Organic Clothing

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How to be Environmentally in Style!

With all the recent attention that has been focused on global warming and the environment, it comes as no surprise that more people are attempting to live a more “green" lifestyle. Switching to organic food and making a more concerted effort to conserve are really just the tip of the iceberg as far as green living is concerned. Another way people can live a more environmentally conscious lifestyle is to purchase organic clothing. With a wide variety of fabric choices and styles, organic style has really come into its own recently, and it is no longer difficult to find.

Many people view cotton as an organic fabric; however, that is a misconception in many ways. The standard t-shirt made from 100% cotton is in actuality far from organic. What many do not realize is that it takes about one third of a pound of chemicals and pesticides to make your basic cotton t-shirt. Because there is a lack of consumer demand for organic cotton, one has to do a little research to find products made from organic cotton. Although you can find organic cotton at some of the major retail chains, knowing what to look for on a label is important. Next time you pick up your cotton t-shirt or undies, look for the USDA Organic logo on the label. This will ensure that what you are buying is in fact organic cotton, and not something that was once organic and has since been chemically processed.

Often when people think of organic clothing, they instantly conjure an image of a ghastly hemp garment. Contrary to popular belief, hemp fabric is quite capable of looking stylish and garments often look similar to cotton garments once they are constructed. Hemp can be produced easily without the use of chemicals, making it ideal for organic uses. Hemp is more durable and often softer than cotton and other fabrics, making it a natural choice for clothing. Being that hemp is one of the more obvious choices for producing organic clothing, it is very easily found both on and off the Internet.

Generally people view wool as a naturally organic fabric, however that simply isn't true. Conventional wool production entails not only the use of pesticides in the very pastures the animals graze, but it also uses an extensive amount of chemicals after the wool has been collected. Wool can be purchased organic as well. Organic wool has not been chemically treated at any point in processing from farm to store. The Organic Wool Network has more information for consumers on purchasing organic wool.

Many people love the feeling of silk against their skin and view silk as a natural fabric. Standard silk garments are not organic, but silk can be purchased organic if desired. Organic silk would be labeled raw silk, noil silk, muga silk, or eri silk. These types of silk are undyed for the most part or dyed using eco-friendly dyes. Others are concerned more with the ethics surrounding silk production, because of the destruction of the silk worm during harvesting. If the ethics concern you, purchase wild silk, spun silk or eri silk. As you can see, all it takes to find an organic silk is a simple look at the label.

Alternative fabrics you may want to consider would be soy, bamboo or sasawashi. These newer more environmentally friendly materials may be harder to find, but they are well worth the search. Soy transitions nicely into fabric creating a soft cashmere-like texture. Being that soy is a renewable resource, it is a natural source for creating an organic fabric. Due to its natural ability to breathe, bamboo fabric is actually cooler than cotton. Bamboo fabric requires no chemicals during processing and causes minimal to no environmental damage. Although more rare, sasawashi is an excellent alternative to linen. Combining Japanese paper and kumazasa herb, sasawashi has a very luxurious appearance that many love.

Many people will tell you that the easiest way to go green with your wardrobe is to recycle clothes and purchase used clothing. However, for many people that is just not desirable. Looking into alternative fabric choices provides more options to people that want new clothes, while still being environmentally conscious. After all, who wouldn't rather look good in what they're wearing and feel like they're making a difference at the same time?

by Hillary Marshall

[Sandy Norton]

Check out the bamboo and organic cotton tees at A Little Bliss in Siesta Key Village! Sunshine Everyday has a huge selection, including designs that say "Green everyday",
"Recycle everyday", and "Earth Day everyday". There are hats with the same designs made of hemp and organic cotton.
With Earth Day just around the corner, showing the world that you support "green" is good. Wear your Passion!!