Whether you’re looking for a new wardrobe for your children or yourself, sustainable fabrics can help you to create stylish, eco-friendly garments. Whether you’re interested in a shirt made from recycled polyester, Madras cotton, or Econyl, you’ll find plenty of options.
Recycled polyester
Using recycled polyester is an intelligent way to do your part to help the planet. Not only does it save energy, but it also prevents plastic from going to landfills and oceans and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Using recycled polyester will help you feel good about your clothing choices and encourage a surge in sustainably.
Recycled polyester is not a magic pill but a real solution. Chemical recycling is more expensive but preserves the quality of polyester fiber. The process involves breaking down plastic molecules into monomers and then re-forming them into new yarn. Mechanical recycling is less expensive but produces less durable thread.
The textile industry has a massive carbon footprint. It equates to 8 million metric tons of plastic entering the oceans yearly. One trash truckload of textiles is thought to be incinerated every second.
Upcycled fashion
Choosing sustainable fabrics for upcycled fashion is not only good for the environment, but it also helps to prolong the lifespan of a garment. Sustainable fabrics also provide better value for their internal materials. They are designed to break down faster and require less water.
There are many different types of sustainable fabrics to choose from. Some of the more common types include organic cotton and recycled polyester. Recycled cotton is made from post-consumer cotton waste. It’s durable and washable.
Similarly, recycled polyester offers many benefits, including a 20 percent reduction in water usage and 30 percent less CO2 emissions. However, its quality is inferior to that of virgin polyester.
Another type of sustainable fabric is Circulose, a viscose filament made from cellulosic textile waste. Its eco-friendly properties make it a popular choice among fashion labels.
Another option is to buy sustainable fabrics directly from big brands. They often come with a discount. However, large retailers need to provide details about the manufacturing processes.
Econyl
A sustainable fabric consisting of recycled plastic and nylon is called econyl. It shares the same physical characteristics and is chemically equivalent to virgin nylon. The material is frequently used in carpets, rugs, and clothing.
Generating Econyl involves collecting waste, purifying it, and then creating the fabric. The fabric is then woven into garments or industrial textiles. In the process, 1.1 tons of trash are eliminated, and 16.2 gigajoules of energy are saved.
Econyl has been used in various garments, including leggings, athletic wear, and outerwear. It is a popular material because of its toughness, elasticity, and water resistance.
The Econyl website claims that Econyl uses recycled nylon but does not provide details on the manufacturing process. Although Econyl is manufactured from recycled waste, it is not biodegradable.
Aquafil, a 50-year-old yarn firm that invented the process for producing Econyl recycled nylon fiber, makes Econyl. Concerning eight SDGs, Aquafil has achieved sustainability achievements (SDGs). Twenty-one textile yarn certifications support the company’s dedication to producing sustainable fibers.
Rayon
Count Hilaire de Chardonnet invented the first successful process for making rayon from cellulose in 1885. At the time, the French silk industry was in serious trouble. To save it, he recruited the scientist Louis Pasteur. It took 40 years for imitation silk to become a commercially viable product.
The process of making rayon is very complicated. It involves several chemicals that the EPA does not regulate. The chemicals can also harm local populations.
The main chemical used to make rayon is carbon disulfide. It’s an acid that dissolves cellulose, transforming it into an artificial fiber. This chemical can enter the human body and affect organs. It can also cause hallucinations, dizziness, headache, and heart problems. In addition, it can cause central nervous system effects, blood clots, and Parkinsonian paralysis.
In addition to its environmental impacts, rayon production negatively affects the workers who make it. Workers are at risk for heart problems, nerve damage, and insanity.
Qmonos
Using biotechnology, researchers have developed technologies to weave spider silk into thread. The result is the Qmonos, a synthetic fiber from spider silk genes. The fabric is a biodegradable, flexible, and robust alternative to other synthetic fibers, like nylon. It is also vegan-friendly and has been compared to silk.
The best part of the Qmonos is that it has no harmful side effects. The company behind it claims that its product is five times more potent than steel, four times more flexible than nylon, and lighter in weight. And best of all, it is entirely biodegradable.
Spider silk is a natural fiber made from spiders and has unique properties. These include being lightweight and robust enough to withstand a bulletproof vest. However, the fiber was historically dissolved with highly poisonous chemicals. The Qmonos is a small, safe chemical used to create a spider silk thread.
