Organic Fabric

Organic Fabrics

Lakshmi Chhanya Deka

Everyone knows that in fashion, a trend is like a wave of an ocean that often comes and goes . Now a days, a new but very effective trend has entered the fashion and textile industry that is going to rule the future-sustainable clothing. In brief, it is made of eco-friendly fibres .

We can divide the fibres into two categories, natural and man-made. Raw cotton, jute, manila hemp, sisal hemp, banana fibre , wool, silk,mineral fibre are natural fibres and rayon, polyester, nylon, carbon wool are manmade. Comparing these two types of fibres, the natural fibre is more effective, sustainable, eco-friendly and harmless to our environment. Since early 90s, the world has taken a step forward towards the Green movement. The first eco-friendly collection of garments was launched by Espirit company and named it as “Ecollection”. Today in this article we are going to learn about the various natural fibre-made clothings

1. Organic cotton- it creates a healthy environment and helps in the growth of the economy by using local resources and varieties. It helps socially by giving more premiums to the cotton growers . It eliminates the extensive use of pesticides during the cultivation. Organic cotton is recognized worldwide and is used for all kind of garments, children products, interior decoration etc.

2.Bamboo fibre- it is one of the oldest fibres that was used for garments. Basically bamboo tree is a type of grass and when it is processed to make the fibre, it gives us a skinfriendly, smooth yet strong fibre which can be woven into cloth fabric. All parts of a bamboo tree is used in the process of turning it into usable fabric. Bamboo fibres are used most commonly in bath towel, t-shirts, swimwear, underwear and even in interior products like wallpapers, curtain etc. It is also used in medical sterilization properties like mask, bandage, surgical accessories etc.

3. Jute – it is also famous as Burlap, hessian cloth and Gunny cloth. It was first cultivated by the historical Indus Valley civilians. And today, India is the top producer and exporter of jute. It is commonly used in sweaters, cardigans, ghillie suits, bags, ropes, mats, rugs, carpet and interior design products. Jute is a rough fibre, so it is not well suited for all kind of apparels. It absorbs water quickly and also dries quickly. To smoothen the raw jute fibre, several techniques are used. This fabric is more popular for outdoor furniture and even shoes

4. Manila hemp- it is also known as abaca. It is one of the best fibre that was used in ancient Asia. The original color is dark brown and can be dyed bright and dark. Hemp fibre is longer, stronger, more absorbent, more mildew resistant than cotton fibre. Too many variations of hemp fibre are used in tapestry, hats, shawls, rugs, towel etc. It is also used in blending with cotton, silk, linen etc.

5. Sisal hemp- the botanical name of sisal is Agave Sisalana. It was mostly used in making ropes, but gradually it became popular in making of paper, handicrafts, dartboard, buffing clothes, carpets etc. The sisal is mostly cultivated in Mexico, Kenya, Brazil, China, Indonesia etc. It is a substitute for wood fibres. It is also used in the teabags.

6. Coconut fibre- it is mostly known as coir. Coir is used in mats, ropes, baskets, rugs, beds, gardening etc. But in today’s sustainable fasion, the cocona fabric is made of coconut husks. When it is prepared into fibres and fabrics, it dries fast, absorbs odor, stays cool and protect the UV ray. So its highly used in the making of sportswear.

7. Pineapple leaves- The textile company named “Ananas Anam” is using pineapple leaves and wastage to make an eco-friendly fabric which is a good alternative to leather.

8. Banana fibres- It is also named as Musa fibre. This fibre is compared to silk because of its smoothness and the brightness. Its mostly used in all kind of apparels, shawls, saree, blouses, cardigan, hats etc.

9. Flax fibre- Flax plant is popular for two reasons. One is linseed oilwhich is used for industrial uses, and the another is its fibre. It is famous in textile industry as linen fashion used for each and every kind of garment. Linen fabric can absorb moisture quickly from body, so it gives a cool and comfortable feel. It is also blended with cotton or polyester fibres for different uses.

10. Ramie fibre- it is also known as China grass. The fibre is very fine and almost like silk. The original color of the fibre is white. It is almost similar to linen fibres. It is mostly used to blend with other fibres to protecr the fabric from shrinking. It is used in all kind of apparels, table clothes, napkins, handkerchiefs. It is also used in knit sweaters blended with cotton.