “wool” breed—with most others being crossbreeds. Sheep are considered “dual purpose” by the industry, and even merinos are used for both meat and wool.

Sheep who are no longer producing wool of a financially viable quality for the industry are killed. Generally, this is because they reach 5 or 6 years old, and their wool degrades just like our hair does as we age. These sheep, who can naturally live up to twelve years old, are considered “cast for age” and sent to slaughter, often through the live export industry. The conditions on live export ships are horrific, and many animals die before they arrive at their slaughter destination due to stress, starvation, and overheating. To put this into perspective, out of the 3,000 brands that Good On You has rated, only one single brand has outlined a plan where sheep are not slaughtered when they stop producing viable wool.

Winter lambing

If we rewind to the beginning of a sheep’s life, there’s even more to uncover. Lambs in the wool and meat industries are generally bred to be born in the winter season. This is a cost-effective decision for the industry, as it means the lambs have green grass to fatten up on in spring, reducing the need for costly supplementary feed.

Fifteen million lambs die in the first 48 hours of their lives each year due to exposure to the cold, starvation, and neglect. This number is in part so high because the industry has selectively bred sheep for generations to have higher rates of twins and triplets. Twins and triplets are more likely to be smaller, weaker, and unable to withstand the harsh conditions they are born into.

Similarly, it is difficult for mother ewes to look after more lambs—especially triplets, as they only have two teats to feed their lambs from—and they are more prone to birthing complications and death. Farmers are encouraged by the industry to cull ewes who have been unable to keep their lambs alive, as they are considered less profitable mothers.

Some organisations take in orphaned lambs who are found or handed over from farmers who don’t want to see them die, like Lamb Care Australia. It’s comforting to know such missions exist while the broader issue continues to be addressed.

All of this suffering is avoidable as there are plenty of similar materials that aren’t made from animals. A great thermo-regulating alternative to wool is Tencel, and you can find more fabric recommendations at the end of the article.

Impact on the planet

Other than it being unnatural for our earth to have so many sheep on it—we breed and kill a staggering 500 million sheep annually worldwide—wool is a natural fibre, and it will biodegrade. Biodegradable materials are, of course, far better for the environment when considering post-consumer waste than synthetics like nylon, polyester, and acrylic, as these are forms of plastic. Like any other plastic, these fabrics take years to break down if they are discarded. Not to mention the pesky microfibres they shed in washing machines that end up in waterways.

But biodegradability is not all there is to the sustainability considerations of a fabric. Even when comparing Australian wool with Australian grown cotton, Collective Fashion Justice’s CIRCUMFAUNA initiative found that wool has a very high impact, with the production of a wool knit jumper emitting 27 times more greenhouse gas emissions than a cotton one. And did you know that heat-generating emissions from land clearing for pasture, enteric fermentation (animal belching and breathing), burning savannah, manure, and “livestock” production generates 83% of all Australian agricultural emissions?

As we continue to compare Australian grown fibres—though cotton is not faultless—we also see that to produce one bale of wool, a whopping 367 times more land must be kept cleared than for a bale of cotton. In fact, animal farming generally is the world’s largest user of land resources. Pasture and arable land used to grow feed for farmed animals represent almost 80% of total agricultural land, and 26% of the earth’s ice-free surface is used for grazing. When we clear land, we cause a loss of biodiversity, wild animals lose their natural habitat and have an increased risk of endangerment and extinction, and greenhouse gas emissions are released as trees are cut down. Intensive sheep farming also results in land degradation and even desertification.

But it’s not all bad news. Environmental scientists are finding that with a transition away from animal agriculture and towards plant-based, recycled, and lab-grown production, we could rewild so much land that 99-163% of our carbon emissions budget could be sequestered.

Can you buy ethical wool?

When buying wool, you will sometimes come across standards and certifications that claim to ensure the fair treatment of animals, such as the Responsible Wool Standard and ZQ Merino Standard.

However, neither of these standards prevent the slaughter of sheep nor the practice of winter lambing. While ZQ Merino Standard does not mention pain relief for tail docking or castration on their website, the Responsible Wool Standard requires it “when suitable pain relief is available”. Importantly, these practices would not be necessary if we didn’t breed farmed animals so intensively, and we would never consider it ethical to cut off the tail of a dog or a cat, even with pain relief. In fact, it’s illegal in many places.

If you do feel you need wool, opt for vintage, pre-loved, or recycled wool goods that don’t contribute to any of the harms facing sheep and the planet while keeping landfills less full.

Animal-free wool alternatives

If you feel like you’d rather steer clear of the fluffy white fabric, there’s a bunch of materials you can wear instead that are better for people, the planet, and of course, our animal friends:

• Recycled or second hand synthetic materials (though these do still shed microfibres—consider buying a Guppyfriend wash bag, which many brands encourage)
• Recycled or second hand plant-based materials like cotton
• More sustainably, fairly sourced cotton such as GOTS certified cotton
• Hemp and hemp blends
• Tencel
• Organic linen

It’s helpful to note, too, that woollen knitted garments are not the only way to keep warm in winter. There are plenty of technical fabrics and garments designed for warmth made from recycled human-made materials and innovative plant-based ones.

Stay warm in these sheep-free vegan knits

The post Material Guide: How Sustainable and Ethical Is Wool? appeared first on Good On You.

What is modal and how is it made?

Modal is the generic name for a semi-synthetic upgrade to viscose (viscose aka rayon—here’s our take on the sustainability of viscose). Essentially modal goes through an additional process that makes it somewhat stronger than traditional rayon. Breathable and silky smooth to the touch and with impressive resistance to shrinkage and pilling, modal is around 50% more water-absorbent per unit volume than cotton. Boasting similar properties to other cellulose fibres, it’s designed to absorb the dye and stay colour-fast when washed in warm water, making it a popular choice for underwear and activewear alike. Some modal is still made in Japan, where it was originally developed in 1951, but the vast majority is now produced in China.

The manufacturing process involves spinning reconstituted cellulose from beech trees. The wood fibres are pulped into liquid form and then forced through tiny holes, creating the thread. This thread is then woven together to make the modal fabric, which may be used on its own or in a textile blend with other materials like cotton.

How does modal impact the environment?

Modal is not inherently sustainable or environmentally friendly, but it can be under certain circumstances. According to the Sewport guide on modal, “It is up to individual manufacturers to follow the manufacturing processes that will result in environmentally-friendly fabrics.” So, what issues does modal production face?

There are two main environmental issues to be aware of when it comes to modal. As modal is created from tree fibres, consumers should be aware of both the trees’ source and the effects of processing them into fibre.

Forest destruction

As with viscose, sourcing wood to turn into modal risks the destruction of native forest. Although as Sewport says, many manufacturers “only use cellulose from trees that have been grown on land that is not suitable for any other agricultural purposes” or use more sustainable types of wood like bamboo. But where the trees come from is essential. For example, the Rainforest Action Network has accused less reputable manufacturers of forest destruction in Indonesia. According to sustainable fashion commentator Summer Edwards, “modal that has been produced in Indonesia is known to be manufactured with plantation woodstock that is grown in areas of rainforest that have been clear-felled to make way for monocrop timber plantations”.

Harmful chemicals

The second issue is the chemicals. During the production of rayon fabrics, concentrations of caustic soda are used to dissolve and purify the cellulose. This step, called “xanthation”, uses the infamous neurotoxin carbon disulphide, which can then be introduced into the environment through the air or contaminated water. Not only does this harm any animals who come in contact with it, but it’s also devastating for the people who make the clothes, who can experience serious medical problems from liver damage, to blindness—even death!

Thankfully, modal manufacturing is slightly more eco-friendly than viscose, as it uses less chemicals in its production process. What’s more, many rayon manufacturers have started to use chemical scrubbers or machines to trap the chemicals before they make their way into the ecosystem, further reducing harm.

However, modal didn’t make the cut in the top three tiers of our internal fabric ranking because of these contentious issues. But not all hope is lost. One version of modal is ranked ‘third best’, putting it ahead of the most damaging fabrics like polyester and conventional cotton.

Better modal

For modal to be better, we want to be assured it was sourced from renewable forests and that the chemical processing was done at the highest standards, including minimising chemical emissions to air or water.

Today, one of the best-known producers of modal is the Austrian company Lenzing AG, which now markets its version under the name TENCEL Modal (previously Lenzing Modal). Note that ‘Tencel’ is often used to mean TENCEL Lyocell (a more sustainable alternative we talk about below), but that brands could now refer to lyocell OR modal fabric, so it’s worth clarifying.

TENCEL Modal is protected by a global certification system. Lenzing has developed environmental processes for manufacturing its modal, which are not currently commercially available to others. These less-toxic technologies allow Lenzing to have high recovery rates of process ingredients, minimising emissions and conserving resources.

The trademarked TENCEL Modal is harvested from PEFC or, less commonly, FSC sustainably managed beech tree plantations in Austria and surrounding European countries. Other modal fibres on the market are often less transparent and may not be harvested from renewable sources.

The environmental footprint of TENCEL Modal is a primarily positive one—it’s carbon-neutral, requires less land per tonne than cotton fibres, and has a water consumption level that’s ten to twenty times less than that of cotton. Many brands, therefore, see modal as an eco-friendly choice.

The catch

However, a key factor in all of this is that Lenzing does not produce ready to wear fabrics. Instead, the company sells yarns to mills and manufacturers who, in turn, make fabrics. The environmental impact involved in weaving fibres into fabrics can be significant, with conventional methods using high levels of water and chemicals.

As a consumer, it’s hard to know where the modal used in your clothes comes from unless the brand is transparent. Be sure to look out for Lenzing in the product descriptions when shopping for modal clothes.

Recent innovations

In February 2021, Lenzing unveiled pioneering TENCEL Modal fibre with Indigo technology to help elevate sustainability in the denim industry. Lenzing has partnered with leading supply chain partners, including denim mill Candiani Denim, a client of our friends over at Eco-Age. The new TENCEL branded modal fibre with Indigo technology uses a one-step spun-dyeing process to deliver indigo colour while using substantially fewer resources and was awarded the EU Ecolabel for meeting high environmental standards!

How does modal compare to other rayon fabrics?

Modal is often compared to other types of rayon, like viscose or lyocell.

Although the production for modal and viscose are similar, the resulting modal fibres are much stronger and more durable (especially when wet) but also lighter and more breathable. Conventional modal is somewhat less harmful than viscose as it produces fewer chemical emissions; as noted above, TENCEL Modal is better again as the fibre sources come from more sustainably managed forests and far less chemicals are emitted. But it’s far from the least harmful material going!

True lyocell (often marketed as Tencel, but look for TENCEL Lyocell to be sure) is more environmentally friendly since it’s made using an organic solution that replaces the sodium hydroxide used in modal production. It also uses a closed-loop solvent system, which means that no solvent is wasted or dumped into the ecosystem! Lenzing is again the primary producer of the eco-friendly alternative lyocell fabric, named TENCEL Lyocell, which we classify a second-tier or ‘good choice’ fabric.

So, in summary

It is essential to consider both the source materials and fibre processing and the weaving, cutting, and transportation process when thinking about the sustainability of a fabric. In addition, different countries and manufacturers apply very different environmental standards. China, for example, has a history of generally lax emissions standards, meaning fewer requirements for producers to avoid the release of harmful chemicals into waterways, impacting not only the planet but the people, too. We understand that some regions in China have pushed producers to improve their processes, and of course, some factories will have higher standards than others.

Be sure to choose brands with transparent production processes to ensure you’re making the most ethical choice. The best advice is to assume that modal is only a little more sustainable than viscose unless the brand is very clear that it is TENCEL Modal or specifies both that the source fibre comes from PEFC or FSC certified forests and that it is processed in a high-quality facility with high environmental standards including the capture of a high percentage of chemicals in the processing stages.

