Is giant Uniqlo doing enough?

Uniqlo has an easy to wear preppy look, and when it gets cold those cardigans can look pretty compelling. Its clothes may be more enduring than the usual “new styles every week” shtick of other big brands, but is there more to the story? We’re here to answer the question: how ethical is Uniqlo?

Uniqlo’s founder, Tadashi Yanai, was ranked Japan’s richest man in 2021, a spot he has held for years. The multinational retailer first opened its doors in Hiroshima in 1984 and emphasises low-cost, everyday fashion that doesn’t go out of style. And it seems it’s picked a winning formula, boasting around 2,300 Uniqlo stores worldwide. But let’s look at the story behind that super cheap cashmere sweater you bought in three different colours.

Environmental impact

When it comes to the environment, Uniqlo has received a score of “It’s a Start”, as it has taken some steps in the right direction. For example, it has a repair and reuse program in place and uses a few eco-friendly materials. It also has a policy approved by CanopyStyle to manage forestry in its supply chain, and reduces water use in some spots along the way.

While the brand has set a climate change target to reduce emissions in its supply chain, it sadly does not report the progress. On top of this, the target has not yet been accepted as science-based, which means we are unable to determine whether it is line with what the latest climate science says is necessary. That is, to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement⁠ by pursuing efforts to limit global warming to 1.5°C. It is also not as transparent about its environmental impact as it could be: while Uniqlo has set some reasonably strong policies, it doesn’t disclose how it is implementing and meeting these policies⁠—we hope there aren’t any other skeletons hiding in Uniqlo’s extensive closet.

Labour conditions

Uniqlo’s labour rating is “Not Good Enough”. It scores 31-40% in the Fashion Transparency Index. The brand traces most of its supply chain including all of the final stage, however, it doesn’t publicly list all of its suppliers. A real disappointment here is that there is no evidence it ensures payment of a living wage, which puts a damper on the fact that the brand disclosed adequate policies to protect suppliers from the impacts of COVID-19 to some extent by fulfilling orders. That being said, we could not find policies to protect workers themselves, such as access to healthcare or plans if there is an outbreak.

To make matters worse, the brand has been caught up in an ongoing worker’s rights case for years, and owes Indonesian garment workers $5.5m worth of severance pay. Uniqlo must take responsibility for the people in its supply chain before it can be considered an ethical company—and it can certainly afford to do so.

Animal welfare

Uniqlo has made a start with animal welfare, but there is still room for improvement. The brand gets a big thumbs up for banning the use of fur, angora, shearling, and karakul, and for committing to eliminate other animal products like mohair. It also uses non-mulesed wool and Responsible Down Standard down, and has a formal animal welfare policy aligned with Five Freedoms. However, it still uses cashmere and leather without specifying whether it traces animal products to the first stage of production (farms). For animals, we rate Uniqlo “It’s a Start”, with hopes for future improvement.

Overall rating: It’s a start

Uniqlo has been rated “It’s a Start” overall, based on research from our team here at Good On You. Good On You ratings consider hundreds of issues and it is not possible to list every relevant issue in a summary of the brand’s performance. For more information see our How We Rate page and our FAQs. While Uniqlo has set some decent environmental policies in place and has made a start for animals, there’s no evidence it’s providing fair wages for its workers, and it still has a lot of work to do before it can be considered a “Good” or “Great” ethical brand.

See the rating.

Good swaps

“Good” and “Great” alternatives to Uniqlo

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Research by Deloitte Access Economics for Oxfam Australia reveals that, on average, only between 2-4% of the price of a piece of clothing sold in Australia goes toward workers’ wages in factories. The Clean Clothes Campaign reports similar, explaining that “wages for production will scarcely exceed 3% of the price you pay in the shop.”

It would cost very little for brands to change this. Even if big brands passed the entire cost of paying living wages on to consumers, it would only cost an extra 1% of the retail price—that’s just 10 cents for a $10 t-shirt—for living wages to be paid to the women and men who make our clothes.

What is a living wage?

A living wage is the bare minimum required for workers to have a decent life. In China, the minimum legal wage remains well under a living wage and many workers remain in poverty—although many garment workers are in fact paid more than a living wage. In Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Indonesia typical wages are only one quarter to one half of what a worker needs for a decent life. The living wage movement took off in Baltimore in 1994, when the city passed living wage laws when it became clear that many of the people living in Baltimore’s homeless shelters were actually employed in full-time jobs! Campaigners found that it was simply not possible to sustain a decent quality of life on the city’s minimum wage.

