| Do you get confused by all the different fabrics out | | | | Recycled Fabric Clothing: Recycled fabrics can be |
| there? Want to know what "eco-friendly" or "soybu" | | | | made from a variety of materials. One of the most |
| means? In the hopes of eliminating some of the | | | | common recycled fabrics is made from plastic bottles |
| confusion, I have created a list of definitions for you, | | | | such as soda bottles and milk jugs, saving tons of |
| along with some advantages of each type of fabric. | | | | these bottles from cluttering up the landfill. The bottles |
| Eco-Friendly Clothing or Environmentally Friendly | | | | are crushed into tiny chips which are heated and then |
| Clothing: These fabrics are made from materials that | | | | spun into yarn, just like regular polyester. Pretty cool, |
| are friendly to the earth. The materials are often | | | | huh? |
| produced using organic methods, or from materials | | | | Other options for recycling fabric include taking fabric |
| that can be easily replenished, or from recycling. The | | | | scraps, cotton gin waste, mill ends, commercial fabric |
| production processes to create these products often | | | | trimmings, unusable factory seconds, and worn-out |
| use less energy, reducing the carbon footprint required | | | | clothing that would normally be discarded, and spinning |
| to make them. Organic cotton, organic bamboo, soy, | | | | these items into new yarns. |
| and hemp are examples of eco-friendly fibers. Not | | | | Bamboo: Because bamboo can grow as much as 2 |
| only are these clothing products good for the earth, but | | | | feet per day, it is a highly sustainable resource for |
| they are also often much healthier for you because | | | | fabric. Bamboo thrives without the use of chemicals |
| few chemicals are used in the growing and production | | | | such as fertilizers or pesticides. |
| processes. | | | | Advantages of Bamboo Clothing: |
| Advantages of Eco-Friendly Clothing: | | | | - Natural antibacterial properties |
| - No or fewer harsh chemicals used in production and | | | | - Breathable |
| processing of fibers | | | | - Biodegradable |
| - Decreased carbon footprint and energy usage | | | | - Fabric is extremely soft and comfortable |
| - Made from materials that can be easily replenished | | | | Slub: Slub yarn is produced when the fibers of the yarn |
| or from recycled materials | | | | have areas which are thicker than other areas of the |
| - Give an economic boost to farmers and other | | | | yarn, creating a "lumpy" appearance. When woven into |
| producers who use environmentally friendly growing | | | | a fabric, the slubs form a continuous pattern, providing |
| techniques | | | | a subtle pleasing texture and appearance. |
| Soybu: Soybu fabric is made from a combination of | | | | Cocona®: These fabrics are made by embedding |
| soy, bamboo, cotton, and polyester or spandex fibers. | | | | activated charcoal particles in man-made fibers like |
| Soy fibers are made using processed organic | | | | polyester and nylon. The activated charcoal particles |
| soybeans from a waste product in the production of | | | | are obtained from recycled coconut shells. For |
| tofu. The resulting fibers are extremely soft and | | | | maximum performance, garments made with Cocona |
| smooth. | | | | technology should be washed using scent-free |
| Advantages of soybu clothing: | | | | detergents, and should be dried in a dryer, without a |
| - Moisture wicking pulls moisture away from the body, | | | | scented dryer sheet. |
| keeping you cool and fresh | | | | Advantages of Cocona fabrics: |
| - Fabric is cashmere-soft | | | | - No harsh chemicals in the fabric |
| - Breathable | | | | - Evaporative cooling qualities |
| - Quick drying | | | | - UV protection |
| - Wrinkle-resistant | | | | - Odor management |
| - Lightweight | | | | - Benefits of Cocona technology are embedded in the |
| - Excellent stretch, allowing the fabric to move with | | | | fabric and won't wear out or wash out |
| you | | | | Performance Clothing: Performance fabrics are |
| - Biodegradable | | | | created using natural and man-made fibers and are |
| Organic Cotton Clothing: Organic cotton is grown | | | | especially made to give garments particular |
| without the pesticides and other chemicals which | | | | characteristics in durability and wearability. Most |
| make traditional cotton so harmful to the environment. | | | | performance fabrics are intended to wick moisture |
| It is breathable, durable, and biodegradable. Clothing | | | | away from the body, dry faster, provide odor control |
| manufacturers often use natural dyes or pigments with | | | | and antibacterial properties, provide UV protection, |
| organic cotton to further increase the earth-friendliness | | | | improve fit and shape retention, resist spills and release |
| of their products. | | | | stains, repel water, or improve freedom of movement |
| Advantages of Organic Cotton: | | | | through better stretch. Performance fabrics are |
| - Breathable | | | | especially useful in sports clothing and athletic wear. |
| - Biodegradable | | | | Different performance fabrics provide different |
| - No chemicals used in growing process | | | | benefits, so be sure to carefully read product |
| - Look for labels with "Certified Organic Cotton" | | | | descriptions for the benefits of a particular garment. |