Talking About Green

Everyone has items like cotton-jersey t-shirts, wool sweaters (or socks, or blazers), and silk camisoles in their wardrobe.  Cotton, in particular, makes up much of the clothing that fills our closets these days as it is such a versatile fabric.  What you may not realize is that many of the items of clothing you currently wear are likely doing harm to the Earth, to animals, and maybe even to you.  Most textiles contribute massively to the pollution of our planet.  Natural fabrics that are grown (cotton, for example) are subject to the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers that seep into the soil and air, spreading pollution and destroying ecosystems.  Sheep used for wool are killed off as they age and their hair becomes sparse, and silk worms are killed to collect the threads they create.  And then there are synthetic fabrics, which are created through processes that include toxic chemicals and other manufacturing waste.  This all sounds pretty awful – but there is a solution.  Many of the fabrics you love now come in organic; and the innovations are vast.

When you think of organic clothing, you probably picture some shapeless sack of a garment with unfinished edges and little color (grays and browns).  But these are the organics of a past generation.  These days, with the call going out for clothing that does less harm, designers and manufacturers have met the challenge head-on and started to produce beautiful and stylish organic garments that are virtually indistinguishable from anything else you might find on the rack or the runway.  And it’s not only big-name designers like Stella McCartney pumping out these fabulous (but high-priced) items.  You can find organic items in retail stores like Victoria’s Secret and H&M, as well as from companies like Patagonia.  And they’re finding more (and better) ways to go green.

For starters, many of them use organically grown textiles like cotton, hemp, and bamboo, or organically raised fibers (wool, silk, etc.).  These items are not only sustainable and less harmful to the planet; they also do more to protect you because they don’t transfer toxins to your body or your living space (especially useful if you suffer from allergies).  But there’s more; most companies that produce organic clothing also opt for low- or no-impact dyes to color their reams of fabric and if they include graphic prints, they use screen printing practices that include less waste.

Incredibly, it doesn’t stop there.  Some eco-friendly clothing companies also engage in fair trade, to ensure that child labor and forced labor don’t play a role in the production of their garments.  And they often guarantee that no animals were harmed in the making of their products.  Patagonia, for example, was recently accused of using down (feathers) that had been plucked from live geese (that were force-fed to fatten them up for slaughter).  The company investigated these claims, found parts to be true, and are currently seeking alternative fill for their jackets.

This blend of social responsibility and eco-friendly sensibilities is all part of what makes organic clothing more desirable for the average consumer.  So if you’re thinking that you’d like to do more for the environment (and for yourself) then perhaps it’s time to check out the current trends in organic clothing.  You might be surprised by the wide variety of options available to you.