What are Sustainable Clothing Materials?

About a year into trying to live more sustainably, I had a real breakthrough moment, when I realized the ingredients of my clothes were just as important as the ingredients in my food. We try to buy local and/or organic food as much as possible, and now I try to buy items made with sustainable clothing materials.

But what are sustainable clothing materials? And how can you tell?

Sustainable Clothing Materials

Understanding sustainable clothing materials is a little complicated – isn’t it always? While something might be sustainable to grow, in order to become a material to use in clothing, the process might not be so sustainable (think chemicals, factory waste, and production emissions). This is before we even get to the use of dyes – often chemical based. And this doesn’t even touch on worker safety during production.

While a clothing tag often looks like a small thesis on the materials, it doesn’t contain the above information – not usually anyway.

I know. It’s too much. I get it, but grab yourself a cocktail or a strong cup of coffee or tea and let’s cover some basics, because you can learn just a little here and start dressing more sustainably in no time! You know I’m all about the doable, attainable sustainable living…

Sustainable Clothing Materials

• organic cotton
• regenerative cotton
• recycled cotton
• recycled nylon
• linen/hemp
• TENCEL Lyocell (eucalyptus)

When you’re looking at clothes, and yes every online product page and clothing tag in store should have the materials listed out (think of it like an ingredient label for your clothes), take note of what’s involved.

It’s important to note that nearly every clothing item requires a mix of materials. Even my beloved organic cotton underwear has some nylon and elastane for stretch. And lord help do I want a little bit of stretch in my undies. Who doesn’t?

But then this new regenerative, organic cotton t shirt is even made with organic cotton thread (and made with only plant-based dyes). So it is possible!

So while you’re looking out for sustainable clothing materials, just remember it isn’t going to be perfect. Every purchase of an item with sustainable materials increases the value and production of that item! And when you find those items that use organic cotton AND recycled nylon, you just do a little happy dance because that isn’t easy or inexpensive – that’s a company doing great things!!

One quick note to make here – bamboo isn’t on my list. Bamboo is touted as being super sustainable, but the production of it into material isn’t. You can read more in this article by good on you: Is Bamboo Fabric a More Sustainable Option?

5 Tips for More Sustainable Style

1. Cut back on buying new items
2. Find your style so you’re only buying items that you’ll wear
3. Embrace rewearing items
4. Launder clothes gently and intentionally (see how to wash jeans and how to wash lingerie)
5. Look for sustainable clothing materials (and recycled options)

Sustainable Clothing Brands

Many companies have items with sustainable clothing materials, but there are a number of brands that really try to do it across the board. A few go tos for me are:

• Toad & Co.
• Amour Vert
• Outerknown
• SUBSET
• Not Perfect Linen

Check out your favorite brands on the good on you brand ratings website (think of it like an EWG site for fashion).

Linen Pants Outfit Details

• Toad & Co Knit Tank
• Not Perfect Linen Pants in admiral blue (See what to wear with linen pants)
• Ron White Sandals (see my Ron White Shoes review)
• Prada Tote
• Celine Sunnies
• Cabine Ruby Necklace