A new era for fabrics

By: Anne Robinson

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If you have totally ignored all of the "go green" and eco-friendly media for the last few years, it's time to stop ignoring and jump on this bandwagon...because it isn't going away anytime soon!

This whole slew of new eco-friendly designer collections makes me think maybe I should "green" up my wardrobe. Eco-friendly fabrics have moved way past being bamboo and stiff and into a new era of fashionable fabrics made from very creative recycled materials.

A Taiwanese designer has started using....drum role please...coffee grounds to make sportwear! The coffee grounds are turned into material and then injected with carbon (from coconuts) which makes the material water and sweat resistant. Any guesses as to how many coffee grounds are needed to make a shirt? Surprisingly, one cup of grounds makes a couple of shirts! This guy is brilliant! Stopping in for a morning coffee at Starbucks could benefit your wardrobe as well as your need for caffeine.

I'm sure the first thing that comes to your mind when looking at this plant is clothing. Well, ok maybe it's not your first thought.

This stinging nettle plant is easy to grow, it needs very little water and can be grown organically.

Using fabric spun from nettles was popular before the 15th century when cotton came along.

By nature, it is anti-bacterial and resists the growth of mould.

Nettle can be spun in a way which makes it's texture similar to linen.

A lot of European (particularly Dutch) countries have started growing stinging nettles to use in the production of fabrics.

Hemp is another eco-friendly alternative. The fibers are durable and flexible.

Hemp plants can be grown organically (without pesticides).

Hemp is a cousin to the marijuana plant; however, hemp is legal to grow and sell.

It is known for being incredibly soft and breathable. Check out a previous post I did on fabrics for more information on hemp: http://designerlanddetector.blogspot.com/2009/06/facts-about-fabrics.html

If you are set in your ways and can't part with your cotton pants and top at least consider taking the organic cotton route. I posted about the benefits of organic cotton in a previous post so be sure to check that out before your next shopping excursion. http://designerlanddetector.blogspot.com/2009/07/differences-between-organic-and.html

Dressing in eco-friendly materials doesn't have to hurt your sense of style. Eco-friendly is becoming the new way to be fashion forward.