TimesLeader.com

September 28
Alternative fabrics turn chic

EDWARD M. EVELD McClatchy Newspapers

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In the quest for a greener lifestyle, getting outfitted in eco-friendly clothes is one of the more ambitious aspirations.

Why?

Our addiction to easy-to-find, inexpensive apparel might match our addiction to oil, as the president put it. A new top for $10? That’s a hard habit to break.

But trying to turn your closet green can be confounding. The manufacture of conventional fabrics is often quite tough on the environment. But the solutions – alternative fabrics and processes – can present new eco-worries.

Organic cotton to the rescue, right? Partly.

“Organic cotton is not the silver bullet,” said Alex Kennaugh at the Natural Resources Defense Council.

So it’s no wonder that people like Dara Sims, a 25-year-old interested in making a change in her clothes-buying habits, can feel confused.

“It’s hard,” Sims said. “I don’t know where to start.”

First, we should try to understand better why the production of conventional fabrics can be such an ungreen enterprise, then to explore where to turn.

One place is alternative fabrics, including organic cotton, which is widely available. Other alternative fibers, bamboo and soy, for instance, are out there, too, and can be found online.

Courtney Fuchs sells alternative-fabric clothes at her store, It’s Only Natural, in Kansas City’s Waldo neighborhood. People are beginning to jump the “mental hurdle” about clothing made from alternative fibers.

They’re discovering that the garments aren’t “beige, scratchy and boring” but comfortable and colorful, she said. Clothes-makers are also blending alternative fabrics.

Price is another hurdle. A long-lasting, alternative-fiber T-shirt might be a $27 investment.

“You may pay a little more, but you’re contributing to the healing of the planet,” Fuchs said.

The other place to turn is resale, probably the greenest solution.

Buying used saves clothes from the landfill and requires no new raw materials, said Emily Main, senior editor of National Geographic’s “Green Guide.”

“It’s good quality stuff, and there’s absolutely no reason you shouldn’t be wearing it,” she said.

What’s the problem?

Cotton

Conventionally grown cotton uses enormous amounts of pesticides, about 55 million pounds last year in the United States, ranking it third behind corn and soybeans, according to the “Green Guide.”

Some pesticides are considered carcinogens. Added to that is the heavy use of nitrogen fertilizer.

The Sustainable Cotton Project ( www.sustainablecotton.org) says a third of a pound of chemicals is used to make one cotton T-shirt.

Synthetics

Polyester and nylon come from petroleum-based chemicals, not a happy thing, plus lots of energy is used in production.

Wool

Conventional wool often involves dipping livestock in pesticides. It might include the use of hormones and antibiotics. Harsh detergents may be used to clean the wool.

Rayon

It sounds good that rayon is a wood-based fabric, but its production gets criticized for high use of chemicals and water. Co-op America Foundation says lots of wood pulp gets wasted in the process. A newer product called Tencel, also from wood pulp, is said to be easier on the environment.

Dyes and finishes

Garments are treated with dyes and other agents that contain chemicals and heavy metals. Some of it ends up in wastewater. “Low-impact dyes” are one answer and might be noted on garments, but the use of the term isn’t tightly governed.

Alternative fabrics

Organic cotton

Growers of organic cotton swear off synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Lots of stores now sell organic cotton apparel, and name brands offer organic options. Levi’s, for instance, has “Eco” jeans.

But it’s costly for producers to go organic, and organic cotton garments are often pricier. Also, organic cotton represents less than 1 percent of the market.

The industry really can’t go all organic and satisfy the entire demand for cotton clothing, Kennaugh said.

A more workable solution will be cotton that’s sustainable and cleaner but that doesn’t rule out all pesticide use, she said.

Organic wool

Organic producers don’t expose their sheep to synthetic pesticides or hormones, and they follow sustainable grazing practices.

Bamboo

It grows fast and requires few if any pesticides. Bamboo fabrics feel silky. Some bamboo fabrics are certified chemical-free. But bamboo has been dinged recently by critics who say some producers in China, as demand grows, have gone increasingly chemical, from the fields to the factory.

Soy

Extract some proteins from the leftovers of tofu production, mix in some organic compounds and voila, soybean fiber. Soy fiber fans like that no extra crops are grown to make soy clothes and sheets.

Recycled plastic

Recycled soft drink and water bottles are turned into polyester, which is made into apparel. Patagonia has offered such fabrics for years, and others are following suit. EcoSpun is one name to look for.

Hemp

Hemp is a relatively eco-friendly crop, requiring little if any pesticides. And fiber made from hemp is known for its durability. Hemp clothes come from abroad. It’s illegal to grow hemp here.

The other alternative

Buy less new stuff. That’s one of the strongest messages coming from green experts.

“If you’re dedicated to going green, then the used and vintage clothing route is the best way to go,” Main said.

Kennaugh, director of the NRDC’s Greener Living Initiative, said a woman recently asked her about alternative-fabric wedding dresses, maybe hemp.

“I told her to wear her mom’s wedding dress or her sister’s,” she said. “That will make a bigger dent.”

Clothing swaps are another option, Main said. People get together with friends and trade clothes, simple as that.

“You’re bored with something and it ends up looking great on someone else,” Main said. “And it’s fun.”

Challenge: Greener clothes-buying

Dara Sims lives in Olathe, Kan., works in downtown Kansas City, Mo., in payroll and accounting and goes to school at the University of Kansas. She’s a math major. All of that makes her ...

“Extremely busy,” Sims said.

But not too busy, she figures, to try to green up her life. Sims no longer uses plastic shopping bags, she recycles paper at work and she stopped eating beef and pork. Greening her wardrobe is an area she hasn’t tackled yet.

“Clothes is one thing that seems hard,” she said. “But I want to make that change.”

So Sims has accepted a “greener-living” challenge, and you can, too. Here are the goals - a mix of research and shopping - she’ll try to reach.

1. Identify three clothing items you planned to purchase this month and shop for alternative fabrics, from organic cotton to soy to bamboo. Consider comfort and cost.

2. Choose two garments you want to replace - jeans or a dress, for example - and shop for them at thrift stores and resale shops.

3. Organize a clothing swap with friends, asking them to bring garments they no longer wear but might look good on someone else.