The 15 Most Sustainable Fabrics for Low-Impact Fashion

Jack Shaw, a seasoned researcher and dedicated advocate for sustainability, masterfully integrates environmental consciousness and news into compelling narratives.

Introduction

Jack Shaw is a distinguished writer with a profound commitment to enhancing sustainability across sectors of health, wellness, business and industry. His extensive experience and deep understanding of environmental issues have positioned him as a leading voice in promoting eco-friendly practices, both on a personal and a global scale.

Highlights

Through his persuasive and insightful articles, Jack seeks to motivate others to adopt sustainable practices that benefit the environment and future generations. His work emphasizes practical strategies and thoughtful insights, making sustainability accessible to a broad audience and encouraging widespread participation in environmental stewardship. Most recently, Jack's work with electric vehicles saw him featured as an EV tech expert with EE Power.

Experience

As the senior editor of Modded, a men’s lifestyle magazine, Jack has spent over six years championing sustainable living. His innovative approaches to green living have not only influenced individual lifestyles, but his greater perspectives on sustainability trends have also been showcased across prominent platforms including Safeopedia, Packaging Digest, and Unsustainable Magazine and EPS News.

Apr 18

Adding to your wardrobe is part of life. Eventually, your clothes will fall apart or not fit as well. When it’s time to buy something new, you may feel like it contradicts your eco-friendly values. Investing in new clothes can be wasteful unless you know you’re buying something that counts as low-impact fashion. Learning more about the most sustainable fabrics available will help you choose clothing that aligns with your green lifestyle.

What Are Sustainable Fabrics?

Sustainable fabrics are textiles made with consideration for their environmental impact. Manufacturers can adjust their farming, harvesting, processing and distribution practices to eliminate pollution. The textile industry relies on fossil fuels and creates other forms of waste, like contaminated water, while processing raw materials.

Eco-friendly fabrics don’t create as much pollution — if any — because the companies making them want to leave as little impact on the planet as possible while producing their goods.

The Most Sustainable Fabrics for Your Wardrobe

When you’re ready to start shopping for your next favorite outfit, consider the fabrics that will go into it. If they include organic textiles made with the environment in mind, you’ll have a much more Earth-friendly wardrobe, no matter your style.

1. Hemp

Plant-based fabrics aren’t only good for the consumer — they can also create carbon-absorbing farms. Hemp is a plant that processes carbon dioxide like trees, so it cleans the air while it grows. It’s also among the fastest-growing crops on the planet.

Companies harvesting it for clothing production won’t have to wait long to refill the environment with the carbon-reducing crop. Your wardrobe could benefit the atmosphere and require minimal water if you fill it with hemp-sourced clothing.

2. Cork

Imagine holding a wine bottle cork and shaving it. The material would crumble, making it a powerful resource for companies making eco-friendly clothing. You might even find cork fabrics that resemble leather, which gives anyone with a vegan lifestyle an alternative to traditional leather jackets, bags and shoes.

If you’re worried about choosing cheaply made clothes while searching for something new, like cork fabrics, try the scrunch test to see if your selected product is high quality. If you don’t see any wrinkles after bunching the fabric, it’s worth your investment.

3. Lyocell

Replacing the stretchy fabric in your workout clothes might seem challenging, but lyocell can help. The textile contains materials from bamboo, straw and sustainable trees. Manufacturers turning it into soft and stretchy clothes don’t produce harmful gases during production.

If you purchase lyocell wardrobe additions from businesses with the Forest Stewardship Council certification, you’ll know the nature-based material came from sustainably managed land.

4. Bamboo Linen

Organic fabrics often contain bamboo. The naturally occurring grass grows back quickly, so your wardrobe won’t contribute to deforestation if you start wearing bamboo linen.

The alternative to traditional linen doesn’t require chemical processing and withstands long-term use because bamboo is durable. You’ll only need to learn how to prevent wrinkles with strategies like steamers or ironing to make your bamboo linen clothes look pristine.

5. Recycled Cotton

Cotton is among the most recognizable fashion textiles. Many manufacturers rely on recycled cotton, so you can still get the fabric that feels comfortable and most familiar. Look for recycled cotton tags on new clothes to start stocking your closet with reused textiles.

You should also check the manufacturer’s website to learn how it treats fabrics. Companies committed to environmentally friendly textiles will avoid adding PFAS to their textiles, which never decompose.

PFAS are perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances that make clothes more durable. They also don’t break down, so they can wash into waterways and soil as permanent pollution.

6. Linen

You might not need to overhaul your closet if you already wear lots of linen clothes in the summer. The textile comes from the flax plant, which is similar to hemp. People can grow flax quickly and easily, making it an eco-friendly clothing option that’s available at most retailers.

Like bamboo linen, you may need to add strategies like ironing to your routine to prevent wrinkles. However, it may be worth it if you love the breathable nature of linen and its minimal planetary impact.

7. Recycled Polyester

Recycling clothing is a crucial part of creating a circular economy. If your wardrobe can become something new through a recycling process, its circular nature will eliminate nonregenerative waste and encourage more of the industry to use eco-friendly fabrics.

Look for recycled polyester clothes to give your wardrobe an upcycled vibe. Manufacturers make them with recycled plastic bottles. Your shopping sprees could keep plastic out of the environment and transform your style.