Here are some ‘Good’ and ‘Great’ rated brands using sustainably-produced modal:

The post Material Guide: What Is Modal? And Is It Sustainable? appeared first on Good On You.

Gone are the days when rubber—or latex—was only associated with fetish clubs and underground cultures. Today, more and more designers are incorporating the material into their collections, like in Kourtney and Kim Kardashian’s Balmain latex suit, or more recently in Bottega Venetta’s Rubber Flash Mule, which is said to be an “elevated take on fashion’s favourite ‘ugly’ shoe: the rubber clog.” Rubber rain boots are even set to be one of the trendiest boots this winter, with Lyst announcing that searches for rubber shoes are up 23% since April.

But what do we know about rubber as a fashion material? What is rubber exactly? How is it made? And most importantly: is it sustainable? Today we give you the lowdown on this quirky material.

What is rubber?

When you think about rubber, you probably have in mind erasers, tyres, elastic bands, rain boots, or those horrible swimming caps, but what is it exactly, and where does it come from?

Rubber is a strong, elasticky and super stretchy material that can either be natural or synthetic. It can be soft or hard, and this versatility means it can be used in a wide variety of items.

Natural rubber is made using latex, the runny, milky white sap that oozes from certain plants and trees when you cut into them. Today, most of the natural rubber used in the world comes from the latex of the Hevea brasiliensis, also known as the rubber tree.

Because we can’t produce enough natural rubber to meet our needs, we also make synthetic rubber, which is made—as you might have already guessed—with chemicals. The most well-known synthetic rubbers are neoprene (the material used in most wetsuits) and emulsion styrene-butadiene rubber (E-SBR), used for making tyres.

It’s said that over 1000 years ago, Native Americans living in Central and South America were making waterproof clothes and shoes using the latex from rubber trees. Still, it’s only in the 1830s, when Charles Goodyear accidentally discovered how to make rubber stronger, that it became a commercial commodity.

How is rubber made?

Ok, so now we know rubber comes from trees or mixing chemicals, but what does that look like, exactly?

Natural rubber starts with rubber tapping, which involves making a cut into the tree bark and collecting the sap as it drips out. The collected latex is filtered, washed, and mixed with acids to make the rubber particles stick together.

For synthetic rubber, the process usually starts with mixing chemicals. More precisely, it starts with the refining of oil, coal, or other hydrocarbons, during which naphtha is produced. The naphtha is then collected before being combined with natural gas to produce monomers such as neoprene or styrene-butadiene, which we talked about earlier. These monomers go through another process that results in a chain of polymers and creates that rubbery substance.

The natural and synthetic mixtures are then pressed into slabs and dried before being made softer through a process called mastication, mixed with chemicals to improve their properties, squashed, and squeezed. Finally, the rubber is cooked with sulphur and vulcanised (the method discovered by Charles Goodyear) to about 140°C (280°F). The rubber is then ready to use for a multitude of applications.

How is rubber used in fashion?

It was in the early 1800s that scientists started exploring rubber as a clothing material. In 1818, James Syme tried using rubber-coated cloth to make raincoats, but in 1823, Charles Macintosh refined (and patented!) Syme’s technique by using Goodyear’s vulcanisation process. He has been known ever since as the inventor of the rubberised waterproof coat, aka “Mackintoshes”. But—as you might imagine—rubber is not an easy material to work with and sew, so designs were minimal.

Today, rubber is seen as an edgy and cool material, worn by celebrities like Kim Kardashian or Lady Gaga when she met Elizabeth II wearing a stunning red latex dress (Lady Gaga, not the Queen!). But rubber is also super practical, and its waterproof properties make it an excellent material for different uses, from surf wetsuits to clogs, sneaker soles, and simple rain boots.

Is rubber ethical and sustainable?

As we mentioned, one type of rubber comes from trees, so it’s easy to think that this natural material is sustainable, ethical, eco-friendly, and overall good for the Planet, People, and Animals. But in reality, even natural rubber production is far from perfect, and it does pose some threat to the Earth and its inhabitants. Let’s take a look.

Impact on the planet

While rubber trees are native to rainforests in the Amazon region of South America, the majority of production has moved, and today around 90% of natural rubber is produced in Asia due to several plant diseases. This move is creating issues:

The first is deforestation, as tropical forests are cleared for rubber plantations to meet the growing demand. It’s said that from the moment rubber production started speeding up in the 2000s to 2012, more than 1 million hectares of non-traditional rubber areas in Southeast Asia were lost to rubber plantations. This threatened biodiversity in one of the world’s most species-rich regions.

Plus, even in Asia, rubber trees are not immune to pests, diseases, and the damages that come with it, meaning pesticides and herbicides are often used to protect the production and ensure its profitability. As we now know, pesticides and herbicides are very potent and can contaminate soil, water, vegetation, animals, insects … Long story short, they’re bad news for all living things, including us humans.

And that’s just natural rubber. Synthetic rubber poses threats of its own. The main one is that it’s usually made from crude oil, which is non-renewable, non-biodegradable, and releases harmful chemicals into the environment. No, thank you.

If that wasn’t enough, even natural rubber items are usually not made from natural rubber alone. The rubber is generally mixed with other (chemical) components to make the items more durable or resistant. Even the simple vulcanisation process (remember, mixing rubber with sulphur and then heating it) early on in rubber production renders it non-biodegradable.

Impact on people

Yes, rubber grows on trees, but you still need people to tend to the trees and work throughout the production process. ​​

Thailand is one of the biggest rubber exporters, and many of the 2 million rubber farmers in the country are migrant labourers from poorer neighbouring countries, earning as little as US$6 a day.

More recently, there have also been reports of clashes between indigenous people and local communities, and rubber companies, because of land grabs and poor working conditions.

Plus, like many industries globally, the natural rubber industry took a hit from the COVID-19 crisis. As the world stopped, many smaller producers struggled to make a living, and some recently implemented sustainability initiatives were paused.

Unfortunately, the issues in the rubber industry are not as well-known as the ones in soy or palm oil production. According to WWF, that’s one reason why rubber production is “fraught with issues, including corruption, land grabs, human and labour rights violations, illegal logging, and deforestation”. This also means the rubber industry is less regulated.

Moving towards a sustainable rubber industry

But there’s some good news. To start with, rubber trees now growing on previously cleared land with low conservation value can help to capture carbon emissions and reduce erosion.

Rubber production also provides jobs and livelihood for millions of workers. And when rubber trees stop producing latex, the wood can be reused, providing income in different industries.

Luckily, big organisations are spearheading a sustainable rubber supply chain that positively impacts the environment and people, including WWF’s Sustainable Business Programme, which is currently working with Myanmar’s Department of Agriculture.

And in October 2018, the independent Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPNSR) was set up to help improve the impact of the natural rubber industry.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has also developed a position statement for all companies that wish to source sustainable natural rubber, helping improve the social and environmental management of natural rubber plantations worldwide. Brands such as Patagonia and Allbirds have signed FSC’s statement.

What about recycled rubber?

Recycled materials are gaining traction, and we see more and more brands using recycled rubber. Used tyres are one of the most recycled rubber materials, with the United States alone recycling an estimated 250 million tyres annually.

Like most recycled materials, recycling rubber reduces the need to harvest new rubber, reduces the risks associated with natural rubber production, AND uses less energy than creating new synthetic rubber.

Overall, new rubber, even when natural, isn’t the most sustainable or ethical material, but we are seeing some progress. If you’re interested in buying an item that contains rubber, we recommend checking where the material comes from and if it is fairly and sustainably sourced. Recycled rubber is also an excellent, more sustainable option.

Once your item has reached the end of its life, check with your local waste processing facilities to see if they will accept it for further recycling.

Brands using recycled rubber

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What is viscose?

Viscose is often touted as a sustainable alternative to cotton or polyester and is popular in the fashion industry as a cheaper and more durable alternative to silk. It’s often used to create those drapey summer dresses, skirts, soft blouses, and synthetic velvet. But viscose isn’t just found in our clothes—it’s also used in the manufacturing of upholstery, bedding, carpets, cellophane, and even sausage casing!

A brief history of viscose

Viscose rayon has a truly European story. French scientist and industrialist Hilaire de Chardonnet (1839-1924) is credited with inventing the first commercial viscose fibre, as a cheaper alternative to silk. But the fabric was so flammable it was quickly taken off the market until a safer process was developed by the German Bemberg Company. In 1892, British scientists Charles Frederick Cross, Edward John Bevan, and Clayton Beadle discovered and patented the production process, and by 1905 the first commercial viscose rayon was on the market.

How is viscose made?

Viscose is derived from the ‘cellulose’ or wood pulp from fast-growing, regenerative trees such as eucalyptus, beech, and pine, as well as plants such as bamboo, soy, and sugar cane. This cellulose material is then dissolved in a chemical solution to produce a pulpy viscous substance, which is then spun into fibres that can then be made into threads.

So, is viscose sustainable?

As a plant-based fibre, viscose is not inherently toxic or polluting. However, because of the growing fast fashion industry, much of the viscose on the market today is manufactured cheaply using energy, water, and chemically-intensive processes that have devastating impacts on workers, local communities, and the environment.

There are two main areas of concern when it comes to the production of viscose, and they are the source of the wood pulp and how it is turned into a usable fabric.

The wood pulp that viscose is made from is manufactured by treating it with chemicals, which is then filtered and spun into a fine thread. This is a highly polluting process and releases many toxic chemicals into the air and waterways surrounding production plants. Carbon disulphide, one of the chemicals used, is another toxic ingredient which has been linked to higher levels of coronary heart disease, birth defects, skin conditions, and cancer, not just in textile workers, but also in those who live near viscose factories. What’s more, dissolving-pulp wastes approximately 70% of the tree and is a chemically intensive manufacturing process.

In 2017, an investigation was undertaken by the Changing Markets Foundation that linked fashion brands such as Zara, H&M, and Marks & Spencer to highly polluting viscose factories in China, India, and Indonesia. Concerns have also been raised regarding the devastating impact of wood pulp production on forests, people, and vulnerable animal populations.

What’s more, the production of viscose is contributing to the rapid depletion of the world’s forests, which are being cleared to make way for pulpwood plantations. It is estimated that around 30% of rayon and viscose used in fashion is made from pulp sourced from endangered and ancient forests. This leads not only to habitat destruction—creating a significant threat to endangered species—but also often involves human rights abuses and land grabbing from Indigenous communities.

Organisations like Canopy work to make sure that viscose is not from high-risk areas. In 2014, Canopy also teamed up with Stella McCartney to create a life-cycle analysis on alternative fibres.

Though the viscose production process is multi-faceted, retailers play a significant role in the problem. Fast-fashion giants are placing pressure on manufacturers to produce and distribute clothes at ever-increasing speeds and cheaper costs. This encourages these unsustainable social and environmental practices. Big brands have the money and power to step up and encourage responsible and sustainable manufacturing, but we are yet to see enough meaningful action. Disappointingly, according to a new report by the Changing Markets Foundation, “While viscose suppliers have made considerable strides to eliminate endangered forest fibres from their feedstocks over the years, some 75 percent of the world’s leading brands have made few to no commitments to sourcing more sustainable viscose.”

Are there better options?

As technology progresses, new materials are created, such as EcoVero. Produced by Lenzing, this innovative fabric is made using sustainable wood from controlled sources which are either Forest Stewardship Council or Program for Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes certified in Europe. More than 60% of the trees used to produce the fibre come from Austria and Bavaria to ensure lower emissions. Nearly all the chemicals used during the production of EcoVero are also recovered and reused, causing 50% less emissions and taking up half as much energy and water. Armedangels even started using EcoVero in 2017, like in this dress:

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But what is acetate, exactly? What is it made from? What is it used for? And most importantly, is acetate as eco-friendly as some manufacturers say? Let’s have a look!

What is acetate?

