About the fabrics
Organic materials:
ORGANIC COTTON:
Conventional, non-organic cotton uses lots of toxic chemicals and uses GMO seeds. This crop uses more insecticides than any other single major crop. It takes only 2.5% of the world's cultivated land, but uses 16% of all insecticides worldwide. It also uses 6.8% of the world's herbicides.
Certified organic cotton must:
My underwear is usually made of either organic cotton or a mix of organic cotton and hemp, bamboo rayon, or soy.
Conventional, non-organic cotton uses lots of toxic chemicals and uses GMO seeds. This crop uses more insecticides than any other single major crop. It takes only 2.5% of the world's cultivated land, but uses 16% of all insecticides worldwide. It also uses 6.8% of the world's herbicides.
Certified organic cotton must:
- Be grown without toxic pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and synthetic fertilizers.
- Use non genetically modified seeds
- Use natural fertilizers like compost and manure.
My underwear is usually made of either organic cotton or a mix of organic cotton and hemp, bamboo rayon, or soy.
Organic Cotton Bodysuit.
© Meara Oberdiek
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Cotton Plant.
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ECO-friendly materials:
 Hemp Fiber.
HEMP:
Hemp is a bast fibre made from high growing cannabis sativa plants. A bast fibre is made from the inner bark of the plant's stem. The plant is also grown for its nutritional seed and oil, and the fibre is used to make paper, fabric and rope. Other varieties of cannabis, also known as marijuana, are used for recreational drug use, spiritual work, as well as potent natural medicine. Hemp is a very durable, UV resistant, mildew resistant, insulating, absorbent, and breathable fibre. It gets softer with washing. As a crop, even when not certified organic, hemp is considered an eco-friendly fabric because:
I use some hemp in my lingerie, usually blended with organic cotton. |
Unbleached Hemp/Organic Cotton Underwear. © Diana Oliphant
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Soy/Organic Cotton High Waist Panty. © Emma McCune
SOY:
The soy fibre I use is a food by product. It's made from the waste product of an abundant soy beans which are sourced from U.S. Brazil and China but milled in China. After oil is extracted from soybeans, a soy “cake ” is left behind. Through a bioengineered process, protein is collected from the cake through distillation and to be refined and converted into a liquid form by adding non-toxic auxiliary agent and enzyme. SPF fiber alone is very fine, soft but weak in strength. So it's usually blended with other fibers to enhance its performance. The fabric I buy is blended with certified organic cotton.
The soy protein fiber raw material is a food grade by-product but is not certified organic. The reason is that in recent years, China imports huge amount of soybeans from U.S. and Brazil, in addition to their own domestic crop. Most of soybeans available in the world nowadays are grown from GM seeds. So they can’t be certified as organic even if none or little pesticide was used on the crop.
The soy protein fiber is a patent technology owned by Harvest SPF Textile Co. in China. As a guarded knowhow, they don’t disclose production details to anyone. However, you can check at www.wicofil.com, the website of a Swiss company who is a partner with this Chinese company and you can get some insight.
The soy fibre I use is a food by product. It's made from the waste product of an abundant soy beans which are sourced from U.S. Brazil and China but milled in China. After oil is extracted from soybeans, a soy “cake ” is left behind. Through a bioengineered process, protein is collected from the cake through distillation and to be refined and converted into a liquid form by adding non-toxic auxiliary agent and enzyme. SPF fiber alone is very fine, soft but weak in strength. So it's usually blended with other fibers to enhance its performance. The fabric I buy is blended with certified organic cotton.
The soy protein fiber raw material is a food grade by-product but is not certified organic. The reason is that in recent years, China imports huge amount of soybeans from U.S. and Brazil, in addition to their own domestic crop. Most of soybeans available in the world nowadays are grown from GM seeds. So they can’t be certified as organic even if none or little pesticide was used on the crop.
