Last time I talked about 5 kinds of fabrics to stay away from when you do your fashion shopping. Today I will talk about the ones that are safer bets.
100% Cotton Products.
100% organic cotton in white: Pure white cotton, especially the ones that are certified for sustainable impact, are good because when you throw away 100% white cotton, it is both welcome for reselling or recycling—but of course, it can’t be too dirty with many stains.
Wool Fabrics.
High wool or cashmere content fabrics: Your jumpers that are high in certified wool or cashmere content (70% or above) will have a higher resale or recycle value, as recycled wool and recycled cashmere are part of a big industry. So next time you buy one, choose one with higher wool or cashmere content.
Down Feathers
When buying a down jacket: Buy a down jacket where the down feather content contains only down and feather! There are some down jackets that mix down feathers with polyester or other filling to lower the cost, but this will decrease the value when it comes to recycling at the end of life.
Real Leather from LWG.
Real leather from LWG: If you are buying a leather jacket or leather bag, get a product made with real leather certified by LWG (Leather Working Group). PU leather doesn’t last, but real leather lasts for many years and has good resale value.
Recycled Polyester
Certified 100% recycled polyester: While polyester does have issues with microplastic release, certified 100% recycled polyester has a lower environmental impact than virgin polyester. Recycled polyester right now is mostly from used plastic bottles, but the ones from textile waste are on the horizon. This means they will have a high chance of being recycled at the end of life.
Biodegradable and Biobased Materials.
How about biodegradable or biobased materials? There are now some biodegradable polyester or nylon fabrics on the market, but the chance of them actually being properly biodegraded is very low—they often get recycled or downcycled. Biobased polyester or nylon is also gaining some popularity; in a nutshell, their source is not from petroleum but from agriculture, which is why it is called biobased.