Acetate is a human-made, semi-synthetic material derived from cellulose. More precisely, it’s made from wood pulp combined with chemicals like acetic acid (vinegar), acetic anhydride, and sulphuric acid. It is then spun into fibres, sometimes mixed in with other materials, hardened into a sheet, or moulded into shapes.

Fabric made from acetate is shiny, soft, and is usually used as an alternative to silk or rayon.

Acetate is the second oldest human-made fabric after rayon. It was invented in Europe in the 19th century as a varnish for aeroplane wings and later developed for use as a fabric in the US in the 20th century.

What is it used for?

Acetate has several uses. Because of its silk-like qualities, it’s used as a fibre to make wedding or graduation gowns, lining, curtains, or furnishing. Basically, sturdy and fancy items that don’t need to be washed often.

And because it’s thermoplastic—meaning it can soften when heated and return to a hardened state when cooled—acetate can also be used to make accessories like jewellery, glasses, and sunglasses. Acetate has gained popularity in recent years, being touted as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic to produce eyewear.

Interestingly, acetate can also be used as an alternative to tortoiseshell and might have even helped save Hawksbill sea turtles from going extinct, as Eco-Cult’s Alden Wicker brilliantly explains.

Advantages and disadvantages of acetate

Practically speaking, acetate has many advantages. As a fabric, it dries quickly, doesn’t shrink, doesn’t pile, and is resistant to moth and mildew stains. In its hardened form, acetate is very easy to process, making it a great and inexpensive material.

However, acetate also has its fair share of disadvantages—it’s not breathable at all (remember how sweaty your graduation gown made you feel?). It also wrinkles very easily, and it can melt when it gets too hot, which means you need to be careful when washing it. Speaking of washing, when we researched this article, many websites recommended acetate be dry cleaned. But dry cleaning is very chemically intensive, and it can harm the environment, animals, and the dry-cleaners. No, thank you.

The verdict: is acetate eco-friendly?

The one question that remains is: is acetate eco-friendly? Is it as sustainable as some say?

Acetate is a plant-based material, and studies have shown that it can biodegrade, depending on where and how it is discarded. So yes, in some ways, you could say that acetate is eco-friendly, BUT—and it’s a big “but”—only to a certain extent.

As we saw earlier, numerous chemicals need to be added to wood pulp before it can become acetate. And some of these chemicals are plasticizers derived from petroleum, including the much-discussed and very toxic phthalates that cause many general and reproductive health issues. The chemicals can be dangerous to you, the workers that manufacture acetate, the environment where the acetate product eventually lands, and any animals who come across it!

And if that wasn’t enough, acetate can contribute to microplastic pollution—cellulose acetate was found to be one of seven materials that accounted for over half of the microplastics found in the arctic.

Our conclusion? You should still be wary when buying items made from acetate. At Good On You, we don’t treat acetate as a sustainable material—”It’s better than virgin plastics, but it’s more like choosing the better of two evils,” says our Head of Ratings, Kristian Hardiman. If you do opt for acetate, good terms to look out for are ‘bio-acetate’ or ‘bio-plastic’, which generally mean a higher percentage of the material is made from plants, increasing the chance of biodegradability. You should also pick a high-quality, long-lasting, and timeless product, as the best thing you can do with acetate is keep it in circulation for as long as possible. Finally, double-check the wood pulp comes from sustainable sources like FSC or PEFC-certified plantations and is produced in a regulated environment (for example, following the European Union’s REACH chemical guidelines, as highlighted by Alden Wicker).

Still keen on the longevity of acetate and want a sustainable option? Below are some ‘Good’ and ‘Great’ brands that use bio-acetate in their stylish eyewear:

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The numbers: how much skin are we talking about?

Traditional leather production in itself is a far cry from sustainable. The scale behind a global market means the production of leather has a massive impact on the environment. This impact is intrinsically linked to the enormous volume of skins needed to produce leather products each year, from shoes, which represent half of light leather’s purpose, to handbags, travel goods, furniture, and other diverse end-uses in and out of fashion. It is hard to picture, but for reference, the world’s leather production amounts on average to 6 million tonnes of raw hides per year, the majority of which come from cows. This represents more than 344 million cows, 571 million sheep, and 364 million goats. Let that sink in for a minute.

Can leather be ethical?

The simple answer is: no. Nowadays, “ethical” production considers a wide variety of things, from working conditions to the actual fairness of the deal between producers, owners, sellers, and resellers; the use of natural resources, and stocking and travel methods. The more scrutiny we put on the supply chain, the more demanding the criteria becomes. From wages, breaks, and healthcare, to the impact on the community and preventing exploitation of women and children, “ethical” is not a simple label but an overarching approach to production.

Ethical leather would have to consider all of these impacts on the people involved, and that’s before even considering the welfare of the main group affected: the animals.

Ethics considers how they are raised, treated, fed, and how and when they are slaughtered. Cows, for example, are killed so young that they only live, on average, 18 months of their twenty-year life expectancy before they are slaughtered. The real question is: can the act of killing animals for any utility purpose ever be considered ethical? A survey carried out by Vogue Business found that 37% of people in the UK and 23% in the US think leather is “inappropriate in fashion”. And while the leather trend was again spiking in 2020 fashion shows, it all comes back to the demands of consumers. That is to say, your demands. As the fur trade is slowly being cut out of luxury labels due to the action of animal rights advocates, leather faces similar charges. As long as there is a meat industry, leather is likely to be tolerated. Still, considering the major sustainability issues it raises, it is only a matter of time before it decreases and faces moderation—or transformation.

The real question is: can the act of killing animals for any utility purpose ever be considered ethical?

What about lab-grown leather?

Another emerging option is lab-grown leather. As the food industry increasingly turns towards non-animal meat for health, environmental, and ethical reasons (Forecaster AT Kearney has predicted plant-based meat like Impossible Foods and lab-grown will be 60% of the meat market by 2040), so too must fashion look towards a someday “real leather”-less future. While several startups are working on lab-grown high-end leather, it’s hard to say when it will go mainstream. At first, the price will be non-competitive. But eventually, technological development and market changes are likely to bring it to below the cost of leather sourced from cows: and we assure you, you won’t be able to tell the difference.

Animal products and indigenous peoples

For some remote indigenous populations, animal skins are one of the only sources of income available to help their communities thrive. As an example, some Inuit people in Canada must rely on sealing to survive—an act that has been condemned by some animal rights groups and faced global criticism without considering the consequent impact on said community. The commercial sealing industry is horrific and outdated, but indigenous communities insist their approach is very different: taking only what they need, sustainably using every part of the animal, and never killing the pups or “whitecoats” so often seen in activist imagery. Similar stories can be found in the Asian Highlands with the numerous yak-herding communities, and in indigenous Australians’ relationship with kangaroos. Factory and commercial-scale farming is cruel and in dire need of reform, but these examples of indigenous animal use make up but a fraction of overall animal deaths. Putting indigenous practices under the microscope while ignoring cattle farming in the West is inconsistent at best and likely has roots in racist and colonial thinking.

Can leather be sustainable?

If we consider sustainability in relation to the environment, a “sustainable leather” would address the very polluting process of tanning that uses carcinogenic, chromium-based agents that are then dumped in nature without treatment. While vegetable-tanned leather sounds like a sustainable option at first, it can also have terrible impacts on both ecosystems and communities if not treated correctly. Whilst it is often marginally better than traditional tanning, the most important thing is the treatment. You can have non-vegetable tanned leather treated in a state of the art tannery that is more sustainable than vegetable-tanned leather! Then there’s the extensive use of land needed for cattle farming that so often leads to vast amounts of deforestation, as mentioned previously.

These issues are created initially by the meat industry, from which leather derives. But to claim sustainability, leather companies must lead the way to a more transparent meat supply chain, making control and quality possible. The cows must come from areas that are not preserved, like the Amazon forest, and the tanning process must not harm the environment and its residents with its waste discharge.

Finally, how the leather acts in the environment at the end of its lifecycle is crucial. There is a bit of a myth that because leather comes from a “natural” source, it will break down quickly and gently in the environment, but that isn’t the case owing to the harsh chemicals used in its production. A sustainable leather would be biodegradable and not poison soils along the way.

Second hand, vintage, and upcycled leather may be the only “ethical” leather there is

Today, the rapid rate at which we consume fashion cannot exist without damaging the environment. While some might imagine the only sustainable (or even ethical) leather to be Bessy’s happy gift to us after a life well-lived, we should consider every square metre of hide a precious gift—a rare natural resource. That is why we need to adapt our model to one that values items that last longer in order to buy less—one that organises a consistent secondary market allowing collecting and proper recycling or upcycling of leather goods. Put simply, second hand is the most ethical and sustainable option for animal leather, as it capitalises on the massive amount of leather already created instead of tapping into new hides that cause so much suffering for people, the planet, and especially animals. You should always consider vintage or second hand first when you want a classic leather jacket: they never go out of style, and thrift shops are filled with them!

Labels and certifications for more sustainable leather

If you do decide to purchase new leather goods, keep an eye out for these labels and certifications to ensure you are investing in a more sustainable option.

Remember: full supply chain traceability is the major criteria here. Most luxury and middle-range brands value their craftsmanship heritage and the use of traditional “Italian leather”. But considering the volume of shoes (23.5 billion pairs in 2018) and other items produced, this label only means the leather has been tanned in Italy and often originates from Brazil. The choice of retailers between using leather over alternatives results from a calculation lacking traceable proof. It has more to do with how they are informed about their supply chain processes. That is why initiatives arose to offer retailers reassurance on the origin of the leather used in their products and establish more accountability. Note that no robust, sustainable leather standard has emerged despite some attempts, but a few labels are making a decent start to look out for when shopping:

• Leather Working Group: assesses the environmental compliance of leather manufacturers. Look out specifically for gold medal tanneries, and note that even then the welfare or traceability of the animals is not guaranteed
• EU Ecolabel: the official EU label with criteria for many types of products
• Rainforest Alliance: the frog logo indicates the production meets specific ethical and environmental criteria
• Trase: an online tool developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute and Global Canopy that tracks supply chains against deforestation

How we rate brands’ leather use

The Good On You ratings system assesses leather for its impact on critical environmental issues, including resource use, climate change, chemical impacts in tanneries, and water and wastewater treatment. By doing so, we can capture improvements and nuances in the production process, such as distinguishing whether a brand is using LWG gold medal tanneries, reusing all its leather scraps, or implementing more energy-efficient practices.

Whilst leather is not an inherently eco-friendly material, there are steps a brand can take to improve the sustainability of its leather production.

What about leather alternatives?

Vegan leather—that is, leather made without animal materials—is becoming increasingly popular. But it is important to remember that, while it might be better for the animals, standard vegan leather creates environmental issues too if it uses synthetic plastic-based materials like PU and PVC—though still far less than animal leather. Thankfully, there are a whole host of vegan leather alternatives that are exciting from a purely ethical standpoint, and more and more brands are incorporating them into their collections! A few standouts are:

• Pineapple leather: Pinatex, made from cellulose fibre of pineapple leaves
• Apple leather: derived from the apple industry’s food waste
• Recycled rubber: made of everything from old tyres to fire hoses
• Cork: a naturally renewable fibre extracted from cork oak trees

A note on emerging bio-based leathers

While we are thrilled to see more animal-friendly leathers emerging in the market, because they are so new, it is difficult at this stage to pinpoint their sustainability. Good On You deliberately keeps the three core pillars of people, planet, and animals separate when rating brands. From a purely animal welfare perspective, the best option is to use no animal products or co-products, so these vegan leathers meet animal expectations!

From an environmental perspective, however, much more research needs to be done on these newcomers. Most of them are being produced with little to no publicly available data underpinning their sustainability credentials. They may make claims around biodegradability, but most of them only partially biodegrade. They are also usually mixed with synthetic polymers, and the chemicals process is quite secretive. Even these more sustainable alternatives aren’t perfect, and as ever, we encourage you to decide what to purchase based on your own needs and values.