According to Jon Gertner, this response indicated the basic belief “that no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty.” Simply put, the logic behind the push for the living wage is based on the rather instinctive assumption that a person who works long, hard hours should be rewarded by not having to live below the poverty line. Although most governments and companies support this in principle, the reality is often far bleaker.

How are living wages calculated?

There are two widely accepted methodologies:

1. The Asia Floor Wage Alliance brings together unions and labour activists and has calculated minimum living wages in many Asian countries
2. The Anker Method, named after Richard and Martha Anker who developed the method in partnership with the Global Living Wage Coalition. While the Anker method can produce a somewhat lower wage outcome, it is designed to be applicable to most less developed countries in a range of situations

Both calculations factor in a low-cost but nutritious diet for a small family, basic acceptable housing, other essential expenses such as health and clothing, and a small margin for unexpected circumstances.

A snapshot of the living wage campaign in Bangladesh

There are many legitimate concerns about the ethics and impacts of the fashion industry—especially in poorly regulated, developing countries—but that doesn’t mean that the fashion industry hasn’t also brought benefits to countries such as Bangladesh. According to Sarah Labowitz and Dorothée Baumann-Pauly, “Since the arrival of the garment sector in the late 1970s, the country’s poverty rate has fallen from 70 percent to less than 40 percent, accompanied by increases in life expectancy, literacy, and per capita food intake.” Certainly a pleasing statistic.

But there is a reason many companies have flocked to Bangladesh in recent years, and it isn’t due to their reputation for human rights or safe working conditions. From a business perspective, high productivity and low overheads are always important, but the question remains: “How is it possible to make clothing so very cheaply?”

Many of the people employed in the cut-make-trim part of the fashion supply chain work in unsafe factories and live in deplorable conditions. In fact, garment factory wages in Bangladesh are the lowest in the world. Workers’ living conditions may not be a direct legal responsibility of the large international corporations that own the major high street brands—but then again, if their healthy profits flow from the fact that people are living in abject poverty, surely they have to take responsibility? The living wage campaign aims to overcome this injustice by calling on companies to ensure their profits don’t come at the cost of their employees’ living conditions.

Living wages in the sportswear sector

The Clean Clothes Campaign and Collectif Ethique sur l’Étiquette have conducted research on the wages and conditions of workers in the sportswear sector. They have found that Adidas and Nike do not pay living wages, and worse that they are moving production away from China where wages are steadily growing to countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, and Indonesia with lower-wage standards and where human rights violations are more common.

The campaigners are calling on Nike and Adidas to establish a roadmap with specific targets to guarantee payment of a living wage to all workers in their supply chain with clear time commitments. They also call for the brands to make living wages possible through long term commitments to their suppliers factories, to publish annual statements of the actual wages paid and the results of all social audits of suppliers factories, and to support the efforts of unions to negotiate fair wages in supplier countries.

Does a living wage guarantee a better life?

There’s a danger that where wages are increased, local service providers will increase the price of rent and groceries. This means that unless it is implemented meaningfully, an increase in wages may not fully translate into an improved quality of life. And if such an increase is not across the board, then increases at one factory may mean losing work due to retrenchment if international brands move their orders to cheaper competitors.

This is why it is so important that brands work in coordination with unions, governments, and others to address the problem. Brands should also commit for the long term to suppliers that do the right thing by their workers.

Additionally, it is important to make sure that costs aren’t cut elsewhere as a result of the wage increase—if brands continue to squeeze them on price, factory owners may offset increases in wages with a decrease in safety measures within the factory. But one thing we can say for sure: if wages are not increased, the workers who make our clothes are condemned to a life of poverty and danger.

Who is responsible for making a change?

It’s clear that protecting the rights of fashion’s lowest-paid workers is complicated. But who is responsible for trying to improve the system? Should companies and consumers be responsible for living conditions in factories, or should it fall under the jurisdiction of the government and local authorities?

Given the unstable political situation in the countries where labour rights are often an issue, effective government intervention isn’t always possible, and local industry players often have excessive influence with governments which they use to protect their short-term interests at the expense of their workers. According to Sarah Labowitz and Dorothée Baumann-Pauly, for instance, “The government of Bangladesh lacks the resources, administrative capacity, and often the will to protect workers in garment factories”.

