Breaking Down Clothing Labels: Eco-Friendly Materials to Look For
The fashion industry accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions, which is expected to increase by 50% by 2030. With climate change impacts on the rise, more people are starting to shift toward a sustainable lifestyle.
Recent surveys have indicated that 75% of millennials consider sustainable practices when purchasing products and aim to align themselves with brands that share their environmental values. An additional one-third of consumers are willing to spend more on products if they’re eco-friendly.
Some fashion brands have started to recognize the demand for eco-friendliness. If you’re interested in buying eco-friendly clothing but do not know where to start, here is a breakdown of how to read labels for sustainable fabrics.
Eco-Friendly Materials: What to Look For
Like packaged food ingredients, clothing tags list the materials used to make the item.
Check the label when looking for eco-friendly clothing. Fabrics considered sustainable include organic or recycled cotton, Tencel, linen, hemp, silk, bamboo linen and cork. Additionally, search for eco-friendly certifications, such as:
Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS): Sets organic, sustainable textile requirements from harvesting materials to manufacturing and distribution.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): Verifies environmental, social and animal welfare during the production of consumer goods.
Bluesign: Ensures all chemical components and materials meet a set of ecological standards while also driving research and development for the fashion industry.
Fairtrade International: Indicates that the product has met particular environmental, economic and social standards that support small-scale workers and agriculturists in developing countries.
Brands that have a combination of eco-friendly materials and certifications are a sure way to know if your clothing is genuinely sustainable. However, the fabric alone is a great starting point if you want to go green.
Pros and Cons of Different Materials
Although many of the clothing materials listed above are eco-friendly options, not all fabrics are created equal.
Organic cotton is one of the most common sustainable fabrics you’ll find on clothing labels. In the United States, 23,720 bales of organic cotton were harvested from 29,000 acres from 2019 to 2020. The U.S. accounts for 2.8% of organic cotton production worldwide. Although it’s soft and breathable, it still uses a lot of water and can be expensive.
Linen is also an environmentally-conscious choice when shopping for sustainable clothing. It’s biodegradable and compostable, made from flax plant stems in a process called retting. Flax plant production doesn’t require herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers or irrigation to grow, protecting the environment from harmful chemicals. The downside to linen is that it wrinkles easily and usually has to be hand-washed, which might make it less practical for some people.
Cork is another recyclable and renewable material found in accessories like shoes and purses. Rather than chopping cork oak trees down, cork is harvested by peeling back a regenerative layer of tree bark and then put through a flattening process for manufacturing goods. Like flax plants, cork doesn’t require pesticides, fertilizers or irrigation to harvest.
Some clothing may be sustainable in other ways. For example, UPF protective fabric in hats can prevent UV exposure without the need for sunscreen. Since the chemicals found in sunscreen can be dangerous for marine wildlife, UPF clothing is a safer alternative for the environment.
Factors like these can help you make decisions when weighing your needs against the environmental impact of purchasing clothes.
Eco-Friendly Clothing for a Healthier Planet
While the fashion industry has contributed significantly to pollution and carbon emissions, there are ways for consumers to be more conscious before buying new clothes. Higher demand for sustainable clothing may encourage more brands to choose eco-friendly materials and manufacturing practices. By purchasing clothes made from organic, recycled or eco-friendly materials, you’re ultimately doing your part to create a healthier planet.
Cora Gold is the Editor-in-Chief of women’s lifestyle magazine Revivalist. She has a passion for life, travel and adventure, and she loves sharing these experiences with others. Follow Cora on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.
