Fashion Revolution Week
Every April, the conscious fashion community worldwide comes together in an effort to spread awareness to the demise of fast fashion and our fashion consumption habits. The community decides on a theme to shed light on and makes the topic in question a hashtag. This year, the topic is #whomademyfabric. What does this mean?
It means that we need to get to know about our fabrics and understand the impact of the fabrics that we wear. With this, I have made a list of fabrics that are eco friendly and those that are not, to help us ensure that we are more educated and know when and what we are buying, and be part of a revolution, the #fashionrevolution.
Let us look at the most commonly used fabrics and compare and contrast the pros and the cons and draw a judgement based on our mission at hand.
| FABRIC | PROS | CONS | POSSIBILITIES | LIMITATIONS |
HempMade from the stalks of the Cannabis Sativa plant. Hemp is obtained from the stalk of the plant, that makes a strong fibre suitable for fabric. 
|
No chemical processes required.Bio degradable.Long lastingNo chemical processing requiredRequires moderate water. | It is not legal in many countriesIt can be expensive | We can advocate for the legalizing of farming Cannabis for fabric purposes. | More awareness is needed |
Organic CottonMade from the cotton boll that is the fluffy cellulose of the plant. |
Made from natural fibresComfortableBio degradable | Requires lots of waterCan be pricez | Can be made the standard for production as opposed to basic cotton | It will be hard to change the minds of producers to switch to a more expensive options, especially the mass producers. |
LinenMade from the flax stalk that is obtained from the plant, combed into hard fibres to soft fibres. It is one of the oldest fabrics.
|
Light weightBreathableBiodegradableNo pesticides required. | Need hand washWrinkles easily hence needing energy for ironing.Uses lots of water. | Suitable for summer and in hot climates. | Can not be grown in many climates, limits sourcing to overseas countries. |
Organic SilkThis is a natural protein fibre made from the cocoon of the silkworm. 
|
it is a natural fibre.It is biodegradable.Very elegant | It is expensive. Animals are used | ||
BambooMade from bamboo itself, shredded into fibres.
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Light weightBreathableBiodegradableNo pesticides requiredGrows quickly | |||
Organic Leather.Made from the the skin of animals especially Cows, Goats, Fish,etc
|
BiodegradableLong lasting | Animals are involvedIt is expensive | Can be recycled as many times as possible. | Animal rightsVegan culture |
Organic WoolMade from wool of sheep, Alpaca, Merino. 
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Biodegradable | Expensive. |
Find out about yourself FASHION SUSTAINABILITY CALCULATOR https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxDwQUgHi1j8DpR1y5E8zfm61EGHi78XsfQ-ZUu_aPkrtfpA/viewform?usp=sf_link
There are semi sustainable fabrics that have hit the market in the past years that are part of the solution and should be given attention and promoted.
SEMI SUSTAINABLE FABRICS
Econyl
Made from recycled nylon material. There is a lot of waste that is non biodegradable that is not necessarily waste from fashion but is textile waste. One example is fishing nets, there is a detailed Documentary on Netflix called Seaspiracy that gives a detailed account on the impact of fishing nets. Therefore it is beneficial to know that there is progress with making solutions to the problem.
Modal
It is a semi sustainable fabric that is made from the pulp of Eucalyptus and Beech tree. Even though the processing involves chemicals, it is sustainable for its closed loop production possibility where it can be recycled as many times as possible.
Apple Eco Leather
This is a new fabric manufactured in Italy at the moment, made from remains of the juice industry. These are processed into a leather that is sustainable and semi biodegradable. With these kinds of advancements, it is possible to recycle everything natural that we consume into something reusable and sustainable.
Recycled Polyester
Due to the increased number of plastic bottles and plastic products that end up in oceans and waterways, and bodies. This problem has created solutions in the form of recycled fabrics used in many fashion brands. Even though polyester is non biodegradable, at least it is a step in the right direction.
Pinatex
Newly introduced to the fabric in recent years. This fabric is made from remains of pineapples as the name suggests.
Eco Vero
Responsible for 50% less emissions and water use than generic viscose, these fibers come from varied sustainable wood and pulp sources and meet the highest environmental standards.
There are several other fabrics on the market that consumers and producers need to get acquainted with that will enable a greater change. Here is a website with a detailed account on all the sustainable fabrics on the market with their composition and sustainability possibilities. https://www.sustainablejungle.com/sustainable-fashion/sustainable-fabrics/
As we close off the week, this is a good opportunity to learn, spread the knowledge and apply. WITH THIS, I EMPOWER YOU TO ALWAYS ASK #WHOMADEMYFABRIC . This can not be answered if we do not know what is the fabric, and by caring what our fabric is made of, it leads us to the the hands and the processes that make the fabric.
Thank you for being part of the #fashionrevolution and please share the knowledge.