8. Deadstock Fabric

Deadstock is one of the most sustainable fabrics you can find. Textile companies make it by gathering discarded fabric and clothes. They skip standard processing with dyes and chemicals because the textiles don’t need them. Many even provide nontoxic test results for each batch of items so consumers have more peace of mind about their wardrobe’s environmental impact.

9. Modal

Although some people think silk is eco-friendly, you can find an easy alternative in modal clothes. The breathable textile comes from beech tree pulp and doesn’t require intense chemical processing. You may even find modal clothes from lyocell retailers because the manufacturing steps are similar. Modal fabric excels in moisture absorption and temperature regulation, making it an excellent choice for both everyday wear and athletic clothing while maintaining its sustainable credentials.

10. Organic Cotton

Organic cotton feels and looks like standard cotton clothing. This pesticide-free textile is also naturally biodegradable, so it will decompose in landfills if or when it reaches one. Your clothes won’t need a complicated repurposing or recycling process to become something new.

Organic cotton also keeps chemicals out of your wardrobe, which will make your closet much more eco-friendly.

11. SCOBY Leather

If you’ve ever enjoyed or made kombucha, you likely recognize the term “SCOBY.” The term describes the fuzzy cultures floating at the bottom of the bottle. They can also turn into clothing — manufacturers process the mushy substance into a dried material similar to leather. You could wear compostable clothes if you add SCOBY leather to your closet.

12. Coconut-Dyed Fabric

Textiles dyed with coconut husks might be some of the most creative plant-based fabrics available. Manufacturers turn the unusable husks into a brown dye and apply it to eco-friendly textiles. You’ll get natural, earthy brown hues in your wardrobe thanks to companies dyeing their products with organic coconut colors.

13. Wool

Many people agree that wool is one of the more sustainable textiles for sweaters and jackets. If sheep don’t undergo regular shearing, their thick fleece traps their body heat and can cause heat strokes.

You can help woolly animals by getting clothes made from the material. If your preferred brands process their textiles without chemicals, your purchase will be even more environmentally friendly.

You should also source your wool from farms using eco-friendly practices. Some sheep farms create environmental challenges like water runoff, pesticide treatments and deforestation to expand their grazing land.

Look for companies that partner with sustainable sheep farms to ensure that your sweaters don’t work against your green values.

14. Brewed Protein

Researchers in Japan are making clothes from one of the latest green textiles — brewed protein. When microorganisms eat plant sugars, they produce protein that turns into clothes as soft as cashmere.

Protein-based clothing isn’t widely available yet, but some fashion brands are currently making it. You may find options online if you’re interested in upgrading your closet with fully recyclable products.

15. Apple Leather

The apple juice industry creates substantial amounts of byproducts, like peels. Textile researchers have learned how to turn the unavoidable waste into leather-like clothes.

This is another option that’s not widely available, but you’ll find it with select clothing brands as it becomes more of a mainstream textile.

Sustainable Shopping Practices

Beyond choosing eco-friendly materials, how you shop matters too. Consider implementing these sustainable shopping habits:

Quality Over Quantity: Invest in fewer, higher-quality pieces that will last longer rather than frequently replacing cheaper items.
Care Instructions: Follow proper care guidelines for your sustainable garments to extend their lifespan. Many eco-friendly fabrics last longer with gentle washing and air drying.
Clothing Rental Services: For special occasions or temporary style changes, consider renting instead of buying.
Clothing Swaps: Organize exchanges with friends or join community clothing swap events to refresh your wardrobe without new purchases.
Research Brands: Look beyond materials to investigate a company’s entire supply chain, labor practices, and commitment to reducing their carbon footprint.

Fill Your Closet With Sustainable Materials

You don’t have to look far to find organic fabrics. Upgrade your wardrobe during your next shopping trip with the many sustainable alternatives to things like polyester and conventional cotton. You’ll still have all the soft sweaters, leather accessories and breathable clothing you want without harming the planet.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most sustainable fabric for clothing?

The most sustainable fabric for clothing depends on each person’s preferences. Your wardrobe will equally benefit the Earth if you wear recycled clothes, hemp textiles or bamboo-based products. Learning about the many green fabrics available with clothing brands is the best thing you can do to ensure that you have an environmentally friendly wardrobe.

Is bamboo clothing more sustainable than cotton?

Bamboo clothing is more sustainable than cotton because the grass grows faster than cotton plants. Farmers also don’t have to use as much ground or water to maintain high bamboo yields. However, you can still find eco-friendly cotton clothing from manufacturers that use recycled materials or skip chemical processing.

What is meant by sustainable materials?

“Sustainable materials” have undergone a manufacturing process that prioritized the environment throughout each step. They have minimal negative impacts on the planet through things like sustainable farming practices, chemical-free treatments and other textile creation strategies.

What fabrics are from plants?

Many fabrics are made from plants, including cotton, linen and hemp clothing. The key is knowing which plant-based clothes are eco-friendly. Traditional cotton comes from a plant but can require excessive watering, pesticides and chemical treatments before it becomes clothing. Learning about sustainable fabrics and researching your preferred fashion brands will help you identify plant-based textiles that are also good for the Earth.