References
We researched various environmental impact categories to find out how the most common fabrics stack up against each other.
For some areas, figures were not readily available, so back-of-the-envelope calculations were performed in order to triangulate the needed data.
The sources and approaches we used are listed here.
As highlighted in our guide to sustainable lifestyle, being particular about the clothes we wear is important in caring for our environment.
The textile industry accounts to 6.1% of municipal solid waste in the US 1. As of 2015, 66% of textile waste that is generated goes to landfills 2. Furthermore, the chemical manufacturing and agricultural industries—fields involved in the production of fashion industry’s raw materials—are some of the most polluting industries in terms of hazardous waste generation.
Clothes made of unsustainable materials are detrimental to our planet in that they are depleting the reserves of our natural resources and are causing release of harmful chemicals in the environment.
Thanks to recent innovations in the fashion industry, brands are becoming more thoughtful about the ecological impact of their raw materials, processes, and practices. Because of this, consumers now have the option to go green and still wear clothes that are on trend and reflect their personal style. One only needs to be more aware of the materials used in making their clothes and they’re well on their way to shopping more sustainably.
Overview
A fabric’s sustainability rests on three factors:
1. The extent of its use of natural resources.
While materials with organic components are generally considered more eco-friendly than those made with plastic, it’s important to note that plant-based fabrics are not equal in terms of sustainability. Some fibers are made from plants that require more land and water to grow. The varied resource requirement of plants meant that some plant-based fibers are more sustainable than others.
2. The amount of energy required to produce it.
Some fabrics are also made of fibers that need more treatments and processes than others. As such, more energy is required in its production phase. A massive consumption in energy means wider use of natural resources and higher carbon footprint.
3. The amount of greenhouse gas it emits after it turns to waste.
Although some synthetic fibers require less water than plant-based fibers, they are still considered more unsustainable than their organic counterparts. These materials could take hundreds of years to decompose which then increases their greenhouse gas emissions.
Now that we’ve covered the factors that make your clothes sustainable, here’s an exhaustive list of the most popular fabrics we have today—ranked based on their environmental impact.
The Most Sustainable Fabrics on the Planet
In ranking the most common fabrics based on sustainability, we’ve focused on five factors: water requirements (20%), land requirements (20%), energy consumption (20%), degradation rate (20%), and greenhouse gas emissions (20%). To calculate the latter, we’ve taken into account each gas’ global warming potential before aggregating them.
Without further ado, here are the most common fabrics used in the fashion industry, ranked based on sustainability:
1. Abaca
Sustainability score: 9.86
This fabric is also called Manila hemp and is made from the fibers of a banana plant. The abaca plant is regarded as an organic fabric since pesticides or fertilizers aren’t used to support its growth. Because majority of its production is completed without the help of machineries, this fabric has very little energy consumption and carbon footprint.
2. Recycled Cotton
Sustainability score: 9.81
This fabric is generally sourced from used clothing and textile waste. Typically, recycled cotton needs to be blended with virgin cotton or recycled plastic in order to improve its strength.
3. Organic Hemp
Sustainability score: 9.77
Unlike with conventional hemp, the production of this fabric doesn’t involve the use of pesticides and fertilizers. This causes less carbon emissions, soil contamination, and water pollution.
4. Recycled Wool
Sustainability score: 9.72
As the name suggests, this fabric is made from used wool products. Although the process of recycling wool has less impact on the environment, its drawback is the decrease in durability due to the splitting and re-spinning process it goes through during production, which causes breaks in the fibers.
5. Secondhand
Sustainability score: 9.54
You already knew secondhand clothes could save you a lot of money, but did you know that they are good for the environment as well? The clothing industry is one of the greatest polluters in the world and apparel consumption has increased by 13% percent 3 from 2013. Buying used clothing is an economical and eco-friendly alternative to buying new clothes every time you need something.
6. Organic Linen
Sustainability score: 9.48
Unlike conventional linen, the flax plants used in making linen fibers weren’t grown using fertilizers and pesticides. Some organic farmers also rely on rain water for irrigation which lessens its water consumption when compared to conventional linen.
7. Jute
Sustainability score: 9.40
As the name implies, this fabric is made from fibers that have been extracted from white jute plant. It is very durable and is rapidly renewable which makes it a very sustainable type of fabric. Due to its coarse fibers, it is not suitable for apparel production. It is, however, widely used in the production of ropes, sacks, curtains, and carpets.
8. Ramie
Sustainability score: 9.38
This one is made from fibers that were gathered from the stem of ramie plant, a plant that is part of the nettle family. Although this fabric is durable, resist stains, and is extremely absorbent, it has a brittle feel and is not resistant to wrinkling.
9. Soybean
Sustainability score: 9.26
This fabric is made from the by-products of soybean processing. It is sometimes called ‘vegetable cashmere’ due to its similarities with the animal fiber. Like wool, it has an incredibly soft feel, is moisture absorbent, and has UV-resistant properties.
