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Today we are going to take a close look at the benefits and disadvantages of common fibres – both natural and synthetic – in order to determine what the best choices are when it comes to the health of our planet.

Fibres are used to create fabrics through a three-step process of spinning, weaving, finishing, and are the basis for all textiles! Natural fibres are those that come from animals, plants or minerals, whereas synthetic fibres are those that are man-made. There are many differences between the two in relation to origin, production and the impact that their existence has on our environment.

Natural Fibres

Cotton, linen and wool are arguably the most popular natural fibres in the present day. Cotton and linen are both taken from plants, whereas wool comes from sheep.

Cotton

Cotton is most commonly used to make shirts, jeans and towels. It is breathable, durable and quite absorbent. It can be both washed and ironed, but it does crease easily.

As we explored in a previous article, cotton production is not considered to be sustainable as cultivating cotton is damaging to the environment. Click here to read more about this.

Linen

Linen is made from the fibres that grow inside the stalk of the flax plant. Similarly to cotton, linen is most often used to make clothes and towels, and is also breathable, durable and absorbent.

The environmental impact of manufacturing linen is heavy as pesticides are generally used on regular flax plants. In order to alleviate this impact you may consider only buying organic linen.

Wool

Wool is acquired from sheering sheep. It is useful for making clothes because it is great for regulating the body temperature when worn. Lighter wool garments are a good choice in the summer for staying cool, and heavier items can be worn to stay warm in the winter months.

There is much debate as to whether sheering sheep is cruel or not, and certain groups of people (such as vegans) will avoid wearing wool garments. In addition to the cruelty concerns, the environmental implications of raising livestock should also be considered. Insecticides are often used on the animals themselves to keep pests at bay, and sheep may overgraze, leading to a disruption of the natural eco-system.

Synthetic Fibres

Man-made synthetic fibres are usually manufactured through chemical processing and this can be quite taxing on the environment. Nylon and polyester are among the most widely used synthetic fibres today.

Nylon

Nylon has been around since the 1930’s and is often hailed as the world’s most useful synthetic material. As a plastic it is used in many of the products that we use every day, and as a fabric it is used in rugs, swimming shorts and umbrellas – among other quick drying items!

It is important to be aware of the fact that nylon is not biodegradable, and will therefore exist indefinitely. Nylon also requires a great deal of energy to be manufactured*, and nitrous oxide is released into the air during production, contributing massively to global warming.

Polyester

This synthetic fibre is derived from water, petroleum, coal and air*. It has been in existence since the late 1930’s but wasn’t available until several years later. It is used for clothes, home furnishings and also for making everyday objects, such as bottles. It is s good choice for clothes because it is generally wrinkle free.

Polyester has a significant environmental impact and production of this synthetic fibre calls for approximately 70 billion barrels of oil each year. This is both carbon-intensive and non-renewable! Polyester is not biodegradable and is a huge pollutant in our oceans.

As you can see, there are consequences for the environment when it comes to both natural and synthetic fibres, although the impact of natural fibres is less drastic. It is important that we as a society continue to make moves towards sustainability with the fabrics that we choose – a concept that we are especially interested in at PAMA London. Check back soon to find out more!

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Cotton is one of the most popular fabrics used today – if not the most popular – with roughly 20 million tons being produced each year! It is safe to assume that you are never too far away from an item made of cotton! As well as being used to produce a wide range of clothing items, cotton is also used in things like furniture and household items.

To truly understand how popular cotton is, and why this is the case, let’s take a look at some statistics:

• In 2013 more than 82 million tons of textile fibres were manufactured and used, with cotton accounting for approximately 30% of this figure.
• Cotton can absorb more than 20 times its bodyweight in water, meaning it can be dyed easily.
• In order to make just one shirt that is 100% cotton, 0.23kg of the fabric is required.
• In order to make just one bath towel that is 100% cotton, 0.28kg of the fabric is required.

Where Does Cotton Come From?

Cotton grows as an annual crop from a perennial tree. The large majority of cotton is picked from the plants by hand, with just a third of picking being done by machines. It is estimated that one worker will be able to pick up to 30kg of cotton each day.

With the cost of labour increasing in many parts of the world, more farmers are being pushed to invest in mechanical picking. This type of picking is currently most popular in Greece, Spain, Turkey, Colombia, Brazil and Argentina.

The Problem with Cotton

Cotton accounts for between 10% and 20% of all insecticides used for all crops. It is also responsible for between 5% and 10% of all pesticide use. When we consider that less than 3% of all agricultural land in the world is used for growing cotton, then we can see how high the ratio of chemicals to crops is!

Insecticides are a type of pesticide specifically used to target insects, whereas pesticides are chemicals used to deter all pests from crops, and kill them if necessary.

The large amounts of toxic chemicals that are used to manage and mitigate the risk from all pests during cotton production is problematic for several reasons.

First of all, the pesticides go on to contaminate the soil, which will then run through to nearby water sources.

Secondly, pests can develop resistance to these chemicals over time, which then leads to stronger pesticides having to be created. Also, these chemicals can be harmful to the natural enemies of the pests that are being targeted. This seriously disrupts the ecosystem and can cause new problems to arise in terms if which pests the crops need protecting from!

Furthermore, cotton requires massive amounts of water during cultivation. In addition to being incredibly taxing on natural resources, over-watering an area can also decrease the quality of the soil.

Cotton and Climate Change

Industrial fertilisers are often required in order to adequately grow cotton, and the energy required to do so is responsible for between 1 and 2% of the world’s annual energy consumption. The amount of carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere during these processes is certainly a cause for concern when it comes to climate change!

Moving on from Cotton

Increasing the prevalence of sustainable fabrics is one way that we can move on from cotton and embrace more environmentally friendly farming practices and fabrics.

At PAMA London we believe that using recycled charcoal bamboo for clothing production is a much better option than cotton. Click here to read more about our fabric choices and how the planet and the wearer can benefit from making this choice!