Types of eco-friendly fabrics and the difference between eco-friendly and organic.

Sewing is a fantastic hobby that allows creatives to make garments that don’t feed into the ‘fast fashion’ world. You’re already doing great work for the environment by making your own clothes, but some people want to go a step further!

Thinking of going green? You may have heard a lot about eco-friendly fabrics as well as organic fabrics lately. Eco-friendly fabrics are made from fibres that require little or no pesticides to grow. They’re also animal friendly since they are either made from non-animal fibres, or their fibres are harvested in animal-friendly ways. Organic fibres are cultivated without pesticides, chemical herbicides, and synthetic fertilizers that can be harmful to the environment. In order for a fabric to be considered organic, it must meet strict guidelines in regards to how the fibre is processed, produced, dyed, and handled.

Here’s a breakdown of some environmentally friendly fabrics.

OEKO-TEX

STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX is one of the world’s best-known labels for textiles tested for harmful substances. It stands for customer confidence and high product safety. Every fabric, button, and article go through tests to make sure the material is healthy for humans!
In the test they take into account numerous regulated and non-regulated substances, which may be harmful to human health. It many cases the limit values for STANDARD 100 go beyond national and international requirements. The criteria catalogue is updated at least once a year and expanded with new scientific knowledge or statutory requirements. It is not easy for manufacturers and customers to keep an overview of the legal situation concerning harmful substances every day. Let experts at OEKO-TEX do it for you.

Fabricana already carries dozens of OEKO-TEX certified fabrics.  In our brick-and-mortar stores these fabrics will have the OEKO TEX brand on the label and online these fabrics are tagged as OEKO TEX certified.

Fabricana also carries many fabrics that are certified organic (GOTS) and many fabrics made from eco-friendly fibres such as the ones listed below:

Viscose (from Bamboo)

• Bamboo grows without chemicals or pesticides.
• Naturally anti-microbial, hypoallergenic, and mold resistant.
• Uses less water to grow.

Hemp

• Does not exhaust the soil and leaves it in excellent condition for succeeding crops.
• Extremely durable, UV resistant, absorbent, fast-drying, and hypoallergenic.

Linen

• The whole flax plant is utilized and multiple by-products are made.
• Cool and absorbent and the strongest of all natural fibres.

Organic Cotton

• Grown on land that has not had any contact with chemical pesticides for at least three years.
• Feels softer and smells cleaner than regular cotton.

Ramie

• A highly sustainable fibre that does not require herbicides or pesticides.
• Eight times stronger than cotton and naturally resistant to bacteria, mold, rot, and insect attack.

Lyocell

• Categorized as a man-made cellulosic fibre.
• It is made from wood pulp from sustainable tree farms.
• The process of creating Lyocell fibres recovers or decomposes all solvents and emissions.
• 100% biodegradable.
• Fabrics from Lyocell fibres have a high degree of comfort.

Recycled Polyester

• Made from recycled plastic bottles or recycled polyester fabric.