10. Linen
Sustainability score: 9.25
This natural fabric is made from the fibers that were collected from flax plant. Due to the rigidity of the flax thread, weaving the fabric is a complicated process that often involves some fibers breaking. In the ancient times, linen was used as a form of currency in Egypt.
11. Organic Cotton
Sustainability score: 9.24
The cotton used in making this fabric was cultivated without the use of pesticides and fertilizers. This reduces its greenhouse gas emissions, soil contamination, toxic runoff to freshwater, and water pollution.
Despite its advantages, it’s still less sustainable than other fabrics due to the amount of water required to grow cotton.
12. Pineapple
Sustainability score: 9.19
The hand woven Piña cloth is a lightweight fabric that is traditionally produced in the Philippines. In 2013, Ananas Anam began to introduce Piñatex, a plant-derived alternative to leather. This fabric is made from fibers collected from the leaves of the pineapple plant—a part of the plant that is usually burned or discarded after harvest.
13. Silk
Sustainability score: 9.14
This fabric is made from fibers harvested from silkworm’s cocoon. Because of the intricate nature of creating silk fabric, it is typically produced in small quantities which makes it one of the most luxurious fabrics on the planet. Despite its sustainability status, there are ethical issues surrounding its production because it involves killing the silkworm.
14. Nettle
Sustainability score: 9.10
This fabric is the product of spinning and weaving fibers from the nettle plant. Because of its similarities with cotton in terms of softness and durability, it is often seen as a sustainable alternative to sought-after natural fiber.
15. Hemp
Sustainability score: 9.09
This fabric is made from fibers that were harvested from the hemp plant. It is favored by a lot of brands and consumers due to its soft feel, durability, and microbe-resistant properties.
Hemp has a lower impact on land when compared to most fabrics but higher land requirements compared to other plant-derived fabrics. This increases the amount of fertilizer needed to produce a ton of product and in turn increases its nitrous oxide emissions.
16. Kapok
Sustainability score: 8.74
To create this fabric, fibers are collected from the fruit of a kapok tree. The growth of this tree is sustained purely from rainfall and without the need of irrigation. Like abaca, it is also considered an organic fiber since no pesticides or fertilizers are used in growing its tree.
17. Recycled Polyester
Sustainability score: 8.67
In contrast with conventional polyesters that are made from fossil fuels, recycled polyester is made from plastic water bottles, jars, and containers—products that are made from PET plastic. Although made from recycled materials, recycled polyester is still considered bad for the environment due to the amount of hazardous chemicals involved in its production.
18. Viscose (Rayon)
Sustainability score: 8.59
Its complicated production process causes this fabric to require more energy. On top of this, it also uses large amount of chemicals which then increases the amount of harmful gases released in the environment. It has a soft and comfortable feel but can become weaker when exposed to extreme moisture.
19. Lyocell
Sustainability score: 8.58
Like modal and viscose, lyocell is made from regenerated cellulose that have been gathered from cellulose plants. This fabric is durable, absorbent, breathable, and has natural anti-bacterial properties. Unlike other fabrics, 95-99% of the chemical used to treat this fabric can be washed, purified, and reused. This characteristic lessens its overall environmental footprint.
20. Modal
Sustainability score: 8.58
Similar to rayon, this fabric is also made from spinning of cellulose fibers that have been collected from beech trees. It has a very soft and smooth texture and is resistant to shrinkage and fading.
21. Bamboo
Sustainability score: 8.54
Made from the pulp of bamboo grass, this fabric is considered eco-friendly by many due to the rapid renewability of bamboo plants. Bamboo also requires less pesticides because of its natural ability to repel insects.
22. Recycled Nylon (Recycled Polyamide)
Sustainability score: 8.48
Recycled synthetic fibers are more sustainable than conventional ones because it prevents waste from piling on to landfills. Like conventional nylon, this fabric also emits vast amounts of nitrous oxide during production. This fabric also needs to be treated under lower temperatures, otherwise, it would melt. This means that some harmful microorganisms are not killed during its production.
23. Cashmere
Sustainability score: 8.24
Cashmere wool is considered as a luxurious material due to its soft texture, lightweight feel, and durability. It comes from the undercoat of a cashmere goat, a breed of goat that is mainly reared for the fiber they produce. Because livestock release a high amount of methane during farming, an animal-derived fiber like cashmere will cause high amounts of greenhouse gas emissions.
24. Recycled Acrylic
Sustainability score: 8.22
This fabric is made from acrylic polymers that have been obtained from processing recycled acrylic waste. Because it prevents the landfilling of waste, it has fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional acrylic fabric.
25. Deadstock fabric
Sustainability score: 8.15
Deadstock is an old but unused fabric that comes from the excess inventory of textile mills and leftovers of large fashion houses. It’s considered a sustainable material by many as it re-directs waste that would otherwise go to landfills.
Although its use of wasted materials lower its impact on resources, it has a relatively high effect on waste during its end-of-use phase. This is due to the fact that a significant share of reused fabrics are polyester, a fabric that takes a long time to degrade.
