| Going green is no longer a trendy fad but a needed action adopted by everyone from all walks of life and from all areas of industry. As more and more people the world over become eco-conscience a demand for eco-friendly goods are on the rise.
As we rush to calculate our carbon foot print we look at our homes and our cars for ways to become more environmentally aware. Hybrid cars, solar panels, and personal gardens are just some ways that are being adopted in an effort to be kind to Mother Earth. But what about making our clothes environmentally friendly? Many people just do not understand how synthetic our clothing is and how much resources it takes to outfit an entire family let alone the world. With this in mind, many high fashion retailers are beginning to offer “green” alternatives. The business community is following suit with many professionals switching to eco-friendly clothing as a way not to just make a positive impact on the environment but with their clients as well.
It takes a keen and savvy eye to find environmentally friendly clothing that lives up to the name. Ideally, eco-fashion as it is commonly referred to as is any clothing that takes into consideration the well being of the environment, the workers that created the clothing or product, and the impact that it has on the environment.
The key to finding environmentally friendly clothing is to read the labels. Most of us are unaccustomed to reading anything beyond the price tag. Most labels will tell you everything that you need to know about the piece of clothing you are going to buy.
Organic clothing is popular and is usually your best bet when shopping for that new suit. Anything that boosts the word organic must meet the USDA’s strict criteria and definition of the word. When you see on the label that those pair of slacks is made from “certified organic” it means that the fiber used was grown in an area that has been chemically free for at least three years. Without the use of pesticides and other chemicals so the negative impact of the fiber is very small.
Whether the article of clothing is organic or not is just one part of the process. One other aspect that many of us fail to take into consideration when shopping green are the dyes used in the clothing; believe it or not, but that purple tie is not made from naturally occurring purple material. Most of the dyes used in the clothing industry are toxic to humans, animals, and the environment as a whole. To date there are no uniformed guidelines dictating how much dye should be used in the manufacturing process and just because the labels says low impact dyes does not necessarily mean that its safe for the environment. Many professionals advise that consumers buy items that are naturally colored like wool but if this does not prove to be a suitable solution then strive to find clothing that use water or soy based dyes.
A popular material for eco friendly clothing is hemp. Growing hemp is illegal in certain countries like the United States and in certain parts of Australia, but there are plenty of manufacturers in other countries that are making really great styles with it including business wear for both men and women. Hemp is pretty resilient to pests and disease which decreases its need for pesticides and it is exceptionally durable. When shopping for something made from Hemp you will want to take special care to ensure that the clothing was made by companies that treat their employees with respect and pay wages that are fair. An easy way to find this out is by looking for the Fair Trade logo on the label. If, however, you can not find anything on the label that states if it is made using fair methods then information should be available online. Just because something is low impact on the environment does not meant that it is OK to use exploited workers.
Recycled material for clothing has been around for several years and is becoming all the more popular. With recycling many items find new lives and stay out of the landfills reducing the amount of waste.
Eco friendly fashion is becoming a big hit and for business men and women who work long and hard to shape the world, these clothes produce a sense of doing well. Not only great for your confidence but for the environment, eco fashion in the work place is a great way to help solve a problem that effects us all. |
