Why it is time to choose natural fibres ?
Consumers are nowadays opting for natural fibres clothing. There is a wealth of natural and synthetic fabrics and clothes made by the textile industry and each fabric has its own characteristics. But how can we know what is good for us and our planet or what is not ?
What are the natural fibres ?
Fabrics produced with natural fibres are created from natural sources such as vegetable fibres or made from a living organism such as plants or animals. For instance, on one hand, we have cotton, linen and hemp coming from vegetable plants. On the other hand, to only quote them, we have silk, wool, cashmere and leather from animals.
Most of the fabrics are spun to create yarns used for creating fabrics.
Few characteristics of some of natural fibres
The linen is one of the oldest fabric known. It resists from the sunlight, is breathable, durable and non-allergenic.
The cotton is the most versatile fabric. It is biodegradable, breathable, durable, soft and hypoallergenic.
The hemp is very strong and durable.
The silk is a protein fibre spun by the silkworm. It is strong, breathable, durable, biodegradable and hypoallergenic.
The cashmere is a fibre obtained from goats. It is soft, luxurious, smooth and warm.
The wool is a durable, absorbent, warm and flexible protein fibre.
The leather is resistant to tear, strong durable and smooth.
Unfortunately in less than 100 years we mostly replace the use of natural fibres to use synthetic fibres, created from oil such as polyestere, polyamide and others which will take hundreds of years before being destroyed by nature.
Some fibres even natural require the use of water more than others, such as the cotton for instance. At Green Tailor we work with organic cotton in order to reduce the impact on the environment even with natural fibres production.
Natural fibres are ideal for those who have allergy or sensitive skin as they are made with natural sources and are soft. Kid garments are more and more made with natural fibres to protect their fragile skin.
What are the benefits of having natural fibres clothing ?
They come from renewable resources
Their production requires less energy
They emit low CO² emission
Most of them are breathable and soft
Some of the natural fabrics are hypoallergenic and have antibacterial properties
There is no use of toxic or chemical elements or pesticides as well as skin irritation
They are biodegradable
They have a high absorption quality
As we can see, not only natural fibres are good for the skin but also for the environment. They are sustainable, eco-friendly and came from renewable sources.
We can find synthetic fibres in :
Polyester
Nylon
Acrylic
Rayon
Microfiber
Synthetic fibres can cause health problems due to the chemicals used. The Rayon can lead to endometriosis and skin problems. The Acrylic can cause cancer. The Polyester can cause respiratory problems.
What can you do ?
You can look if the clothes you buy are made with natural fibres.
You can buy less clothes but better ones. Considering the fact that a woman buys approximately 30 kg of clothes, whereas she only wears 30% of her wardrobe, you can choose wisely your clothes to reduce your impact on the environment.
Wash less but wash better. To diminish the impact on our planet, not only you can buy natural clothes but also use ecological washing powder.
You can get informed on the brands that are transparent on how they created clothes and respect not only the environment but also the people making the products.
Even though there is a long road to more ecological and natural clothes, mentalities are starting to change. Natural fibres clothes might have a lower durability compared to synthetic ones, but it is a reason to continue hurting our planet with chemicals and toxic elements, the planet in which we live ?
References :
https://allnaturalideas.com/natural-fiber-clothing-benefits/
https://blog.patra.com/2016/04/28/the-benefits-of-natural-fabric/
https://www.nontoxicliving.tips/blog/safer-textile-materials-to-detox-your-home
https://www.sheknows.com/home-and-gardening/articles/838681/benefits-of-natural-fiber-clothing/
https://www.contrado.co.uk/blog/how-natural-fabrics-can-make-your-life-better/