Our favourite brands using vegan leather alternatives

The post Want to Buy Leather? Want to Avoid Leather? Here’s What to Look Out For appeared first on Good On You.

Cotton is a natural fibre found in many wardrobe staples such as jeans and t-shirts. Compared to other common clothing fibres such as synthetic polyester, semi-synthetic rayon, and bamboo, cotton has the advantage of being a completely natural product, which means it’s biodegradable.

Although cotton is a naturally occurring fibre, its production is nevertheless haunted by claims of pollution, exploitation, and slavery—yes, even today.

The most abundantly produced natural fibre in the world, it is estimated that 25 million tons of cotton are produced every year. With so much cotton being grown globally, it’s crucial to take a closer look at some of the issues, concerns, and solutions to the production of this so-called “white gold” and answer once and for all—is cotton sustainable and ethical?

Cotton: the thirsty crop

Here’s the double-edged sword of cotton production—it requires a lot of water to grow and is primarily grown in arid conditions. This means that not only are vast amounts of water used to grow cotton for clothes every year, but the production is also contributing to sea basins drying up. This “virtual water” needs to be considered when purchasing cotton products. According to studies, it can take thousands of litres of water to produce enough cotton for just one t-shirt, so there’s a lot to account for!

However, this high level of water wastage isn’t only due to irrigation—it is also commonly a result of inefficient water usage and pollution due to pesticide use (more on pesticides later).

Another way water gets polluted is by the use of chemicals in the production and dyeing processes. It is costly to safely dispose of the hazardous chemicals often used in fabric dyeing, and pressure to produce clothing more cheaply often results in the contamination of river systems. In China, it is estimated that 70% of the rivers and lakes are contaminated by the 2.5 billion gallons of wastewater produced by the fashion industry.

When buying cotton goods, it’s essential to be aware of these many litres of “virtual water.” It may sound arbitrary, but think about it this way—in India alone, a country where 100 million people have no access to safe drinking water, the water used in cotton production would be sufficient to provide 85% of the country’s 1.24 billion people with 100 litres of water every day for a year!

The big deal with GMO cotton

There are some scary statistics surrounding cotton farming in the 21st century. Genetically modified (GMO) cotton seeds now account for 89% of the cotton planted in India—and by 2015, more than 12,500 Indian cotton farmers had died by suicide.

The link between these two figures might not be obvious. However, it has been suggested that the introduction of GMO cotton has tangibly worsened the lives of Indian farmers.

Although GMO cotton is not directly responsible for these tragic deaths, the fact is that they are a major contributing factor to the web of debt in which many Indian farmers find themselves inextricably caught.

So, what’s the problem with GMO cotton? In brief, the idea behind these cotton seeds is that they contain Bt toxins, which are supposed to be resistant to various pests—specifically the bollworm—which can be catastrophic for cotton.

The problems arise when it comes to replanting: GMO cotton seeds have been modified so they can’t reproduce, meaning that farmers can’t retain seeds for the following crop but must buy new seeds each year. On top of this, due to the high demand for cotton seeds and government-regulated prices, many farmers must buy their Bt cotton seeds on the black market for prices much higher than the market value (about three to eight times the cost of conventional seeds). Because many small-scale farmers cannot take loans from larger organisations, they are pushed into the arms of private money lenders with higher interest rates.

In addition to all this, although Bt cotton is supposed to prevent pests, reports have indicated that it may not be all it’s cracked up to be. Monsanto sells Bt cotton seeds, and farmers must also purchase pesticides from the same company to manage the resulting cotton crops. Many chemicals in these sprays are banned in the West yet are used by farmers without protective wear or training!

Tragically, often when farmers do die by suicide, it is by swallowing the pesticides they cannot afford to pay off.

The human cost

With its roots in the slave trade, the cotton industry certainly has a dubious past. But what about now?

The industry can’t seem to shake off the allegations of child slavery and forced labour at various stages of the process. However, we’ve seen some recent progress, with the International Labour Organisation stating that most forced labour has been eliminated from Uzbekistan’s cotton fields.

Then there are issues in places such as West and Central Africa and Brazil, where farmers cannot compete with the cost of US subsidised cotton. The World Trade Organisation conference in Nairobi in the summer of 2016 agreed to improve market access and eliminate export subsidies for cotton, but there’s still more work to be done.

Child labour is often used at various stages of the cotton production process, and even after the plants have been harvested, the conditions under which workers refine and process the raw cotton can amount to bonded labour.

If only there were a better way, right? Well, it just so happens there is.

What about organic cotton?

What’s all the hype over organic cotton? Apart from the fact that it doesn’t contain all those harmful chemicals (always a good starting point), organic cotton comes with other advantages. According to a study by Remake, hazardous pesticides applied during cotton manufacturing, including petroleum scours, heavy metals, flame retardants, ammonia, and formaldehyde, can also be detected in our clothes. So organic cotton isn’t just better for the health of the people growing it—it’s also considerably better for you to wear, too!

Organic cotton seeds are cheaper than Bt cotton, helping farmers escape the cycle of debt and poverty. And less pesticides = better for the environment, better for the farmers’ health, and better for you!

Of course, there is still the issue of how organic cotton is processed and turned into clothing, so it’s important to make sure that companies using organic cotton also have robust labour policies in place.

Some improvements

In 2018, 36 major brands, including Adidas, ASOS, H&M, and Burberry, pledged to use 100% sustainable cotton by 2025. This shows a growing demand for more sustainable cotton that reduces traditional cotton production’s social and environmental impacts, which is fantastic to see. What’s more, an increasing number of new solutions are seeing the light of day to help businesses trace their cotton: blockchain is one of these new technologies that can help the fashion industry become more ethical and sustainable. In fact, blockchain startup Bext360 has partnered with several fashion brands, such as C&A, PVH Corp, and Kering, as well as organisations including our good friends at Fashion For Good and C&A Foundation. They aim to bring more transparency to cotton supply chains by enabling businesses to verify the origins and ethics of the raw materials, fabrics, and garments they purchase.

If you’re interested in sustainable cotton, the CottonUP guide to sustainable cotton is a practical resource to inform and guide businesses looking to source better cotton, developed by several organisations aiming to increase the use of sustainable cotton internationally.

And remember, you can check out where companies stand on environmental and labour rights using the Good On You app and Directory to compare various brands’ stances on these issues. Of course, there are certain accreditations you can look for that make choosing fabrics that are sustainable at all levels of the production process easy. These include Fairtrade and Global Organic Textile Standard.

Here are a few of our favourite brands for organic cotton:

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When did polyester first arrive on the scene?

Polyester fabric hasn’t been around forever. Our grandparents were clothed in plant- and animal-based materials such as wool, linen, and cotton. By the end of World World II, the latter accounted for over 80% of fibre consumed.

Chemical advances in the 1940s introduced artificial fibres and so began a gradual shift away from cotton, turning towards cheaper and faster textile production methods. Nowadays, polyester dominates the clothing industry, with annual production exceeding 52 million metric tonnes worldwide.

So what exactly is polyester?

The term ‘polyester’ describes a category of polymers produced by mixing ethylene glycol (derived from petroleum) and terephthalic acid.

Chemical jargon aside, polyester is a common plastic with a wide range of applications extending beyond the fashion industry.

It ranks third behind polyethylene (packaging and water bottles) and polypropylene (ropes, stationary, and Australian bank notes) as the most commonly used plastic.

Polyester is not biodegradable

The majority of polyesters are not biodegradable, meaning that the polyester fabric shirt you bought last season will not decompose for 20 years at best and 200 years at worst.

What’s more, polyester is partially derived from petroleum, and the oil manufacturing industry is the world’s largest pollutant.

Polyester dyes are not sustainable

Ever notice how polyester fabrics are stain-resistant? That’s because it takes a special kind of dye to colour polyester successfully. These dyes, known as disperse dyes, are insoluble in water. Like polyester, they are made up of a complex molecular structure that does not readily decompose.

Wastewater from textile factories containing leftover dye is difficult to treat. When it enters the environment, its toxicity causes serious problems to local plant and animal life.

In addition to causing environmental problems, polyester dyes are toxic to humans. Dye workers worldwide report higher incidences of cancers and lung disease than the general population.

Polyester manufacturing is water-thirsty

Polyester is created through an energy-intensive heating process and requires large quantities of water for cooling. If not managed properly, this can result in groundwater levels dropping and reduced access to clean drinking water, particularly in vulnerable communities where polyester is often manufactured.

What about recycled PET plastic?

In the past few years, the sustainable fashion sphere has been introduced to recycled PET plastic, which has become a ‘sustainable’ replacement for polyester fabrics. Recycled PET plastic is usually made from recycled plastic bottles. Buying recycled PET plastic means that you’re minimising waste and cutting out the fossil fuel industry.

Be careful with fleeces, though. Studies have shown that plastic microfibres are polluting waterways at an alarming rate and that fleece made from recycled PET plastic may be more polluting than its original form.

More on those microfibres

Multiple studies have shown that synthetic fibres make up a good share of microplastics found in waters and are widely implicated as the source of pollution. It’s been suggested that more than 4,500 fibres can be released per gram of clothing per wash, according to the Plastic Soup Foundation.

Microfibres are so tiny they can easily move through sewage treatment plants. They do not biodegrade and bind with molecules from harmful chemicals found in wastewater. They are then eaten by small fishes and plankton, concentrating toxins and going up the food chain until they reach us. The consequences of microfibres on the human body have yet to be researched and revealed. Until then, here are our top tips on dealing with microfibres in clothing.

What can we do to dress more sustainably?

1. Look for garments made from more eco-friendly materials, like organic cotton, hemp, or Tencel, or from reused, upcycled, and recycled materials and coloured using natural dyes.
2. Choose well, buy less. Even garments made with natural fibres have ethical issues. Cotton is one of the thirstiest and dirtiest fabrics, and the wool industry has sometimes been criticised for unethical practices. By choosing well and buying less, you help discourage the unsustainable over-production of fibres at a cost to the environment and the world’s most vulnerable people.
3. Buy from second hand and charity shops. An even better alternative to buying fewer new things is buying more pre-loved garments from second hand stores. Since polyester garments are both common and durable, you will find plenty of options in thrift shops that show few signs of wear and tear and will stand the test of time.
4. Wash less and wash better. Solutions are starting to appear to avoid microfibre shedding during washing, such as special laundry bags and laundry balls. You can also wash on cold, with a fuller load, and using liquid detergent to reduce shedding—and line-drying is always a better option for the environment and your clothes!
5. Choose brands with policies that protect and respect the planet and the people making their products. Good On You helps you uncover brands that perform better on the issues you care about. Check out the app or Directory to discover brands that tick all your boxes.

The post Material Guide: How Sustainable Is Polyester? appeared first on Good On You.

What is cupro?

Cupro is a ‘regenerated cellulose’ fabric made from cotton waste. It is made using the teeny tiny silky cotton fibres, known as linter, that stick out of the cottonseed and are too small to spin. The linter is dissolved into a cuprammonium solution, which is a mixture of copper and ammonium, dropped into caustic soda, then spun into fibre. Much like Tencel and Modal, cupro is a plant-based material that is chemically processed to produce the resulting fabric.

Cupro is said to have all the positive qualities of silk: it’s silky-smooth and drapes just like the luxurious material. First invented in the 1900s in Germany, cupro is also commonly known as ‘Bemberg’ (from the German manufacturer, J.P. Bemberg), as well as ‘ammonia silk’ and ‘cuprammonium rayon’.

Is cupro sustainable?

The good news first: cupro is a by-product of cotton production, so it is technically a recycled textile. We know by now that cotton production is a very wasteful and intensive process—it requires a massive amount of water and pesticides when it’s not organic. So using every bit of the cotton plant helps reduce waste.

