WHAT IS A SUSTAINABLE FABRIC?
Hello! It certainly is a miserable rainy day in London today, which makes for a perfect blogging day!
Everyday is a learning day and what I have come to learn recently is that breaking down information into bitesize nuggets makes learning more pleasurable so as not to overwhelm or disengage, especially when it comes to matters of the environment.
As a retailer of sustainable fabrics, I am often asked "What makes a fabric sustainable?" There is the common misconception that all natural fibres are sustainable. This however is not the case. Cotton for example requires so much water and chemicals for its crop to grow, that it is not really sustainable. Organic cotton however is much more sustainable requiring a lot less water.
Personally, I would say that natural fibres are more environmentally friendly than man-made fibres, as natural fibres will biodegrade. Man-made fibres such as Polyester will outlive you on this planet and never fully breakdown.
So, without going into too much specifics just yet, here are 5 factors which come into play when deciding whether a fabric is deemed to be sustainable:
1: Fabrics which manufacturing processes do not harm the environment
2: Printed fabrics in which its dyes do not contain any harmful chemicals
3. Fabrics made from fibres that will biodegrade
4: Fabrics made from fibres that are recyclable
5: Fabrics which processes do not exploit any of the workers in the supply chain from crop to consumer
As the name of my shop reads, "A KIND CLOTH" sells "cloth that is kind to the planet and to you". Fabrics deemed sustainable are fabrics that have little impact to all.
Have a browse at the Sustainable Fabrics Collection available here at A KIND CLOTH, and come back soon to find out more about sustainable fabrics!