The most sustainable textile fibres for an environmentally friendly wardrobe ...
Consume less and better: this is the diktat that the Planet has been imposing on us for several years now. For decades left unheeded, it has however found fertile ground in recent generations with the expansion of green awareness. From food to textiles, every sphere of life can in fact be environmentally sustainable.
The advent of industry first and consumerism later transformed the textile industry over the years from the exclusive production of natural fibres such as linen weaving to the immoderate production of artificial or synthetic fibres to meet the demands of fast fashion, with enormous consequences for the planet.
The intensive exploitation of land for the production of natural fibres of plant origin (cotton, linen, hemp, denim), intensive farming for the production of fibres of animal origin (wool, silk, leather), but also deforestation for the production of man-made fibres such as viscose derived from the processing of wood cellulose or bamboo textile fibre obtained by blending bamboo cellulose with various chemical substances, to synthetic fibres obtained from polymers based on oil (nylon, polyester, pvc, elastane), the entire textile chain has a very high cost in environmental terms.
Spinning, weaving, dyeing, printing and finishing, packaging, transport and distribution, washing and ironing, disposal (landfill or incinerator) or recycling: each stage has its cost. Let us therefore try to shed some light on the world of fibres, in order to be responsible consumers.
Jute. Among textile fibres of plant origin, it is the most sustainable and among the cheapest. It does not need fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides to grow. Biodegradable and 100% recyclable, burnt or left in landfills it does not generate toxic gases. Jute fabric has good insulating and antistatic properties, as well as low thermal conductivity and moderate moisture retention.
Linen. A strong and durable natural fabric, obtained from crops considered sustainable because they require fewer resources than, for example, cotton, and have a high capacity to absorb CO2.
Hemp. Cultivation of the plant has a very low impact: it grows fast, requires few resources and does not deplete the land where it is grown. It also produces 250% more textile fibre than cotton and 600% more than linen. A fresh, soft, durable, hypoallergenic fabric, it is resistant to mites, bacterial growth, mould, termites and even fire.
Orange fibre. The first sustainable and biodegradable fibre made by an Italian company based in Catania. From the by-products of the citrus industry, which account for 60% of the weight of the whole fruit and would otherwise have to be disposed of, cellulose suitable for spinning is extracted.
Leather made from waste products. A vegan fibre that embodies the concept of the circular economy, ennobling food industry waste from grapes to apples, from pineapple fibres and leaves to coconut water. The fabrics produced are wear-resistant and UV-resistant.
Seacell. Biodegradable fibre made from a combination of cellulose fibre and seaweed. The beneficial properties of the algae remain unaltered during the fibre production process and remain in the fabric even after repeated washing. It has hygroscopic characteristics: it absorbs excess moisture and at the same time the skin absorbs the health elements released by the fibres.
Banatex. Fibre extracted from banana plants that requires no pesticides to grow and no irrigation system. The fabric is waterproof, strong and durable, while remaining soft, light and elastic. The natural colouring is white, so it is easy to dye, avoiding bleaching, and is biodegradable.
Dessert. A vegan leather characterised by a great softness to the touch, it is highly sustainable because it is extracted from the Nopal Cactus, the prickly pear, from 100% organic plantations without the use of herbicides and pesticides and no irrigation. Only the already ripe leaves are sorted and the plant left intact so that it can be harvested again. All waste is then sold to the food industry.
Lyocell. Synthetic fibre obtained from the cellulose of the eucalyptus plant processed using a green process because the chemicals involved are non-toxic and are used in a closed loop, i.e. recycled and reused. The fabric mainly used for bed sheets, towels, denim, underwear is durable with good breathability and moisture absorption.
Recycled Nylon. A synthetic yarn derived from the regeneration of recycled plastic polymers such as fishing nets, household carpets, industrial plastic waste and fabric scraps used by the textile industry. Recycling involves less use of energy resources than the production of virgin fibre. It has the same characteristics as nylon but can be regenerated, recreated and remoulded indefinitely.
The low environmental impact of the fabrics is demonstrated through certifications:
Consciously consuming, buying sustainable, quality garments that can last, thus preferring slow fashion to fast fashion that lasts the ephemeral time of a tenancy, is the only real solution to limit the environmental impact of the textile industry.
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