Since cupro is plant-based—unlike silk which comes from silkworms—it is vegan and cruelty-free. Plus, unlike silk again, it is machine washable, which is more eco-friendly than the dry cleaning required for delicate silk garments.

Benefits aside, there is no escaping that cuprammonium rayon is produced with intensive and harmful chemicals that can be toxic to both people and planet when not disposed of properly. Although the chemical baths are used multiple times, at some point, in some place, they must be disposed of. There is also no way to know if the raw material is a waste product from damaging cotton fields. As mentioned earlier, cupro is produced mainly in China, and as sourcing expert Sewport says, “China’s synthetic textile factories are reviled around the world as havens for modern-day slave labour.” Despite the environmental and human concerns associated with cupro production, “China continues to export tons of cupro to Western nations every year.” There are also zero certifications for cupro fabric, and its production was even banned in the USA “due to the inability of manufacturers to comply with basic air and water protection regulations.”

So while cupro is technically a recycled and cruelty-free alternative to silk, it’s not exactly ethical and sustainable, and there are other vegan silk alternatives out there worth looking into. If you must buy it, check if the brand shares information about where its cupro is made and how it’s handled. It’s equally important to consider the working conditions and manufacturing when thinking about the sustainability of a fabric. Be sure to choose brands that are transparent about their processes to make the most ethical choice for people, the planet, and animals.

The post Material Guide: What Is Cupro Fabric and Is It Sustainable? appeared first on Good On You.

The fibre produced from pure hemp is similar to linen in texture. It can also be blended with other plant-based fibres to create fabrics with the durability of hemp and the softness of cotton or bamboo. And while hemp is a weed in more ways than one, requiring little water and no pesticides to grow well, it’s important to be aware that hemp does not always mean organic—many farmers still use environmentally damaging fertilizer. When going for hemp, make sure it’s organic to ensure it was produced with the lightest possible footprint.

Okay, so it has the potential to be an eco-friendly powerhouse of a material, but is there any sustainable hemp clothing out there made by brands that are on-trend? The answer is a resounding yes! Read on to discover our 12 favourite brands making sustainable hemp clothing you’ll actually want to wear. Some standouts are the hemp denim jeans from Afends (AU), Mila.Vert’s (Slovenia) gorgeous V-neck reversible top, and the hemp swimwear of your dreams from Natasha Tonic (US). Happy hemping!

The post 12 Ways to Wear Sustainable Hemp Clothing appeared first on Good On You.

So once the waste is out of our hands, what does it become? Well, these days it could be your next pair of shoes or running tights! In the fashion industry, recycled clothing materials are an emerging and welcome shift needed to address the industry’s high volume of waste, fractured processes, and linear garment lifecycles. Let’s look at the most common recycled clothing materials and break down their sustainability.

A brief history of recycled materials

We can’t introduce recycled materials without acknowledging the murky history of fabric production in the fashion industry. In the late 1940s, society saw the first signs of cheaper, virgin fabrics, and a strong presence of synthetic chemical-based materials like nylon. Enter mass production and fast supply chains, aka the infant signs of what is now known as fast fashion. Decades later, an estimated 100 billion garments are produced annually worldwide.

Technology and innovation are starting to enable a new wave of recycled clothing materials through a more sustainable and circular model.

But times are changing, and the world of fashion is at an exciting turning point. Technology and innovation are starting to enable a new wave of recycled clothing materials through a more sustainable and circular model. More brands are offering programs that give consumers a simple recycling solution for materials. And from plant- and animal-based to synthetic, various recycled fabrics are popping up which address issues such as waste, climate change, deforestation, pollution, and much more. As ever, be alert even when purchasing recycled material—it can be tricky to ensure sustainability if you don’t have all the correct information.

Not a perfect solution

We chatted to our Head of Ratings, Kristian Hardiman, aka the in-house materials expert, and he talked us through the issues with recycled clothing materials. While we are seeing positive steps in the right direction, “the reality is that the fashion industry as we know it is fraught with fractured systems. Regardless of the material and its impact, there is an underlying issue: too much virgin material is being used to make our clothing.” This overabundance has led to colossal textile waste issues from numerous areas of the production line, including pre-consumer and post-consumer waste. When it comes to our rating system, Good On You rewards brands that only use deadstock material (discarded offcuts in the manufacturing process). “In an ideal, more circular world, there would not be any deadstock material, and waste would be minimised, with more value placed on the material. A similar logic applies to recycled synthetics. It is mainly due to our broken and overwhelmingly linear system that recycled materials are a solution at this point in time.”

Regardless of the material and its impact, there is an underlying issue: too much virgin material is being used to make our clothing.

Kristian Hardiman – Head of Ratings

A mixture of eco-friendly materials is needed going forward, and the industry can’t be reliant on a single material to repair the system. Organic fabrics require land and can only be grown in some regions of the world. Recycled synthetics don’t have the land-use demands but are much higher in energy intensity. “At this stage, there is no one right way to go about it. It is diverse and dynamic. So while sustainability and ethical practices continue to make their mark on the fashion industry, we need to find solutions to support the shift to a more circular fashion industry, acknowledging that sometimes the solution is driven by the problem.”

Recycled clothing materials

Recycled cotton

Did you know that conventional cotton is extremely intensive to produce? The fluffy white plant requires vast amounts of water, a lot of space to grow, various harmful chemicals, and overall, is very labour intensive. Despite this, cotton is one of the easiest fabrics to make into a recycled garment. It’s worth checking whether a recycled cotton garment is derived from organic or conventional cotton and if it’s made from pre-consumer or post-consumer waste. Thankfully, cotton is entirely biodegradable—able to break down over time. So, if done correctly, it fits within a circular model, setting it apart from many other synthetic recycled materials.

Our verdict:

Go for recycled cotton as a first option, particularly if you can identify its origin as organic cotton. Extend the life of your cotton garments by using gentle, plant-based washing powders and cold water cycles.

Brands using recycled cotton:

The post The Ultimate Guide to Recycled Clothing Materials appeared first on Good On You.

What is Tencel?

TENCEL® is actually a brand name owned by the Austrian company Lenzing AG. While Tencel can also refer to Lenzing’s modal fabric, usually the ‘tencel’ label is referring to Tencel lyocell.

How is Tencel made?

Tencel is a type of rayon, like viscose and modal. These cellulose fibres are all made in a similar way: by dissolving wood pulp and using a special drying process called spinning. Before drying, the wood chips are mixed with a solvent to produce a wet mixture. This mixture is then pushed through small holes to form threads, chemically treated, then the lengths of fibre are spun into yarn and woven into cloth. Sounds simple enough—but what kind of environmental footprint does this process have?

So how does Tencel impact the environment?

Tencel lyocell is better for the environment than other similar fabrics, but not as sustainable as top-tier fabrics like organic linen or recycled cotton.

In production, Tecnel requires less energy and water than conventional cotton. As a plant-derived fibre, Tencel is also biodegradable, but check that it isn’t mixed with other synthetic fibres like nylon when it comes time to dispose of the garment. Although, like most materials, it is often coloured with harmful conventional dyes, Tencel requires a lot less dye than cotton. It is also pure white when produced, so no bleaching is necessary and undyed is always an option.

Tencel vs traditional viscose and rayon

There are two main ways TENCEL lyocell differs from most other fabrics made from wood fibre:

First, at the chemical treatment stage. The traditional viscose process is chemically-intensive, using harmful sodium hydroxide. Tencel replaces it with the NMMO process. The solution of N-Methylmorpholine N-oxide is more easily recoverable, and a closed-loop solvent system means almost no solvent is dumped into the ecosystem. Instead, it is recycled time and time again to produce new fibres and minimise harmful waste. Lenzing AG says the solvent recovery rate for their version is an impressive 99%.

Second, Tencel is made from sustainably sourced wood, while around 30% of rayon and viscose used in fashion is made from pulp sourced from endangered and ancient forests. Lenzing AG states it sources from sustainably managed PEFC or  FSC tree plantations. This is good news, considering concerns about the increasing impact of viscose production on deforestation.

Other sources of lyocell

Lyocell fabric is also manufactured by a company called Birla, under the name Excel. In 2017, the Rainforest Alliance assessed Birla as at low risk of sourcing products from ancient or endangered forests or other controversial sources. Birla also claims to recover over 90% of chemicals used in Excel production. This is an industry-leading result, so clothing made from Birla-sourced lyocell is another good option.

As versatile as it gets

Tencel fabric is extremely versatile. Depending on the length of the fibre chosen in production, varying thickness and texture can result. From a cottony feel to a silky one, the fabric adapts to a wide range of clothing types, from activewear to flowy dresses.

According to Lenzing, Tencel has incredible absorption characteristics: 50% more than cotton. Because it’s more breathable and less susceptible to odorous bacteria growth like environmentally-damaging synthetics, this fabric is ideal for activewear. Perfect for a sweaty gym or bikram yoga session!

While it is pricier than your average workout tank top, we believe it’s always worth prioritising quality over quantity. If exercising is part of your daily routine, consider investing in high-quality, durable garments that are good for your skin, such as those made from Tencel. If you look good, feel good, and do good for the environment, nothing can stop you from achieving your personal best!

Here are some ‘Good’ and ‘Great’ rated brands that use Tencel:

The post Material Guide: What Is Tencel? And Is It Sustainable? appeared first on Good On You.

The life cycle of a fabric uses countless resources, from oil, land, and water, to pesticides, chemical agents, and dyes. Just think: how is it possible that fluffy cotton, knobbly wood, and gooey oil end up as the smooth, soft, colourful fabrics that feel good on your skin and brighten up your day? And then there’s all the hands that manipulate those fabrics before they end up in yours. No matter where you are on your ethical fashion journey, becoming informed about the impact of what your clothes, shoes, and accessories are made of is a fantastic tool to have in your (ethically made) belt.

With new materials going into production all the time, and industry standards shifting for ones that have been around forever, we know it can be overwhelming trying to figure out which ones are up to scratch ethically and are worth investing in as a conscious consumer. We have done the detective work for you and written guides to a vast selection of fabrics that you can find on the shelves and in your wardrobe, and compiled them here in our (hefty, yet helpful) ultimate material guide.

Choose materials based on your values

We appreciate that materials and fibres in fashion is a complex issue. Through our research we found there is no established hierarchy of sustainable materials in the fashion industry, and very limited comparable data (e.g. Life Cycle Analysis). What is clear is that every single material on the market today has some sort of trade off and impact on the planet and a mixture of eco-friendly materials is needed going forward. At Good On You we do our best to make sense of the complex materials world by independently analysing the information that is out there and consulting with industry experts. Our list of eco-friendly materials is not static and is constantly evolving as more research and data comes to light. We believe that you are the final decision maker when choosing materials for yourself. Figure out what is most important to you and let information guide your process.

Of course, materials are not the only issue a brand should be addressing. For example, a brand using organic cotton but not addressing greenhouse gas emissions in the supply chain, textile waste or labour rights issues is far from best practice, but using the most sustainable materials is a good base on which to build. To learn more about our process for ranking brands and materials, be sure to check out our How We Rate page.

A note on ‘natural’

Before we begin, let’s clear up one common misconception. For the most part, so-called ‘natural’ fibres are neither natural nor necessarily sustainable. As we’ll learn below, conventional cotton production is one of the most environmentally harmful agricultural activities around. And that’s before we even look at how the cotton is transformed into cloth! Be mindful of brands greenwashing by claiming their clothes are “all natural” when that doesn’t necessarily mean they are taking any steps to source fabrics that are made with people, the planet, and animals front of mind.

Plant-based

We’re listing here the fabrics derived primarily from plants. But see our note on ‘natural’ above—very few of these materials are routinely turned into clothing without a range of often chemical intensive industrial processes, some more than others.