The soy protein fiber is a patent technology owned by Harvest SPF Textile Co. in China. As a guarded knowhow, they don’t disclose production details to anyone. However, you can check at www.wicofil.com, the website of a Swiss company who is a partner with this Chinese company and you can get some insight.
Flax Plant.
LINEN:
Fabric known as linen is made from Linum usitatissimum, also known as flax, or linseed. Like hemp, it is a bast fiber. It is also used for its nutritional seeds and useful oil. Linen is a very strong, cool and absorbent fabric.
Although the linen I use is not certified organic, it is still considered environmentally friendly because:
Fabric known as linen is made from Linum usitatissimum, also known as flax, or linseed. Like hemp, it is a bast fiber. It is also used for its nutritional seeds and useful oil. Linen is a very strong, cool and absorbent fabric.
Although the linen I use is not certified organic, it is still considered environmentally friendly because:
- It is 100% biodegradable.
- It uses little or no pesticides and fertilizers to grow.
- It has multiple uses and all parts of the plant are used, therefore little or no waste is generated.
- Its durability increases the lifespan of the product.
Bamboo Plants.
BAMBOO RAYON:
Bamboo is a very fast growing plant, and is a quickly renewable resource.
It is a luxuriously soft and comfortable fabric. It is absorbent and moisture wicking, which makes it a great option for underwear. It also has a beautiful drape, making it great for comfortable and elegant clothing.
Bamboo as a resource is ecologically friendly, however the process of turning bamboo into rayon is chemical. Bamboo linen, which is turned into yarn without chemicals, through crushing and using natural enzymes does exist, and is fully sustainable, but I have found it very hard to find.
I use some bamboo rayon loungewear because of its amazing feel and beautiful drape.
Bamboo rayon is still the more ecological out of the rayons, because the resource is naturally regenerative.
Bamboo is a very fast growing plant, and is a quickly renewable resource.
It is a luxuriously soft and comfortable fabric. It is absorbent and moisture wicking, which makes it a great option for underwear. It also has a beautiful drape, making it great for comfortable and elegant clothing.
Bamboo as a resource is ecologically friendly, however the process of turning bamboo into rayon is chemical. Bamboo linen, which is turned into yarn without chemicals, through crushing and using natural enzymes does exist, and is fully sustainable, but I have found it very hard to find.
I use some bamboo rayon loungewear because of its amazing feel and beautiful drape.
Bamboo rayon is still the more ecological out of the rayons, because the resource is naturally regenerative.
Other Materials:
SPANDEX:
Spandex, (aka Lycra or elastane) is a synthetic material. Many fabrics I use do contain a small percentage of this for comfort and elasticity. The stretch is especially important in making underwear and clothing that moves with you, and hugs your body comfortably.
Spandex, (aka Lycra or elastane) is a synthetic material. Many fabrics I use do contain a small percentage of this for comfort and elasticity. The stretch is especially important in making underwear and clothing that moves with you, and hugs your body comfortably.
SOURCES:
http://www.ota.com/organic/environment/cotton_environment.html
http://www.organiccotton.org/oc/Cotton-general/Impact-of-cotton/Risk-of-cotton-farming.php
http://picknatural.com/eco-fibers/soy-protein-fiber/
http://1st-ecofriendlyplanet.com/tag/environmental-benefits-of-hemp/
http://hempbasics.com/shop/hemp-information
http://greenopedia.com/article/why-hemp-so-important
http://www.telio.com/pdf/Organic.pdf
http://bastfibersllc.com/whatarebastfibers.html
http://www.ota.com/organic/environment/cotton_environment.html
http://www.organiccotton.org/oc/Cotton-general/Impact-of-cotton/Risk-of-cotton-farming.php
http://picknatural.com/eco-fibers/soy-protein-fiber/
http://1st-ecofriendlyplanet.com/tag/environmental-benefits-of-hemp/
http://hempbasics.com/shop/hemp-information
http://greenopedia.com/article/why-hemp-so-important
http://www.telio.com/pdf/Organic.pdf
http://bastfibersllc.com/whatarebastfibers.html
