Organic Ethical Fashion - More Than Organic Cotton

Often associated with being throwaway, cheap and frivolous, fashion is usually thought of as anything but sustainable. However, there is a growing market for ethical fashion, where solutions are being found for harmful synthetic materials and the unethical way certain materials are being produced. We talked previously about organic cotton, as cotton is a material that accounts for most of the world’s material needs. However, if you felt like spreading your wings further into the organic world of fashion, there are plenty more ethical materials to be found.

Bamboo clothing, like organic cotton, is better for the environment as it is 100% naturally grown without pesticides or herbicides and is 100% sustainable. It thrives naturally; being the fastest growing plant in the world, it spreads rapidly across large areas, improving soil quality in eroded and degraded areas of land. Because it is a grass, bamboo is cut, not uprooted, helping soil stability. It’s not just good for the environment, but good for you too. Bamboo clothing is perfect for those with sensitive or allergy prone skin. The smooth, round fibre produced without harsh chemicals makes it non-irritant, breathable and naturally soft.

Check out Bamboo Clothing for affordable, ethical clothes made from bamboo.

Hemp is another material that is organically grown and sustainable. Although banned for many years because of its association with marijuana, the hemp plant is used solely for textiles, and super soft ones at that. Organic hemp is hypoallergenic and non-irritating to skin. It actually nourishes the soil in which it is grown leaving nutrient rich farmland for pollution crops. Hemp cloth is much stronger and more versatile than other fabrics as its tensile strength actually increases with age. Hemp is becoming more and more fashionable, with brands such as Armani and Ralph Lauren using it in recent products.

For more affordable hemp products, as well as other ethically sourced materials, check out Brain Tree.

If you want to do more than simply buy organic clothes, take a look at the clean clothes campaign which is striving to improve working conditions in the global garment industry. Read about current campaigns and how you can make a difference. So next time you shop ‘til you drop, think about trying something more organic in your wardrobe.