Bamboo

This fast-growing crop is having its time in the limelight as an apparently eco-friendly option. While the crop itself is easy to grow, requiring little water and no pesticides, the processes used to turn it into a usable fabric vary on the sustainability front. While mechanically-made “bamboo linen” is inherently more sustainable, the resulting fabric is coarse, not suitable for the soft, intimate products for which bamboo is most in demand, and not that widely available.

Most bamboo fabric on the market is grown and processed in China using the viscose process. There are two issues that need to be addressed: ensuring the bamboo is grown in a sustainable way, and avoiding the release of harmful chemicals used in production into waterways. While in the last few years the Chinese government has cracked down on the more problematic production processes, we remain concerned about the absence of any system of assurance that specific bamboo is grown sustainably and processed using safe or unsafe processes. The exception is Monocel®, a bamboo fabric made with the lyocell process, but it appears to be very difficult to source at this stage. It is now considered bad practice in the industry to not have robust chemical management and waste treatment, which means bamboo fabric can be likely a safer bet than conventional cotton or polyester.

Our verdict:

Bamboo fabric has a lot of potential as an eco-friendly option. So as long as the brand is transparent about cultivation and processing, it can be a good choice. Otherwise, consider TENCEL Lyocell which is made using a 99% closed-loop system, meaning chemicals are captured and reused.

Cotton

Soft, light, and breathable, cotton is a fibre often associated with quality clothing, and can be found in many wardrobe staples such as jeans and t-shirts. It has the advantage of being entirely biodegradable. However, conventional cotton (GMO and otherwise) is an extremely thirsty crop, one that has the highest market share of insecticides measured by sales, and one that is often associated with child slavery and forced labour. The process of turning cotton balls into soft or shiny coloured cloth uses a vast array of chemical processes for treating, dyeing, printing, and finishing.

Organic cotton addresses many of the problems of conventional cotton. It’s grown without the use of pesticides, from seeds which have not been genetically modified. Organic farming practices avoid using harmful chemicals while aiming for environmental sustainability and the use of fewer resources. Chemical-free agricultural land stays fertile much longer than land which is hampered by the constant use of pesticides, so organic cotton farmers generally have a longer cotton commodity lifespan than otherwise. Organic cotton is overall much better than regular cotton for the planet and people, including you!

Our verdict:

Avoid traditionally farmed cotton and opt instead for recycled cotton or organic cotton, specifically with the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification. Not only is it organic, but the GOTS system certifies a brand’s entire supply chain, following its practices—including the dyeing stage—and addresses a range of labour rights issues to be sure high standards of ethics are being maintained throughout the production process.

Denim

Denim is made from cotton, which is known to be one of the world’s thirstiest crops. While cotton takes up 2.4% agricultural land, it accounts for more than 11% of global pesticide use. Pesticides can be highly toxic and create a hazardous working environment for cotton farmers. As for “distressed” denim, the look is achieved through a controversial technique called sandblasting. The process poses significant health risks to workers as the fine dust particles can lodge themselves in people’s lungs.

Our verdict:

Denim production can have serious social and environmental consequences. However, this is not the way it has to be. There are sustainable denim brands, both big and small, who are committed to people and the planet. The best way to reduce the footprint of your denim purchase is to look for jeans made from certified organic cotton. Most brands will proudly promote this on their websites and tags.

Hemp

Hemp, from the cannabis plant, is a type of “bast fibre” which means it’s one of a number of fibres derived from the stems of plants. It is a highly sustainable crop that requires little water and no pesticides—however, only organic hemp guarantees that no harsh chemicals are used. The fabric has various intrinsic advantages such as keeping you warm in winter, cool in summer, and even protecting you from UV rays. The fibre produced from pure hemp is similar to linen in texture.

Our verdict: 

Hemp is a far better option than similar fabrics like conventional cotton, and organic hemp is top shelf. To guarantee sustainability, look for GOTS certified options.

Linen

Linen is one of the most biodegradable and stylish fabrics in fashion history. It is strong, naturally moth resistant, and made from flax plant fibres, so when untreated (i.e. not dyed) it is fully biodegradable. Linen can withstand high temperatures, and it absorbs moisture without holding bacteria. In fact, it is actually stronger when wet than dry and becomes softer and more pliable the more it is washed.

Our verdict:

Linen is one of the most sustainable options on the market—just be sure to purchase garments in its naturally occurring shades of ivory, ecru, tan, and grey, and especially avoid bright white linen which has to go through an intensive bleaching process. Go for organic linen, one of our top ranked materials, to ensure no harmful chemicals were used in production.

Modal

Modal fibre is the generic name for a semi-synthetic rayon. Breathable and silky smooth to the touch, modal is around 50% more water-absorbent per unit volume than cotton. Boasting similar properties to other cellulose fibres like viscose and Tencel lyocell, it’s designed to absorb the dye and stay colour-fast when washed in warm water, making it a popular choice in the manufacture of underwear and activewear alike. Today, one of the best-known producers of modal is the Austrian company Lenzing AG, who now market their version under the name TENCEL Modal (previously Lenzing Modal). TENCEL Modal is protected by a global certification system which is registered worldwide, and while their production process is sustainable, they do not produce ready-to-wear fabrics. Lenzing sells yarns to mills and others who use the yarns to make fabric and other goods, which means it could be mixed with less eco-friendly fabrics before turning into your next clothing purchase.

Our verdict: 

Be sure to choose brands with transparent production processes to make sure you’re making the most ethical choice. Rest easy if the brand can assure you that their fabric is made from 100% TENCEL Modal.

Tencel lyocell

TENCEL is actually a brand name used by the Austrian company Lenzing AG. Tencel lyocell is a cellulose fibre which is made by dissolving wood pulp. After chemical treatment, the lengths of fibre are spun into yarn and woven into a breathable cloth suitable for activewear. Lenzing has built Tencel’s reputation by sourcing its wood and pulp from certified and controlled sources like sustainably managed plantations, and by ensuring Tencel is made in a closed loop system, meaning that the chemical solvent is recycled time and time again to produce new fibres and minimise harmful waste. Lenzing Group says the solvent recovery rate is 99% for their lyocell fabric. Recently Lenzing has started using their TENCEL brand to apply to their modal fabric as well (see Modal above).

Our verdict: 

Tencel lyocell is a good replacement for cotton or silk in everything from shirts to underwear. It’s breathable, absorbs moisture, and is soft on the skin. While it is pricier than your average workout tank top, something we always try to prioritise at Good On You is quality over quantity. Opt for Tencel over viscose and rayon, which are typically less sustainable.

Viscose/Rayon

Viscose and the very similar rayon are both derived from the ‘cellulose’ or wood pulp from fast growing, regenerative trees such as eucalyptus, beech and pine, and sometimes plants such as bamboo, soy, and sugar cane. This cellulose material is dissolved in a chemical solution to produce a pulpy viscous substance, which is then spun into fibres that can then be made into threads. Despite being a plant-based fibre, there are two big problems with viscose. First, it’s the third most popular clothing material after polyester and cotton, and second, the fast fashion boom means there is as much wood pulp used for viscose manufacture as for creating paper, and so it’s now one of the leading causes of deforestation in places like Indonesia, Canada, and the Amazon. What’s more, viscose production leads to untreated waste being dumped into lakes and waterways causing harm to lives and livelihoods.

Some viscose is made from sustainable forest products—look out for brands that use only FSC certified forest inputs and/or work with the Canopy NGO.

Alternatives to viscose include TENCEL Lyocell (closed loop capture of chemicals) and new materials such as ECOVERO made using sustainable wood from controlled sources.

Our verdict:

If a brand isn’t upfront about the sustainable status of their viscose, give it a miss!

Animal-based

Angora

Angora is a long, silky fibre obtained from one of the four breeds of angora rabbit. The fur is highly prized for its softness, warmth, and strength. It is often blended with other wools to add softness to things like jumpers and scarves. The production of angora has come under fire since PETA released information about the appalling conditions in which it was being produced in several Chinese factories. As a result, many major fashion labels ceased using the controversial fibre.

Our verdict:

There is no recognised welfare standard for harvesting angora hair that ensures a pain-free experience for the rabbits so we recommend avoiding angora products entirely.

Cashmere

Cashmere is one of the rarest and most luxurious fibres in the world. This exceptionally silky material is said to be three times as warm as wool and is known to be long-lasting. However, cashmere is not as sustainable as you might think: the goats this fabric comes from are the first to pay the price of cheap cashmere production. As they have very little fat, shearing them too early mid-winter means they can freeze to death. Cashmere production can also have a social impact—there’s growing concern about the working conditions of cashmere goat herders.

The increased demand for cashmere has meant herd sizes have increased, driving the desertification of Mongolian grasslands. And climate change is exacerbating these impacts: the changes in temperature in Mongolia has meant poor quality cashmere as goats need to be sheared in a narrow range of temperatures.

Our verdict: Buy recycled or second hand cashmere if you must have it.

Fur

Traditionally, fur was worn as a source of warmth and protection. For centuries, animals were killed for meat, with their pelts providing a practical and durable material that would keep people safe from the elements. In the 20th century, fur became a regular feature of luxury fashion, when Hollywood stars appeared draped in exotic pelts. Since then, fur has been marketed as a measure of wealth and glamour—expensive and desirable. As fur’s popularity grew, fur farming became big business. At the same time, the animals involved became commodified—opening the door to inhumane practices, like being skinned alive. For many of us, wearing fur is simply cruel, and to be avoided at all costs. Campaign groups such as PETA have long highlighted the inhumane practices of fur farms. That isn’t to mention all the environmental and labour issues fur-farming has, many the same as leather.

While second hand fur is available, it still perpetuates the idea that it is okay to wear the bodies of our fellow earthlings. Numerous brands and countries have banned the farming and distribution of fur products, so don’t stay stuck in the past on this one.

Importantly, for some remote indigenous populations, animal skins and furs are one of the only sources of income available to help their communities thrive. Putting indigenous practices under the microscope while ignoring cattle farming in the West is inconsistent at best and likely has roots in racist and colonial thinking.

Our verdict: 

An ethical consumer motivated by the interests of animals would avoid any new product made from fur.  At Good On You we take a zero-tolerance approach to brands that use fur, or any other non-domesticated animal.

Leather

From James Dean to Prada, punk to professional, leather has earned staple status in many wardrobes. But despite their longevity and versatility, leather garments and accessories are unlikely to be an ethical investment. Leather is the skin of animals, the most common being livestock, but it can also be sourced from pigs, goats, sheep, crocodiles, snakes, sting rays, seals, emus, deer, fish, kangaroos, horses, cats, and dogs. Aside from the obvious issues with animal welfare, leather production has negative impacts on the environment and workers, too. It requires more water and land than almost any other material, and the tanning process involves extremely harmful chemicals like chromium 6 that end up in waterways and labourers’ bodies.

Vegetable tanning, which has long been considered the sustainable option for tanning, is under scrutiny about how sustainable it really is. It’s a bit better, but likely not as good as previously thought.

There are many innovative materials emerging designed to mimic the qualities of leather, from pineapple leather to cork to upcycled rubber. While the full environmental impact of these new materials has not been fully assessed, they are certainly preferable to “faux leather” made from PVC, or likely the more common vegan or “faux” leather made from PU. While PU has significant environmental impact, it’s a better option than other synthetics like PVC.

Our verdict: 

Depending on your personal ethics go for second hand or recycled leather or avoid it altogether.

Silk

Silk is spun from the long threads which make up the inner cocoon of a silkworm. The fibres are in fact saliva, produced by the worm to insulate itself until it is time to transform. The raw silk threads are harvested and then reeled together for commercial use. The silkworms are killed during the process of extracting the silk. There have also been reports of the abuse of child slaves in India in silk production, so checking sources is important.

