Sustainable Style

Erase your mind of all pre-existing notions about eco-friendly clothing. Let go of thoughts of burlap, twine necklaces, dreadlocks, flouncy skirts and patchouli fragrances tickling your nose hairs. Think high fashion, Vogue Magazine, celebrities donning their favorite threads caught off-guard by paparazzi, Olympus Fashion Week and the next generation in mainstream clothing design. The hottest apparel sweeping down international runways this year? Think green.

As the world enters the biggest resurgence of environmental awareness since the Jimmy Carter era and issues of global warming and exhausted natural resources loom over our heads, the quest for eco-solutions grows, affecting even the clothes on our backs. Emerging designers and their collections are coming out of the word works—literally—in an attempt to make a dent in our need for globally responsible materials.

As the demand for eco-clothing increases, so does the demand for technological advances in natural fibers. The following is a guide to sustainable fabrics being used in mass production everyday.

TENCEL®/LYOCELL
Patented by Austrian textile company Lenzing Group, lyocell, under the trademarked name, Tencel®, is the latest fiber to find fame in the eco-friendly garment scene. Tencel® is manufactured from wood pulp, a raw, renewable material. Once the pulp is dissolved and spun into lyocell fibers, there is there is very little byproduct waste, thus making it safer for the environment. Tencel® is noted for its excellent moisture absorption (50% greater than cotton), and soft texture. As a result, Tencel® is becoming a great solution for those with sensitive skin. The moisture managing qualities inhibit bacterial growth reducing skin irritation, while the soft-to-the-touch fibers feel great against the skin. Tencel® is also easily maintainable as it is machine-washable and wrinkle resistant. Well-known eco-friendly clothing companies featuring Tencel® in their collections include, Ecoganik, Jaime by Jaime Pressly, Passenger Pigeon, Level 99, Nature vs. Future, Undesigned by Carol Young and Free People.

MODAL®/MICRO MODAL®
Modal®, also a product of the Lenzing Group, is the sister eco-friendly fiber to Tencel®. Manufactured in a similar manner, Modal® is produced from the reconstituted cellulose of beech wood. It shares the same hygroscopic qualities as Tencel®, but Modal® is known for its luxurious, supple feel and brilliant sheen. This bio-based knit fiber is a colorfast, meaning despite repeated washings, it will retain its original smoothness and brilliance. In addition, unlike cotton knits that bead or pill, Modal® is extremely durable. Traditionally used in household linens, Modal® is gaining ground in fashion fabrics. Due to its soft, sensual appeal, undergarment manufacturers, as well as outerwear designers, have picked up the fiber to use in their clothing lines. Well-known eco-friendly clothing companies featuring Modal® include, Revolver, Pathway, Nu Collective, black halo and Rebecca Beeson.

BAMBOO
Bamboo textiles took the world by storm with the late nineties trendy, mainstream revival of Eastern wellness activities. Today, bamboo-based fabrics are popping up in collections of some of the most highly-regarded designers. Bamboo is one of the world’s most prolific materials and is a highly sustainable, renewable resource. Reaching maturity in an expeditive amount of time, it can be harvested in about three to four years unlike its competition (other commercial tree species) that can take up to 25+ to mature. Another attractive quality, bamboo fibers feature a naturally occurring anti-bacterial agent called, “bamboo kun”. Bacteria caused by perspiration are easily combated if not inhibited by this agent, as well as bamboo’s natural porous, breathable texture. Additionally, the fiber is noted for is cozy, softness. Well-known eco-friendly clothing companies featuring bamboo include, Panda Snack, Undesigned by Carol Young, Alana May, Lara Miller, Anna Cohen and Grace & Cello.

HEMP
Ok, quit your smirking potheads. Once a primary source for textiles and household goods, hemp experienced a drop in usage within the last 40 years as a result of mainstream drug experimentation in the 1960s. Until that point, the industrial uses of hemp were exponential and the U.S. government recognized hemp and marijuana as two distinct strains of Cannabis sativa. Uses included textiles, paper, nutrition, cosmetics, paints, plastics and even fuel. In an effort to grasp hold on recreational drug use, in 1970 the government passed the Controlled Substance Act declaring all growth of the Cannabis plant illegal no matter what the use thereby depleting the country of one of its most natural, sustainable materials. Today this eco-friendly fiber is slowly experiencing a revival popping up once again in clothing across the globe. Cultivated in Europe and Canada, hemp fabrics are softer, more durable, more insulating and more breathable than cotton. For those of you turning up you noses, think cozy jersey material rather than twine necklaces and dreadlocks. Well-known eco-friendly clothing companies featuring hemp include habitude, Passenger Pigeon, Ecoganik and Ciel, Ltd.

SOY
It’s no surprise that with the global adoption of soy, the textile industry would ride the wave, too. Developed in 1999 from the byproducts of soybean crops, soy fibers are being used in undergarments to t-shirts. The material features a smooth silky feel and referred to as “soy silk”; keep in mind, however, that it is a vegan material with no actual silk content used. It is simply marketing to sensual appeal. One of the best perks of soy-based textiles is their cost. Unlike many natural fibers with big-ticket prices, soy is comparable to the price on conventional cotton. Save the money and the environment? It’s a no-brainer. Well-known clothing companies featuring soy include Anna Cohen, Nature vs. Future and Xylem.

SEACELL®
SeaCell® is a rising up-and-comer in the garment industry. Rooted in Rudolstadt, Germany, the product is a combination of lyocell fibers and seaweed. SeaCell® shares the same benefits of lyocell fibers with two additions: youth and well-being. Seaweed fiber within the material promotes the body to generate glucosaminoglycans, which protect skin from free radicals, as well as accelerate the healing process of skin irritations. In theory, wearing garments produced from this hip, new textile can help your skin age smoothly and gracefully. It’s like the fountain of youth in your closet! Additionally, like bamboo, SeaCell® features antimicrobial characteristics to prevent bacterial growth during perspiration. Though it is still relatively new to the textile scene, well-known clothing companies featuring SeaCell® include Linda Loudermilk, Lafuma and Nature vs. Future.

These days, eco is edgy. The bottom line is it has to be. The perk is high design is not slowing down to accommodate the archaic idea that eco is drab. In fact, green fashion is already hitting couture runways all over the world.

Next time you go shopping, pay attention to the labels. You may find it easier to go green than you think.


E-guide to green fashion

Visit greenloop.com for the e-tailer’s guide to sustainable clothing collections from over 20 different designers.

Visit kaightnyc.com to shop at the hottest boutique on the Lower East Side carrying strictly eco-friendly fashions.


Valley boutiques carrying eco-friendly clothing lines

The Rowdy Boutique
4717 N. 7th Street, Phoenix
602.277.0510
therowdyboutique.com

Spoken Boutique
610 E. Roosevelt, Suite 148, Phoenix
602.989.0765
spokenboutique.net

Twig & Twill
6166 N. Scottsdale Rd, Suite 604, Scottsdale
480.922.0052
twigandtwill.com

The Purple Skirt
4647 E. Chandler Blvd, Suite 5, Phoenix
480.785.1811
shoppurpleskirt.com

Roka Boutique
20118 N. 67th Avenue #304, Glendale
623.537.3500
shoproka.com

Mahsa
7135 E. Camelback, Suite 175, Scottsdale
480.946.1505

15211 N Kierland Blvd, Suite 140, Scottsdale
(480) 443-0799
mahsa.biz