Cotton: A Thread of History, Fashion, and Sustainability

Fabrics created from environmentally friendly resources, such as sustainably cultivated fiber crops or recycled materials, are referred to as sustainable fabrics. It also refers to the fabrics that are manufactured using sustainable practices. Let us discuss the different types of sustainable fabrics and their impact on the fashion industry. 

Benefits of Sustainable Fabrics 

1.Skin-friendly 

Sustainable fabrics are made using organic farming methods that do not appreciate the use of pesticides and fertilizers. It also avoids the use of harmful chemicals in various stages of cloth manufacturing. This makes sustainable fabrics skin-friendly, and it is good for our health. 

2. Spreads the message of sustainability

Talking about sustainable fabrics and its impact we can see it promotes a social message to its customers. It enhances the importance of adopting a sustainable consumer and fashion culture. It also highlights the effect of fashion industry on our environment. As one customer starts preferring sustainable fabrics it becomes a chain culture. 

3. High quality products

High quality and a superior product are linked with sustainable fabrics. Eco-friendly fabrics are softer, stronger, and longer-lasting. Sustainable clothing, in fact, ensures that you won’t have to be buying new clothes frequently. 

4.Good replacement for synthetic fabric 

Synthetic fabrics are the major reason that boosts the fast fashion industry. Due to its cheap manufacturing and labor wages, it has earned high profits. But its effect includes water and air pollution. It also leads to dumps of unused clothes. The most dangerous contribution of synthetic fabrics are microplastics. 

5. Eco-friendly

Unsustainable fashion contributes to carbon dioxide emissions, pollutes the soil, and fills landfills with plastic. Chemicals used to color garments and protect cotton from pests will damage water, soil sub-layers, and air at the same time. Hence, these effects can be avoided by using sustainable fabrics. 

Organic Cotton 

Organic cotton refers to cotton that has been grown naturally without the use of synthetic agricultural agents like fertilizers, pesticides, or transgenic technologies. It was first planted in the 1980s as a means of ensuring sustainable, environmentally friendly, and biodynamic agriculture. Organic cotton is better for the environment than the cotton grown conventionally. Organic farming produces healthy soils that act like sponges, soaking up water during floods and retaining it longer during droughts. 

To prevent pests and illnesses, organic farmers employ natural methods such as crop rotation. Hazardous synthetic pesticides used in non-organic farming can harm ecosystems, poison waterways, and put employees in risk who cannot always afford the necessary safety equipment. Conventional cotton alone accounts for 16% of all insecticides sold around the world. 

Cotton is one of the most widely used fabrics in the world, but conventional cotton farming is known to be resource-intensive and harmful to the environment. On the other hand, organic cotton is grown without pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, making it a more sustainable option. India is one of the world’s largest producers of organic cotton. The availability of organic cotton is the biggest advantage of sourcing from India.