In addition to this, silk has a relatively high emissions intensity, particularly in the yarn and fabric production stages. In fact, its supply chain is one of the most intensive per kg according to the Sustainable Apparel Coalition.

It is possible to find less lethal alternatives to the silk-making process. Ahimsa silk, also known as ‘peace silk’, allows the moth to evacuate the cocoon before it is boiled. Some silks that fall under the Ahimsa umbrella include ‘Eri silk’ and ‘Tussar silk’. Unfortunately, peace silk isn’t necessarily much better for the environment!

For those who want to avoid animal silk for its negative impacts, one vegan silk innovation that is worth looking out for is vegan spider silk! Microsilk is the trademarked name of a lab-made spider silk produced by California-based company Bolt Threads. It is a synthetic fabric, but one which requires no land or chemicals to produce—only water, yeast, sugar, and a pinch of DNA.

Our verdict: 

When it comes to buying silk or its alternatives, check sources to ensure that you don’t buy into exploitation or environmental destruction.

Currently, Microsilk is only commercialized to a limited extent, but the fabric has already received a stamp of approval from renowned brands like Stella McCartney.

Wool

Wool, a natural breathable fibre that comes from sheep, is a great renewable resource with plenty of benefits, from biodegradability to stain resistance. However, the impact on the planet and the animals is significant. There is controversy over the practice of mulesing the sheep (cutting away skin to reduce flystrike, usually done without anesthetic). Until a humane mulesing process becomes common we recommend against sheep from mulesed wool. Industrial scale livestock grazing can also increase land clearing and degradation, though more holistic land management methods for grazing livestock animals are gaining popularity and support.

Wool lasts well and so it’s always worth looking out for pre-loved or vintage wool items to ensure the garment gets a longer, useful life.

Our verdict:

Look for clothes made from recycled wool, resale and vintage items, or wool certified by the Responsible Wool Standard, ZQ Merino Standard, or the Soil Association Organic Standards.

Synthetic

Faux fur

The significant ethical and environmental impacts of the fur industry have caused a shift in the industry towards fur-free, which is great news. But the look of fur is still, unfortunately, in vogue, and the mass-produced faux fur alternative is far from eco-friendly. Faux fur is generally made from plastic-based materials (hello, microfibres) and that automatically speaks to negative impacts on the planet, but even more shockingly, it has come out that since fur is in such high demand, a significant amount of faux fur products actually contain real fur!

Our verdict:

Steer clear of this harmful material. If you must have it, look out for second hand options, but seriously consider a completely different material—you don’t have to buy real or faux fur to make a bold statement with your outfit!

Fleece

Fleece is a synthetic insulating fabric made from a type of polyester called polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or other synthetic fibres. It is very comfortable due to its lightweight and anti-perspiration qualities, making it ideal for outdoor and activewear. Unfortunately, fleece is made from non-renewable resources and needs an extra chemical coating to make it windproof and/or water resistant—not great for the environment. Eco-fleece, using recycled PET plastic, can be seen as a better option saving its primary ingredient—raw petroleum—as well as energy. It also potentially reduces the number of bottles in landfills.

Synthetic fibres, recycled or not, pose a problem as they are not biodegradable and tend to bind with molecules of harmful chemical pollutants found in wastewater, such as pesticides.

Fleece, especially when it is used in frequently washed clothing, is one of the main shedders of microfibres on the market. If you opt for eco-fleece, you should learn how to care for it so minimal shedding occurs.

Our verdict:

As far as possible steer clear of fleece.

Glitter

Much of the glitter available for cosmetics, craft, and clothing is made from sheets of thin plastic such as PET, coated in a shiny substance like aluminium, and cut into millions of tiny pieces—in other words, glitter is microplastic. That means every time we rinse our glitter-laced clothes, wash our glitter adorned hair and face, or let our glitter-encrusted accessories shed little pieces of sparkle, we’re likely contributing to microplastic pollution in our oceans, and that’s bad news for everyone.

But glitter fans, don’t fret! Several companies have created eco-friendly glitter alternatives made from biodegradable materials, so you don’t have to give up sparkles if you care about the planet.

Our verdict:

Avoid plastic glitter in all products. Look for products with glitter made from biodegradable sources.

Conventional nylon

Nylon was the first entirely synthetic fabric, created in the time of World War II. Essentially, nylon starts as a type of plastic derived from coal and crude oil that is then put through an intensive chemical process to create the strong, stretchy fibres that make it so useful as a fabric. In addition to supporting some of the world’s dirtiest industries, the manufacture of nylon has several other direct environmental impacts that means it’s bad news across the board.

Econyl is an innovative alternative made from recycled plastic in a closed loop system. Note that products made from nylon and Econyl are both likely to shed microfibres.

ECONYL, created by Italian firm Aquafil, uses synthetic waste such as industrial plastic, waste fabric, and fishing nets from oceans, then recycles and regenerates them into a new nylon yarn that is exactly the same quality as virgin nylon. This regeneration system focuses on six steps that form a closed loop that uses less water and creates less waste than traditional nylon production methods. Waste is collected, then cleaned and shredded, depolymerised to extract nylon, polymerised, transformed into yarn, and then re-commercialised into textile products.

Our verdict:

Avoid traditional nylon and instead go for Econyl while remaining vigilant about microfibre shedding!

But while ECONYL is a fantastic innovation that is helping to clear plastic waste from our oceans and protect sea life, it is still a plastic fabric that means it sheds microfibres when washed (one of the biggest water pollutants). To avoid this but still support the initiative, choose ECONYL items that are less frequently washed like footwear, and make sure to use a washbag or washing machine filter if you buy clothing made from this (and other plastic-based) material. Companies are in the process of creating a form of ECONYL that doesn’t shed, so keep your eyes peeled for that!

Conventional polyester

Polyester is a common plastic derived from oil with a wide application that includes and extends beyond the fashion industry. The majority of polyesters are not biodegradable, meaning that the polyester fabric shirt you bought last season will not decompose for 20 years at best and 200 years at worst, depending on conditions. What’s more, polyester is, in part, derived from petroleum—and the oil manufacturing industry is the world’s largest polluter.

In the past few years, the sustainable fashion sphere has been introduced to recycled PET plastic. Recycled PET plastic is usually made from recycled plastic bottles or fishing nets. Buying recycled PET plastic means you’re minimising waste and cutting out the fossil fuel industry, but it doesn’t erase the issue of microplastic pollution.

Our verdict: 

Avoid virgin polyester. Consider buying recycled PET plastic products, especially for products that don’t require frequent machine washing like shoes.

PVC

PVC is a petrochemical product that is heavily processed from start to finish and can take an enormous variety of forms. Vinyon, as the textile derivative of PVC, is popular for its weather-resistant qualities in coats, jackets, and even skiing equipment, artificial leathers, or fetish fashion. PVC/Vinyon requires oil to extract the base components and lots of energy to react the chemicals together. That means it’s hugely reliant on fossil fuels. Couple that with the potential health risks of phthalates, and the overwhelming pressure of plastic waste on our oceans, and you have yourself one of the most unsustainable materials on the market.

Our verdict:

For a sustainable wardrobe, avoid PVC!

Velvet

The word “velvet” refers to the structure of the fabric, not the actual fibre or material used. You can recognize velvet thanks to its short pile, raised loops, tufts of yarn that cover its surface. Velvet can be woven from any type of yarn. While in the past it is traditionally woven from silk, today cheaper materials are commonly used alone or in combination, such as cotton, linen, wool, or synthetic fibres. The fashion industry, and especially fast fashion retailers, mostly replace silk or other plant-based materials with polyester.

Our verdict: 

If you really want a velvet item in your wardrobe, we recommend shopping second hand, in order not to increase the use of new plastics or silk. Alternatively, try and look for velvet made out of a modal rayon which is made from sustainably harvested beech trees and eco-friendly processing methods.

In summary

Okay, that was a long journey! To make it simple, here are the most commonly used eco-friendly materials:

The post What Are You Wearing? The Ultimate Clothing Material Guide appeared first on Good On You.

The fast growing grass has made its mark as an eco-crop. From construction to homewares to fabrics, bamboo is having its moment in the limelight. But given that some claims associated with bamboo have been disputed, such as its sustainability, UV protection, and antibacterial properties, is it really the miracle crop many are claiming it to be? Is bamboo fabric sustainable?

Growing the bamboo

It starts out looking good. Bamboo can be a very sustainable crop: a fast-growing grass, it requires no fertiliser and self-regenerates from its own roots, so it doesn’t need to be replanted. When compared to cotton cultivation, which requires large amounts of water, pesticides, and labour, the advantages are pretty clear.

But wait! Before you run off to restock your wardrobe, there are a few things to consider. For starters, although bamboo is fast-growing and requires no pesticides, that doesn’t mean that it is being grown sustainably. The majority of bamboo is grown in China, and there is limited information regarding how intensively bamboo is being harvested, or what sort of land clearing might be underway in order to make way for the bamboo. Also, although bamboo doesn’t need pesticides, there is no guarantee that they are not being used to maximise outputs. However, in the last few years the Chinese government has cracked down on these more intensive processes and it is now considered extremely bad practice in the industry, which is great progress.

Creating the fabric

Okay, you think, so bamboo might have some issues, but it still uses way less chemicals, and is more environmentally friendly than cotton, right? While this is almost certainly true for the cultivation phase, the same can’t necessarily be said about the manufacturing process.

There are several ways to turn bamboo into a fabric. The first process involves combing out the bamboo fibres and spinning these into thread. This results in a slightly coarse fabric that is usually called “bamboo linen”. Creating this “linen” is labour intensive and expensive and the result isn’t suitable for the soft, intimate products for which bamboo is most in demand.

The second and much more popular method is the process used to make the silky soft bamboo fabric you find in sheets, underwear, and more. This “bamboo rayon” is produced through a highly intensive chemical process, similar to the process used to turn wood chips into rayon. This is where the sustainability of bamboo gets a little… prickly. Rayon is essentially a raw material converted through a chemical process. The source of the cellulose can be cotton, wood, and yep, bamboo.

Bamboo rayon is most commonly made through what is known as the viscose process, which involves dissolving cellulose material (in this case, bamboo) in a chemical solution to produce a pulpy viscous substance. This is then pushed through a spinneret, and “spun” into the fibres that can then be made into threads and fabrics. The chemicals used in this process like caustic soda and carbon disulfide are highly toxic and a risk to human health. About 50% of hazardous waste from rayon production (including the bamboo variety) cannot be recaptured and reused, but that doesn’t mean they are being dumped directly into the environment. Thankfully, wet processors in the last three years have been made to revamp their practices and there has been a great deal of improvement in chemical management and waste treatment.

The resulting bamboo viscose fabric is highly breathable, and much stretchier than cotton, making it perfect for garments that sit close to the skin like underwear and socks. It’s also easy to weave into fabrics with high thread counts to create a thin yet strong material suitable for a wide range of uses, from dresses to sheets.

As a side note, sadly there is no conclusive evidence that many of the claimed qualities of bamboo, such as its antibacterial properties or UV resistance, are still present in the fibre after it has been put through such an intensive process.

It’s worth considering a similar fabric called lyocell (also known by the brand name TENCEL® Lyocell) which uses a closed-loop process to recapture and reuse 99% of the chemical solution. Tencel is often made from sustainably farmed eucalyptus trees, and the fabric was awarded the “European Award for the Environment” by the European Union. The lyocell process can also be used to create fabric from bamboo, and this fabric is branded Monocel®, so look out for this label on clothes, though very few brands are using it at this stage. It is worth noting that while the industry is pushing for more sustainable options like Tencel and Monocel, they still only make up a small portion of the fabric available on the market, so realistically we should be continuing to work with the viscose industry to improve standard practices since the chances are it will never be replaced completely.

So is bamboo fabric sustainable or not?