26. Leather
Sustainability score: 8.12
As an animal-derived material, leather causes a relatively high amount of greenhouse gas emissions. However, since cows are raised not only for their leather but also for their milk and meat, its methane emissions are not as high as other animal-derived fabrics. Leather takes a long time to fully degrade which increases its impact on waste.
27. Wool
Sustainability score: 7.83
This material is made from fibers obtained from the coat of a sheep. The use of wool and other animal-derived products raises ethical concerns since it involves shearing the elements that animals need to be protected from the environment.
28. Polypropylene (PP)
Sustainability score: 7.27
This fabric is heat retentive, breathable, and moisture-wicking fabric which is typically used for outdoor clothing, athletic wear, and food packaging. Its production involves a very low amount of water consumption and a pretty low energy consumption.
29. Organic Wool
Sustainability score: 7.09
This material is made from yarns of sheep that were not treated with pesticides or other harmful chemicals. Because organic agriculture has a lower product yield compared to conventional methods of farming, organic wool has a higher impact on land when compared to traditional wool.
30. Polylactic acid (PLA)
Sustainability score: 6.85
This is a bioplastic derived from fermented plant starch such as corn, sugarcane, or cassava. Contrary to other polymer fabrics, this one is derived from renewable sources which makes it relatively sustainable. PLA, however, has a tendency to melt under extreme heat which makes it unsuitable for high-temperature applications such as industrial gloves, safety boots, and flame-resistant coveralls.
31. Spandex (Lycra or Elastane)
Sustainability score: 6.82
Due to its strength, elasticity, and durability, spandex is one of the most popular fabrics used for swimwear and athletic apparel. Its lightweight and hardwearing feature meant that it can both sustain frequent exposure to water while still being comfortable to the wearer. Compared to other synthetic fibers, spandex uses less energy which leads to lesser carbon footprint.
32. Cotton
Sustainability score: 6.71
One of the most popular fabrics on the planet, cotton is favored for its durable, soft, absorbent, and weatherproof qualities. It is renewable and biodegradable but requires large amounts of water in order to grow. The intensive use of fertilizers and pesticides in growing cotton also leads to increased soil contamination, greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and biodiversity loss.
33. Alpaca
Sustainability score: 6.46
Its longer fibers make this material warmer, lighter, and softer compared to cashmere. However, due to the extreme amounts of alpaca’s methane emissions, alpaca fleece production produces the highest amounts of greenhouse gas emissions compared to other animal-derived fabrics.
34. Polyester
Sustainability score: 6.44
This fabric is made from purified terephthalic acid (PTA), the same material used in creating PET plastic. Like most synthetic fibers, polyester is less breathable and absorbent than natural fibers. It is typically used in athletic wear due to its strength and durability.
35. Nylon (Polyamide)
Sustainability score: 6.22
This fabric is made from polymer, a type of plastic film used in the aerospace, biomedical, and sports industries. Its production releases massive amounts of nitrous oxide—a type of gas that has hazardous effects in the environment. As a fabric, nylon has good flexibility and durability but poor water absorption quality.
36. Acrylic
Sustainability score: 5.91
The production of this fabric involves a complicated system that requires huge energy consumption. It also contains at least 85% of acrylonitrile (also called vinyl cyanide), a chemical that has hazardous effects to health and environment. This fabric is stronger, warmer, and lighter compared to other synthetic fibers; used for applications that require insulation like gloves, sweaters, and winter hats.
Summary
To recap, we’ve analyzed the sustainability of some of the most popular fabrics used in the fashion industry and got the following results (from most sustainable to least sustainable):
-
- Abaca: 9.86
- Recycled Cotton: 9.81
- Organic Hemp: 9.77
- Recycled Wool: 9.71
- Secondhand: 9.53
- Organic Linen: 9.48
- Jute: 9.39
- Ramie: 9.37
- Soybean: 9.25
- Linen: 9.24
- Organic Cotton: 9.23
- Piña: 9.19
- Silk: 9.14
- Nettle: 9.09
- Hemp: 9.09
- Kapok: 8.74
- Recycled Polyester: 8.67
- Viscose: 8.58
- Lyocell: 8.57
- Modal: 8.58
- Bamboo: 8.53
- Recycled Nylon: 8.47
- Cashmere: 8.24
- Recycled Acrylic: 8.22
- Deadstock Fabric: 8.15
- Leather: 8.12
- Wool: 7.83
- Polypropylene: 7.27
- Organic Wool: 7.08
- Polylactic Acid: 6.84
- Spandex: 6.81
- Cotton: 6.71
- Alpaca: 6.46
- Polyester: 6.43
- Nylon: 6.22
- Acrylic: 5.91
So the next time you shop for new clothes, pay attention to the material used in making them. Remember that fabrics are not created equal. Some materials are more sustainable than others and we must be diligent in checking not only for quality but also for their eco-friendly status.
