We live in our clothes. They are a simple basic necessity, yet the way we procure our clothes has changed drastically in our generation. In fact, we own four times as many clothes as our parents did.
So with technological advances providing no limit on style/ cuts/ colours, how important is it to consider what our clothes are made of?
It’s important to read the labels and to know what you’re getting. It’s important to touch the fabrics, feel their textures and study the weaves. Pretty soon you will be able to tell the difference between natural and synthetic fibers and how they each have unique properties.
So here a list of common fabrics you’ll find.
COTTON
Perfect for hot and humid weather – cotton is light, breatheable, versatile, affordable, readily available and most importantly it comes from a natural resource harvested straight from the cotton tree. So this makes cotton our go-to fabric of choice, right?
Wrong!
Industrial agriculture has made cotton one of the world’s most chemical-intensive, thirsty crop in the market today. Cotton is grown in only 2% of the world’s farmlands, and yet consumes a quarter of the global production of pesticides. It takes around 700 gallons of water to produce enough cotton for a single t-shirt. Cotton crops are heavily genetically modified, and contributes to a host of social, health and environmental effects to farmers and their farmlands.
So while cotton may be touted as the fabric of life, the mindful alternative to conventional cotton is available in the form of…..
ORGANIC COTTON
Grown without the use of GM seeds, harmful pesticides and insecticides, organic cotton has all the benefits of conventional cotton plus it yields a higher quality fabric minus the chemicals and is usually dyed in azo-free or natural dyes. It is highly recommended for babies and young kids due to its softness, breatheablity and non-allergenic properties.
HEMP & LINEN
Arguably THE most sustainable natural fabrics, both hemp and linen are made from fibers found in the stems of the hemp and flax plant, respectively. It takes a long, laborious process to turn these fibers into fabrics, but we love them because they require no chemical fertilizers and pesticides to yield a beautiful, durable fabric that not only lasts, but gets better with wash and wear.
BAMBOO
Fast gaining popularity as a natural raw material for apparel, the bamboo plant grows fast with only very little water. However turning raw bamboo into fabric does require some chemical processing to break down the bamboo fibers, but the result is an amazingly soft, breathable fabric that is good in both warm and cooler climates.
VISCOSE
A man-made fiber from a plant based chemical compound, viscose is used to make delicate, light and breezy clothing. Ever felt warm and sweaty even though you’re wearing something light? Due to its synthetic nature, viscose is water-repellent meaning it allows sweat to build up underneath the fabric, causing discomfort in hot climates.
POLYESTER
No stranger in our wardrobes, polyester has been around for more than half a century. Today advances in technology
has made this synthetic fabric come a long way since its first inception, boasting qualities such as its durability, resistance to shrinking and being quick-drying – making it a favourite in sportswear, outdoor gear and of late, fast fashion.
Polyester fabric is made from yarns of a material known as polyethylene terephtalate (PET). Sound familiar? Yup, it’s the same material used to make plastic water bottles. So essentially, polyester is none other than plastic.
Enough said.
“There is no beauty in the finest cloth if it makes hunger and unhappiness” – Mahatma Gandhi