Bamboo itself can be a highly sustainable crop, if grown under the right conditions. While most bamboo fabrics on the market are a form of rayon where the manufacturing process is intensive and involves harmful chemicals, recent years have seen an improvement in how these chemicals are managed, which is a step in the right direction. Bamboo fabrics are certainly a step up from polyester and conventional cotton, so as long as the brand is transparent about its origins, it can be a safe bet as a more sustainable option.

While lyocell bamboo is likely a more sustainable alternative, it’s harder to find. For some types of clothing, look for eco-friendly fabrics like organic hemp. In other cases, organic cotton or Tencel will be a better choice from the point of view of the environment, all other things being equal, especially the fabric dyeing process.

We should know that the majority of products labelled as “bamboo” are actually rayon, involve intensive chemical emissions, and likely without the same beneficial properties as the unprocessed bamboo plant. But bamboo fabric has potential—it is much less costly to produce than cotton, avoids the extensive use of pesticides in non-organic cotton production, and production is not as chemically intensive as polyester. Buying from responsible and transparent brands can also help to mitigate some of this risk.

There’s a lot of work being done to develop and make widely available cost-effective and environmentally sustainable ways of creating the soft and silky bamboo fabrics that we’re dreaming of, so it’s one to keep an eye on!

Learn more about sustainable and ethical materials.

The post Material Guide: Is Bamboo Fabric Sustainable? appeared first on Good On You.

When worn, linen withstands high temperatures, wicking away sweat without holding bacteria. For that reason, linen is often thought of as a summer fabric, but it’s actually wearable all year round. In this guide, discover how this classic material is being designed in contemporary styles by some of our favourite sustainable brands: here are 16 ways to wear linen.

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Eucalyptus fabric is often described as a sustainable alternative to conventional cotton, but how is it made and how sustainable is it overall in terms of its impacts on people, the planet, and animals?

Lyocell… what’s in a name?

Clothes derived from eucalyptus trees are typically made from lyocell fabric, also known as Tencel, the brand name of the lyocell fabric developed by Austria-based company Lenzing.

The process to manufacture lyocell is as follows: the eucalyptus wood is harvested (note that other types of wood can also be used), cut into pieces, and ground into a pulp before being dissolved with a solvent called amine oxide. This produces a viscous liquid, which is then pushed through spinnerets from which the lyocell fibres come out. Once washed and dried, they are spun into yarn which is finally woven to create lyocell fabric.

How green is it?

On the face of it, eucalyptus fibre seems pretty eco-friendly—but it depends!

Eucalyptus trees are felled rather than uprooted, meaning that there is no need to continuously plant new trees. They also grow quickly, don’t need irrigation or pesticides, and can grow in relatively poor, dry, and rocky soil.

Lenzing have demonstrated that it is possible to create a closed-loop system in the manufacturing of lyocell: they manage to recover and reuse 99% of the solvent in new processing cycles. In addition, the solvent is considered non-toxic for air and water. This approach minimizes any environmental impacts. And, crucially, the wood used by Lenzing originates from sustainable forestry—more on this below.

When compared to conventional cotton, the lyocell production process used 50% less water.

Finally, in terms of product use and end-of-life, lyocell doesn’t release toxic microfibres—a significant advantage over synthetic fabrics—and is recyclable and biodegradable.

So, what’s not to like?

Essentially, intensive monocultures. In Spain and Portugal, for example, native forests have been destroyed to introduce eucalyptus plantations (albeit mainly for the paper industry) causing environmental degradation to the local ecosystems of plants and wildlife.

Canopy, a Canada-based organisation dedicated to the conservation of forests—in particular, ancient and endangered forests—highlights that 150 million trees per year are logged in order to produce the cellulosic fabrics used in our clothes—some of it rayon/viscose, some of it modal and… yes, lyocell too.

As Canopy neatly puts it: “…where the eucalyptus comes from matters. Eucalyptus is often grown on concessions that have had natural forest cleared and carbon rich peatlands drained, causing massive social and environmental concerns. However grown in the right place, under the right conditions, eucalyptus can be fabulous!”

So the key is to choose eucalyptus fabrics originating from sustainably-managed forests, like from PEFC or FSC.

A-OK for animals and people?

Lyocell appears to be mostly harmless for both animals and people.

For one thing, it’s a vegan fabric—as long as it’s not blended with wool, silk, or other animal-derived fibres, of course. And if it originates from sustainably-managed forests, where ecosystems are allowed to continue to flourish, then no obvious harms will have been caused to animals.

In terms of people, as the production process is non-toxic, communities are not affected by pollution. Equally, as the process relies on a series of lab-based manufacturing steps, it is not especially labour-intensive. Social concerns have been raised in the context of intensive eucalyptus monocultures, in terms of local communities not being consulted about a change of use of land, and losing out on a source of subsistence farming. This is another reason why sustainably-managed forests play an important role in the overall sustainability credentials of the eucalyptus fabric which is used to make our clothes.

Where can I find it?

Thanks to its high absorbency and softness, lyocell is used in a range of clothing items including activewear, underwear, and casual wear.

Given that lyocell can be blended with a range of other fibres—such as wool, silk, cotton and synthetics—in order to “enhance the aesthetics and functionality of fabrics” in the words of Lenzing, it may be that eucalyptus-derived fabrics become increasingly visible in the sustainable fashion space. If purchasing a blend, you may wish to check whether the finished item is still fully recyclable and biodegradable.

And of course, do check the Directory for brands using sustainably-sourced eucalyptus fabric, such as one of our favourites, TAMGA Designs.

The post Material Guide: How Sustainable Is Eucalyptus Fabric? appeared first on Good On You.

In fact, industrial hemp is the fashion equivalent of the boring sibling who wants to stay home every weekend and knit socks for fun. So basically, hemp is my ideal friend! But despite its boring properties, hemp’s association with bad boy cannabis has copped it a bad rep for a long time now.

It also doesn’t help that in the last few years, hemp clothing has been associated with baggy grunge-style clothing in khaki hues. Not that there’s anything wrong with unwashed hippy clothing if you happen to be an unwashed hippy, but the trend certainly hasn’t done much to improve hemp’s image among the general populace.

But can hemp fabric redeem its image? Many think that it can. And the environmental benefits of hemp cultivation, combined with its durable characteristics as a fabric, have many hoping that it can feature in clothing that both feels and looks great, by even the highest of standards (pun intended).

So what is hemp?

Hemp actually has a very long history of being used as a fibre, in fact, it has been cultivated for thousands of years and on almost every continent. It has been used in clothing, ropes and sails – in fact, rumour has it that the word “canvas” is derived from “cannabis”.

Hemp is a type of “bast fibre” which means it’s one of a number of natural fibres derived from the stems of plants such as flax, jute and stinging nettle. The fabric has various natural advantages such as keeping you warm in winter, cool in summer and even protecting you from UV rays.

The fibre produced from pure hemp is similar to linen in texture. It can also be blended with other natural fibres to create fabrics with the durability of hemp and the softness of cotton or bamboo.

But why all the fuss about the little green leaf? Is it really any different to other natural fibres?

What makes hemp fabric a sustainable option?

It’s no coincidence that hemp bears the nickname weed. A densely growing plant, hemp literally chokes out any competing plants. This means harsh chemical herbicides aren’t necessary. Hemp also naturally reduces pests, so no pesticides are usually needed. Amazingly it also returns 60-70% of the nutrients it takes from the soil.

Not only is hemp gentle on the earth, it also requires very little water, especially when compared to cotton, which, according to Slate uses “about 50 percent more water per season than hemp.” But that’s not all. According to the same article, “When you add processing into the equation, cotton uses more than four times as much water as hemp.”

Hemp also requires a relatively small amount of land to cultivate. According to the Guide to Sustainable Textiles, this means it can produce up to double the fibre yield per hectare than cotton.

However, it’s important to be aware that hemp does not always mean organic, many farmers still use environmentally damaging fertilizer. When going for hemp, make sure it’s organic and thoroughly study the brand you’re considering buying from.

So from an environmental perspective, the benefits of hemp are pretty clear. But how does it compare once we start processing the raw product into a fabric?

How is hemp turned into a fabric?

Hemp fabric is made from the long strands of fibre that make up the stalk of the plant. These fibres are separated from the bark through a process called “retting.”  These fibres are then spun together to produce a continuous thread that can be woven into a fabric.

The various stages of this process can be done organically through a mechanical process that requires no chemicals. However, many companies now produce hemp fabric chemically, in a process that is much more intensive on the environment, but faster and cheaper to create. Often you can tell that a hemp fabric has gone through this intensive process if it is labelled as “hemp viscose”, which normally involves the same harmful processing with toxic chemicals as regular viscose. Some companies may use the less impactful lyocell process, so it is worth double checking before purchasing something made of hemp.

The impact of the fabric doesn’t just stop once it has been woven, either. Once the fabric has been created, it may be dyed, which again can result in various environmental outcomes, depending on the technique used.

So the production phase is a bit less clear-cut. Although hemp is a sustainable crop to grow, we still need to be sure that the process being used to turn the plant into a fabric is low-impact. Producers have a responsibility to ensure their manufacturing process considers the environment, their workers and the consumers, along with profitability.

So, what’s the verdict?

The good news is that hemp constitutes a highly sustainable, low-impact crop that can be converted into fabric sustainably. It’s important to make sure, however, that companies are not just “greenwashing” their hemp. Wondering where to start looking?

Check out these brands, rated ‘Good’ or ‘Great’ in the Good On You directory:

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Apart from underwear and hosiery, nylon can also be found in the bristles of our toothbrushes, umbrellas, knits, swimwear, and activewear. But for something most of us interact with on a daily basis, our understanding of how the fabric is made and its impact on the planet probably isn’t up to scratch.

A brief history of nylon

Nylon was the first fabric made entirely in a laboratory, and its invention represents the dawn of the age of synthetics. Nylon became widely available to the general public around the time of World War II. Nylon had two main roles to play in wartime. Firstly—thanks to its strength and durability—nylon was used extensively for military products, including parachutes, tents, ropes, and tyres. Secondly, nylon replaced everything that was once made from silk—such as silk stockings—as silk imports from Asia experienced significant shortages and price fluctuations.

What is nylon?

Essentially, nylon is a type of plastic derived from crude oil. This plastic is then put through an intensive chemical process, resulting in the strong, stretchy fibres that make it so useful as a fabric.

More specifically, nylons are a family of materials called polyamides, made from reacting carbon-based chemicals found in coal and petroleum in a high-pressure, heated environment. This chemical reaction, known as condensation polymerization, forms a large polymer—in the form of a sheet of nylon. To make nylon fabric for apparel, this nylon sheet is then broken into chips, melted, and drawn through a mechanical spinneret to produce individual fibres that are woven into fabric.

Nylon’s impact on the planet

Different kinds of nylon have different properties, but the common threads between each are strength, durability, and ability to be moulded into shape. The flip side is that no form of nylon is biodegradable; so once you no longer have a need for your torn stockings or old toothbrush, it sits in a landfill for hundreds of years.

Nylon is in part derived from coal and petroleum. In addition to supporting some of the world’s dirtiest industries, the manufacture of nylon has several other direct environmental impacts.

• Greenhouse gases: producing nylon creates nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
• Water: manufacturing nylon is a very thirsty process; large amounts of water are used for cooling the fibres, which can be a source of environmental contamination and pollution.
• Energy: manufacturing nylon is a very energy-hungry process, which contributes to environmental degradation and global warming.

But, there’s good news!

Remember when we said that nylon is a plastic? Well, plastic can be recycled, right? There are several brands and accreditations that can help consumers find more sustainable nylon products. After all, just because you want to save the planet, doesn’t mean you want your stockings all baggy!

Swedish Stockings, for example, produces beautiful pantyhose from recycled yarn. Their factories also use eco-friendly dyes, post-dyeing water treatment, and solar power for much of the energy needed in the manufacturing process.

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