Plant based fibres

Plant based fibres are made from various parts of plants such as cotton, flax and bamboo. The growing and processing of these fibres can have significant environmental impact so there are plenty of factors to take into consideration when sourcing fabrics

COTTON

Cotton fabric takes massive amounts of water to grow and produce. It also uses significant amounts of pesticides and fertilisers unless grown organically. On top of this it causes soil degradation and CO2 emissions. There are longstanding issues in the cotton industry with child labour and slavery

BETTER CHOICES: ORGANIC COTTON

Organic, responsibly grown cotton is better for the planet in many ways. The water footprint is only 10% the footprint of “conventionally” grown cotton and no pesticides or other synthetic chemicals are used in the production. Besides CO2 emissions and soil erosion are reduced.

While it is becoming easier to identify and source more environmentally friendly cotton with certifications such as OEKO TEK and GOTS, it can still be difficult to check the worker conditions and compensation for a particular product. There are increasing number of voluntary certifications including Fairtrade that I will continue to seek out when sourcing my materials especially with regards to cotton

LINEN

Linen is derived from the flax plant, whose growth requires little to no fertiliser, pesticide and irrigation inputs. It is a renewable resource, one that is fast growing and can be produced without harming the environment. The fabric itself is super light and breathable.

A key reason why linen is a sustainable fabric is because the entire flax plant can be woven into a fibre, which means that almost no waste is left over from the spinning and weaving process. If organically processed without chemicals or intensive dyes, it also means no water pollution is made. And, yes, linen is 100% biodegradable and recyclable.