There are a number of organisations that are working towards a Fair Trade model in the fashion industry, including the Ethical Trading Initiative and the Clean Clothes Campaign. The Tailored Wage Report published by Clean Clothes Campaign ranked the approach to living wages of 50 major clothes companies from Adidas to Zara. A brand’s approach to a living wage is a key factor taken into account in rankings such as the Fashion Revolution Transparency Index (which rates 100 of the largest fashion brands), and in the Good On You app (more than 3,000 brands rated).

What should brands do?

According to Oxfam, brands should first get the basics right on human rights—publish a list of their suppliers, respect workers rights to organise via unions, establish effective grievance processes, and empower women workers with positive policies and targets.

On living wages, they should:

1. Make a credible commitment to paying a living wage
2. Publish a living wage roadmap
3. Implement and monitor living wages in the supply chain

Oxfam publishes a company tracker that monitors 16 large brands available in Australia, including Cotton On, Country Road, Just Jeans, and H&M. At time of writing, 9 of the 16 companies were recorded as meeting the transparency requirement, but only 6 had made any kind of commitment to paying a living wage.

Of the 3,000 brands rated in the Good On You directory, just 154 are rated “Great” for labour rights based on the certifications they hold (eg Fair Trade) and/or their strong record on respecting the rights of their workers.

What can you do as a shopper?

Oxfam is calling on consumers to send a message to brands asking them to commit to paying a living wage and move forward to implement that commitment. Why not sign the Oxfam pledge to:

• Stand in solidarity with the women who make our clothes
• Let big brands know loud and clear that the women working in their factories and making our clothes must be paid a living wage

Final thoughts

It is clear that the tragic events at Rana Plaza didn’t occur simply because the structure of the building was unsafe. Rather, it was possible because the very structures that inform interactions between workers and management are highly unstable and unequal. After Rana Plaza, big companies donated millions, intended as compensation for victims—but surely it would make more sense to provide a decent wage and safe working conditions in the first place?

Despite the fact that the cost of living in certain countries may be lower, the salaries paid in the textile industry still don’t provide an adequate level of comfort for a worker to exist with basic dignity, hygiene, or health. No matter which way we look at it, no matter where we place the blame—when we purchase fast fashion we are often participating in a system that leads to the chronic exploitation and humiliation of some of the world’s most vulnerable inhabitants.

Good On You believes in supporting companies that protect and nurture employees at all levels of the supply chain. Check out some of our ‘Good’ and ‘Great’ rated brands to discover the ways some companies are working to support developing economies, protect their workers, and produce clothing that looks good, too.

The post What Is a Living Wage and How Does It Benefit Garment Workers? 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:

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

Play is the work of the child.

In a globalised world where factories are in a “race to the bottom” to provide cheap fashion fast, children are often involved in the supply chain. For unscrupulous businesses, they constitute a cheap, compliant, and easily exploited labour force.

The sad truth of child labour

Around 160 million children are employed worldwide, of whom an estimated 79 million are engaged in the kind of child labour the International Labour Organisation—and we—think should be eradicated.

UNICEF’s Article 32 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child states that “The government should protect children from work that is dangerous or might harm their health or their education.” This does not mean that children should not be allowed to do chores around the house or undertake suitable light work in the family business on the family farm, for instance. It does mean, however, that;

1. Children should not be put into situations that might be harmful to their health or general well being;
2. Asked to perform physically arduous tasks; or
3. Have their rights (including the right to play, relaxation, and an education) compromised.

Why does child labour exist?

The reason many companies choose to employ children is that they slip so easily under the radar. According to Sofie Ovaa of Stop Child Labour, one of the reasons children are so vulnerable is because “there is no supervision or social control mechanisms, no unions that can help them to bargain for better working conditions. These are very low-skilled workers without a voice, so they are easy targets.”

According to the 2019 Ethical Fashion Report, many companies are now aware of who their suppliers are at the final stage of manufacturing their clothing. “Although the majority of companies have begun tracing suppliers at these deeper stages of their supply chain, it is evident that many still have no knowledge of where their inputs and raw materials are being sourced. With less visibility, comes greater risk. The prominence of forced and child labour is well documented at these earlier stages of production.”

