Many materials are marketed as eco-friendly, but which ones are truly eco-friendly and which ones are just greenwashing? How can you track low-impact materials when the environment is changing so quickly? Here are sustainability tips for some popular low-impact fabrics, including recycled cotton, organic linen, organic hemp, Tencel Lyocell, and more.
What’s on the label? What do we look for when choosing more sustainable clothing? Whether you’re a clothing manufacturer or a fashion lover, choosing more responsible fabrics can have a real impact on the well-being of people, the planet, and animals.
Low impact materials (sometimes called preferred materials) are less resource and energy intensive and, once in circulation (i.e. when handled and disposed of properly), have little impact on people, the planet and animals.
But there is much debate about which fabric is actually better. Are plant-based fabrics necessarily good and synthetics bad? What innovative materials can provide evidence to support these claims?
Additionally, the low-impact materials landscape is constantly changing as startups creating new, potentially low-impact materials struggle to attract investment, scale up production, and prove the viability of their products in terms of sustainability and durability.
For example, one of the most promising alternative materials is Circulose, a new man-made cellulose fiber made entirely from textile waste. However, its parent company, Renewcell, went bankrupt in 2024 due to economic and business problems. The company has now found new owners, but the story highlights the dilemma innovators face when trying to bring a new, more environmentally friendly material to the fashion market.
Keep reading to learn the key information you need to know about the most popular impact-resistant materials today.
Cotton is one of the most widely used fabrics in the world. This plant fiber is lightweight and breathable, making it an essential item in your wardrobe. But cotton cultivation comes with many challenges: traditional cotton is one of the most water-consuming and chemical-intensive crops. This requires the use of large amounts of pesticides, which is harmful to the environment and the health of farmers.
Organic cotton is becoming increasingly popular as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional cotton. In theory, organic cotton minimizes the environmental impact of production by eliminating harmful pesticides and other chemicals from the manufacturing process. However, certification, which is supposed to assure brands and consumers that organic is the right thing to do, has been under fire for years. Certifications are often the subject of criticism and investigation, and it is important to remember that while certifications are not a panacea, they can be a good starting point for identifying best practices.
But if you’re looking for the most sustainable cotton, look for recycled cotton. Recycled or upcycled cotton is made from industrial and post-consumer cotton waste. Recycled cotton is a less-harmful alternative to conventional and organic cotton, according to Textile Exchange’s 2022 Preferred Fibers and Materials Market Report. It can help reduce water and energy use, and keep cotton clothing out of landfills. That said, recycled cotton isn’t as easy to find as other types of cotton: “In general, organic cotton is more readily available than recycled cotton due to limitations/gaps in the textile recycling supply chain,” explains Jessica Ouano, a ratings analyst at Good On You.
Marijuana seems to be everywhere these days. Hemp’s cousin is incredibly versatile: it can be used as food, as a building material, as a cosmetic, and has been grown and used as a fabric for hundreds of years. Hemp is warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and gets softer with every wash, making it a great choice for a wardrobe staple for years to come.
One of the great things about hemp is that it grows all over the world, requires little water, requires no pesticides, and naturally feeds the soil, making it even more environmentally friendly than some other crops. However, it is important to note that hemp is not always an organic crop, and many farmers still use fertilizers that are harmful to the environment. When buying cannabis, always check for organic origin and carefully examine the brand you are considering purchasing.
Flax is another plant that humans have been growing for hundreds of years. Like hemp, flax comes from a widely used crop: flax. Flax requires little water and pesticides and can grow even in poor soils. What’s more, every part of the flax plant can be used, so nothing goes to waste.
However, due to the high density of flax fibers, it must undergo a rigorous bleaching process to obtain pure white flax. Therefore, unbleached flax is usually beige or gray in color and is more environmentally friendly.
Linen is strong and durable, naturally moth-resistant, and—unless treated or dyed—completely biodegradable. In addition to having a minimal impact on the environment, it’s also lightweight, absorbent, quick-drying, and comfortable to wear in warm climates. What’s not to love?
TENCEL Lyocell is a man-made cellulose fibre (MMCF) made by dissolving wood pulp. The fibre is produced by the Austrian company Lenzing AG. It has grown in popularity in recent years, and was the third most used MMCF in 2022, according to the Textile Exchange. Lyocell (TENCEL) is considered more absorbent than cotton and requires less energy and water to produce. In addition, the chemicals used to produce the fibre are managed in a closed-loop system. This means that the solvents can be recycled, reducing the generation of hazardous waste.
TENCEL Lyocell has moisture-wicking and antimicrobial properties, making it the perfect alternative to pesky polyester sportswear.
Wool is a durable animal fiber known for its strength, warmth, and comfort. In its raw form, wool is a resource-intensive material whose production is fraught with ethical issues.
Recycled wool, such as that traditionally processed by Italian company Manteco, significantly reduces its environmental and ethical impact and is an ideal option for recycling, as much of the fibre is already in circulation.
Wool comes in a variety of fiber types and can be easily blended with other fibers to create fabrics with different properties. As the cost of discarded clothing or waste from the manufacturing process increases, the demand for raw wool from the wool industry begins to decline.
Developed by the Italian company Aquafil, ECONYL yarn is made from recycled synthetic waste such as industrial plastics, fabric scraps and sea fishing nets. Despite being made from recycled materials, ECONYL yarn is claimed to have the same quality as virgin nylon yarn.
ECONYL uses less water and creates less waste than regular nylon. During the ECONYL production process, waste is collected, cleaned, shredded, and then depolymerized to extract a raw material called caprolactam. The caprolactam is then repolymerized and converted into ECONYL yarn.
The obvious downside to ECONYL is that it sheds microfibers like other synthetics, so it’s not the best choice for clothes that are often machine washed. However, for shoes or infrequently washed items like coats, it’s a practical and eco-friendly option (compared to pure synthetics). If machine washing is a must, consider buying a Guppy laundry bag.
Image courtesy of Unsplash, other images courtesy of the brands listed. Good On You publishes the most comprehensive rankings of the world’s fashion brands’ impact on people, the planet, and animals. Use our directory to search through thousands of ranked brands.
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