The Most Sustainable Fabrics – Selinas Inspiration

Living a more sustainable lifestyle also made me research about the most eco friendly fabrics. I used to believe organic cotton would be the most sustainable one, but the production of cotton needs a lot of water and the production of conventional cotton involves a lot of harmful chemicals. Let me introduce you to the most eco friendly fabrics!

Linen
Linen is made out of the fiber of the flaxplant. It is one of the oldest textiles in the world. It goes back thousands of years to the Ancient Egyptians and was also one of the most important textiles in Ancient Greece. Linen is very breathable, lightweight and cool to the touch, which makes it so great to wear during summertime. The fabric is also very durable, which means a good linen shirt can last you a lifetime. Organic Linen uses less water than organic cotton and is also free of chemicals. Always make sure to look for 100% organic linen. A mix with synthetic fibers would mean that the textile is no longer biodegradable. Organic Linen is a natural vegan and biodegradable material.
Tencel
Lyocell or better known as Tencel is a fabric made from the wood chips of an eucalyptus trees. Wood chips that are then turned into wood pulp. The whole process starts by thinning out trees instead of cutting them down. The production of Tencel uses less water than cotton and even reuses water and solvents. Tencel is soft to the touch, very similar to silk. The fabric is breathable, absorbant and hypoallergenic, which makes it great for any type of clothing! It is also natural, biodegradable and of course; vegan.
Hemp
The hemp material is made out of the cannabis plant. It is considered to be the most sustainable fabric at the moment. Hemp fields can be harvested up to 4 times per year, barely use any water and don’t need any pesticides or fertilisers to grow. The material is also one of the oldest in history! It goes back thousand of thousands of years and was one of the most used textiles until the 1920’s. It is very lightweight, breathable, strong and durable. It is also very resistant to bacterias or mould as well as water and UV resistant. It is also natural biodegradable and vegan. The hemp jacket I am showing in the video is from Hemp Tailor. You can also get 10% off with the code: “Selinainspiration”.
Piñatex
Piñatex is the newest one of these fabrics. It is made from pineapple leave fibers. Since it is a byproduct of the existing pinapple agriculture, there is no need for extra land, water or fertilisers. The production of Piñatex supports local communities. The whole production is considered zero waste! The fibers are removed from the leaves and the leftover can be used as a natural fertiliser or biofuel. The material is breathable and a great alternative for leather and therefore cruelty free. It is natural, biodegradable and vegan.