Do you want to dress in ethical clothing with organic and ecological textile materials? Many organic textiles exist and it is not easy to know which ones to choose!
With our guide, we help you find your way!
Eco-friendly textile materials
Fashion has an impact on the environment but some textile materials help reduce this footprint. Natural fibers are a first solution!
Natural plant fibers
Natural plant fibers come from renewable resources, are hypoallergenic, biodegradable, breathable and comfortable. But be careful, they are not all ecological!
Organic cotton
Organic cotton is a textile fiber widely used in responsible fashion, such as for our organic cotton t-shirts . The cultivation uses natural fertilizer and requires less water than industrial cotton. Organic cotton textiles are often certified by the GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) organic label.
Jute
Jute is a plant-based material that is biodegradable and recyclable. Made from plant fiber, it is the most widely produced fiber in the world, with 3 million tons of jute per year. Jeanne decided to use this material for her jute shopping bag.
Hemp
Probably the most resistant and the least polluting, hemp is a fiber that is naturally antibacterial and antifungal. Hemp cultivation does not require pesticides and does not need irrigation. Its growth is rapid and often grows in France or Europe. Did you know? Hemp absorbs CO2 since 1 ha of hemp fixes 5 times more carbon dioxide than the same surface area of equatorial forest.
Flax
Linen is certainly the most ecological material. Ultra-local, linen does not require human irrigation and requires only 5 to 10 times less pesticides than cotton. In addition, the transformation into fiber requires neither water nor solvent and all by-products are reused. A breathable and durable material ideal for summer and winter clothing like our linen t-shirts .
Natural animal fibers
Animal fibers can be controversial and pose ethical issues regarding the conditions of the animals. On the other hand, some animal fibers are to be preferred!
Wool
Wool material comes from the natural fibers of animals such as sheep or alpaca. However, not all of them are recommended. Not all farms are equal, which is why it is preferable to favor:
- Merino wool from European farms such as Merino wool knitwear from Italy;
- alpaca wool;
- recycled wool
Vegetable tanned leather
It would be a lie if we talked about vegetable leather here! Leather is a material that comes from the skin of an animal and not from a tree or any other plant. However, at Jeanne A Dit, we prefer vegetable-tanned leather, such as on the leather handles of the Cabas “Saint-Tropez”. Tanning is a process that transforms animal skins into soft and durable leather. Instead of using polluting tannins, this process uses vegetable tanning agents such as those found in the bark, leaves, seeds, roots or even in the sap of plants.
Synthetic fibers
Synthetic fibers are produced from petroleum, a polluting and non-renewable resource. Materials such as polyester or acrylic are difficult to recycle and their manufacturing is very polluting. We advise you not to buy clothes made from 100% synthetic fibers!
Recycled synthetic fiber
There are recycled synthetic fibers for textiles that do not create a new material and limit waste. We therefore find recycled PET, a material from post-production scraps and post-consumer plastic. Post-production scraps are the plastic leftovers from companies manufacturing new plastic and post-consumer scraps come from recycling channels. Recycled PET is a good alternative to replace polyester.
Artificial fibers
Artificial fibers are made from plant pulp following chemical treatment. The best known of these are viscose or Lyocell, also called Tencel.
Lyocell
Lyocell is a 100% cellulose artificial fiber made from wood pulp. Lyocell comes from a process discovered in the United States in 1972. It comes from an ecological closed-loop manufacturing process. Lyocell is increasingly used because it is environmentally friendly, it is a resistant, breathable and biodegradable fabric.
Tencel is identical to Lyocell. Tencel is a trademark of the Austrian company Lenzig AG.
Textile materials to favor for the environment
Not all textile materials are equal, choose environmentally friendly textile materials! Here is a list of textile materials to favor according to Jeanne A Dit:
- Organic cotton
- Flax
- Recycled cotton
- Lyocell
- Wool
- Jute
Textile materials to avoid
Some natural textile materials require more resources in terms of energy, water and even pesticides, which is why certain textiles should be avoided:
- Polyester
- Viscose
- Traditional cotton
We hope the guide will help you in your future ethical purchases!
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