Organic Fabrics

August 2010

3 August 2010 - Unknown Author

Organic Fabric

Organic fabrics are appearing in clothing everywhere. We’re starting to see organic fabric in fabric stores, too. Here are the basic facts about the most common organic materials:

What is an organic fabric? The method in which the material is grown or produced determines whether it is organic or not. In the case of cotton, the farmer uses crop rotation, natural fertilizers, and natural methods of pest control, rather than chemical pesticides.
In conventional farming, as much as 140 grams of pesticides can be used to produce the amount of cotton used for one T-shirt. This not only is harmful for the growing environment, it is harmful to the environment and body of the person wearing the T-shirt. Dying, spinning, weaving, and each step of the manufacturing process must also be certified organic.

What fibers are used for organic fabrics? Today, you can find more than just cotton fabrics, although they are most common and affordable. You can find wool, bamboo, hemp, silk, corn and soy. An eco-fleece made from recycled plastic bottles is becoming more available.
Hemp is a very durable fiber to grow, requiring no pesticides and little water. Tencel is a wood pulp product, making it a great use of what might otherwise be considered waste. Hemp and tencel are usually blended with cotton to make them softer. Bamboo grows very fast and can be farmed without pesticides, making it very sustainable. It is also biodegradable, has a natural antibacterial quality, and has a moisture-wicking quality.

Do organic fabrics take special care? No they don’t, but you’ll want to make sure you use organic detergents and organic dry cleaning methods, or you’ve wasted your efforts. Care and repair of organic fabrics should be just like any other fabric you’ve used. Dressmaking techniques, pressing and fabric preparation should be the same.
Ask for organic fabrics at your local store. There are many online distributors, as well.