You have it, I have it, but will we know that much about it? Sure, we deal with it each day, and it’s along the majority of some time. I’m talking about clothing of course. So common, issues becomes the overlooked item in sustainability initiatives. Recycled content, chlorine free, certified paper? Check. Energy efficient lighting (with recycling program for spent fluorescent)? Implemented in years past. Company uniforms? Well, yes. What about them?
Clothing has a various impacts, with regards to the type, content, and cleaning style. The material may be produced using considerable amounts of pesticides, chemicals, and also unsustainable forestry activities. Shoes using leather, suede, or rubber, to start with, can even be sites of interest. Even the traditional “dry cleaning” operation emits enormous concentrations of pollutants, while chemicals may remain within the garment. So are there alternatives?
In fact, there are lots of ways to decrease the environmental and social impacts of an wardrobe.
Cotton
Let’s commence with cotton. A wonderful, soft material that is the staple of numerous regions for upwards of a hundred years. Today, the vast majority of cotton in clothing comes from conventionally grown crops; it may be sprayed with any number of pesticides and fertilizers. This promotes a mono culture, or single-crop, situation. The natural properties of the land are rarely dealt with, so more fertilizer and soil will constantly be needed, thus entering a consistent cycle. According to the Organic Trade Association, organic cotton is “grown using methods and materials which may have a decreased effect on the planet. Organic production systems replenish and keep soil fertility, decrease the using toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers, and build biologically diverse agriculture.” Currently, nearly 1% of global cotton production is organic, but it’s growing fast. Sales in some product categories are increasing nearly 50% annually. Consider organic cotton for an additional group of company clothing runs making a difference!
Small addition: In personal experience, organic cotton can often be softer compared to conventional equivalent, but usually shrink on the initial wash. Plan size orders accordingly.
Bamboo
It’s not only for floors! The latest trend in sustainable fashions, bamboo clothing has a lot going for it. The plant is one of the fastest growing on this planet, doesn’t require considerable amounts of pesticide or fertilizer, and can be grown organically. However, can it be really as “green” as retailers would’ve customers believe?
In the effort to climb aboard an increasing fad, bamboo plantations are turning up around southeast Asia. Some of these plots were previously productive forest, home to countless types of plants and animals.
Sustainable and deforestation don’t go well together.
The process of converting the fibers of bamboo into soft clothing requires using strong chemical solvents. These may end up in emissions, wastewater, and even in the ultimate product (Yes, the pain you are wearing). Unfortunately, don’t expect an exceptional procedure for the procedure, as all bamboo clothing is produced of them costing only one facility in China. Sustainable and water/air pollution also are unwelcome bedfellows.
In fact, in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), bamboo fabrics aren’t anything in the sort. In August 2009, they issued a Consumer Alert in connection with sale of bamboo. Here’s a small segment: “The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, wants you to definitely are aware that the soft ‘bamboo’ fabrics on the market today are rayon. They are made using toxic chemicals in a process that releases pollutants into the air. Extracting bamboo fibers is expensive and time-consuming, and textiles made just from bamboo fiber don’t feel silky smooth.There’s also no evidence that rayon produced from bamboo retains the antimicrobial properties from the bamboo plant, as some sellers and manufacturers claim. Even when bamboo may be the ‘plant source’ accustomed to create rayon, no traits in the original plant are left inside finished product.”
The Verdict
So, whilst the using bamboo in furnishings can be quite a sustainable endeavor (with the usage of low-VOC adhesives and varnishes), it seems that, for now at least, bamboo just isn’t the intense green clothing item we might all love it being. However, it is also not the worst, because the benefits on the plant growth side can’t be ignored. Examine the fabric solutions for your needs and budget, then see, if, in spite of the negatives, bamboo really is your very best environmental option.
Look for your second portion of sustainability in clothing for information on dry cleaning, shoes, along with other common clothing concerns.