Child labour is a lose-lose situation

Because of their vulnerability, many companies will employ children in preference to adults. According to The Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations, “There is a clear link between child labour and low wages for adult workers, both in agriculture (cotton production) and in garment factories.” They argue that if “child labour was banned, labour would become more scarce, which would allow adult workers to negotiate better wages and improve labour conditions.”

This means that high levels of child labour may, in fact, correlate with adult unemployment and underemployment. If children are being paid less than adults to do the same job, families are worse off. If adults are paid a living wage, their children can have the opportunity to get an education, thus giving them more opportunities to break the cycle of poverty.

Some may argue for the value of giving children opportunities to work and learn skills from a young age, such as apprenticeships that set them up with a trade for the rest of their lives. However, there is a big difference between helping out on a neighbour’s farm or learning a worthwhile trade and working for 12 hours in an unsafe and unsanitary factory.

There is arguably no part of the fashion industry that contributes to the well-being of a young child or gives them skills they could not equally learn later in life. On the more extreme end of the spectrum, where children work long hours for little pay, this can be seen as prohibitive to a child ever moving into more skilled employment as an adult, as they will never have the opportunity to gain skills in other areas.

Child labour in the cotton industry

Child labour can be found at all levels of the fashion industry, and nowhere is this more evident than cotton production. In the cotton industry, children have historically been used to cross-pollinate the cotton plants, to harvest the crop, and in spinning, weaving, and dyeing mills.

This has been particularly evident in Uzbekistan, where government workers reportedly forced children to spend the summer months picking cotton and even threatened them with expulsion from school if they did not comply. However, after the campaigning and backlash from international activist organisations in the past few years, the ILO has reported “a huge drop in the number of school children being used in the cotton harvest.”

In cotton mills in Southern India in the past, poor girls were often enticed to work in circumstances that are virtually bonded labour. Factory managers may even have had hormones put in their food to stop them from menstruating, as women are seen to be less productive during their menstrual period. However, according to a recent report, the Indian textile industry has “stepped up efforts to eradicate employment of child labour so as to keep their exports intact in the world markets.”

“Fast fashion has engendered a race to the bottom, pushing companies to find ever-cheaper sources of labour,” says a UNICEF report. “That cheap labour is freely available in many of the countries where textile and garment production takes place.”

Given that only 11% of brands included in the 2021 Fashion Transparency Index publish selected raw material suppliers, this raises concerns regarding the extent to which the average consumer unknowingly supports the exploitative measures in many parts of the supply chain.

What can we do?

The world we live in encompasses a vast amount of inequality, which no doubt exacerbates child labour and the exploitation of millions. As informed citizens, we have a responsibility to use our voices and our wallets to create change. If consumers refuse to buy products from companies known to use child labour, it becomes worthwhile for them to find other means of production. This has been shown to work in the past with companies like Nike, which reformed its labour policies due to consumer pressure.

Although it can sound very bleak, things have been improving. The number of children in child labour has declined by one-third since 2000, from 246 million to 160 million children. Around half of them (79 million) are in hazardous work (down from 170 million in 2000). This was particularly the case for girls engaged in child labour, the rate of which fell by 40% since 2000, compared to 25% for boys. Despite this, the ILO reports that “Global progress against child labour has stalled since 2016”, as seen in the numbers, which have unfortunately held steady.

Despite being somewhat overwhelming, these stats paint the beginnings of an encouraging story. And several accreditations, such as Fair Trade, work to eradicate the worst forms of child labour.

The debates surrounding child labour are complex, which is why they require careful attention. Marginalised children and adults both need better options to begin to break the cycle of poverty. As consumers, we can take responsibility for our small role in the system.

It is possible to pay workers a fair wage and still make beautiful, affordable fashion. By choosing to support companies that don’t exploit the world’s most vulnerable groups, we can send a strong message.

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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.

Zara gets a rating of ‘Not Good Enough’ from us. It has introduced some measures to make its business more sustainable, such as the Closing the Loop program, and publishes a detailed list of suppliers. However, we believe the business model that Zara adopts can never be truly sustainable. The promotion of such rapid consumption is inherently harmful to both people and the planet.

That’s why we’ve listed a few of our favourite brands that between them cover all bases in terms of reliable wardrobe go-to items all while respecting the planet, animals, and the people who make their clothes. Here are 8 ethical brands you’ll love more than Zara.

The post 8 Ethical Brands You’ll Love More Than Zara 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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