Environment, Organics, Fair Trade & Recycling at Big Green Purse

Shopping for Eco-Friendly Clothes, Part 3: Choose Hemp

Part 1 of this series suggested you read the label and look for specific certifications that indicate clothes were made to reduce their environmental impact. Part 2 noted you could make it easy to buy greener fashions by choosing Tencel and Lyocell, fibers woven from natural cellulose. In the last of our three-part series, we're focusing on one of my all-time favorite fabrics: hemp, made from a plant that's been a source of food and fiber for the past 10,000 years.

Because it's botanically related to marijuana, many people believe that hemp is completely illegal to grow in the U.S. This is not the case, though it is not grown as widely as it should be. Industrial hemp is legal to produce, trade and possess in Oregon, Maine, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota and Vermont, though the federal Drug Enforcement Agency has imposed some restrictions. To be absolutely clear, hemp does not have any of marijuana's psychoactive properties. You can grow it, process it, eat it, and wear it, but you sure can't smoke it, even if you set it on fire! Meanwhile, Americans spend $360 million every year on imported hemp, and that number is growing. Wouldn't it make more sense to develop the industrial hemp market here in the U.S.?

WHAT'S SO GOOD ABOUT HEMP?

Dry Your Clothes for Free

  Want to do your laundry the eco-friendly way? It’s a simple, two-step process:

1)    Wash most everything in cold water (The only thing I wash in hot water is towels.)

2)    Hang your laundry out to dry.

Benefits?

•    Save energy, lower your electric or gas bill, and reduce your carbon footprint (the amount of energy you burn that contributes to climate change).

•    Longer-lasting clothes, since washing in hot water can fade colors and drying in hot air can shrink fabrics.

•    No static cling, one of the hazards of hot air drying.

•    Clean, fresh smell. No need for “natural fragrance” dryer sheets (which means more money savings).

What Kind of Clothes Line or Rack Should You Buy?

The Line

You can use a length of rope you already have, but make sure it’s thin enough to be able to clip a clothes pin to. Otherwise, you’ll have to throw things over the top of the line, which works unless a strong (i.e., fast-drying) breeze is about. You can find several clothes line options in the Big Green Purse store, or at your local hardware store. NOTE: Most lines stretch over time, so you may need to buy a line tightener to keep the line taut enough so that the clothes don’t end up dragging on the ground.

This foldable clothes line frame (pictured right) is terrific if you have a flat space you can mount it on. What I like about it is that it folds out of the way when not in use.

You can also try a rotary line dryer. Hang the laundry, then use a hand crank to easily raise the whole load another 16 inches or so to catch the breeze and dry quickly. For something simpler, install a retractable clothes line in your bathroom or laundry room. These lines can’t accommodate a lot of laundry at once, but they’re great for socks and underwear.

Dryer Rack

Dryer racks can’t be beat for convenience, and many of them are large enough to handle an entire load of laundry at one time. I use a light-weight wooden rack I put on my sunny back porch in the summer. My washer and dryer are in a big utility closet behind louvered doors in my master bathroom; in the winter, I just set up the rack in there. The humidity from the clothes helps humidify the dry winter air. Here are several types of dryer racks you can try. 

Clothespins

Use the sturdiest clothespins you can find. Choose wood, not plastic, and store the pins inside and away from the elements when they’re not in use to keep them from getting dirty or wet if it rains.

If you hang your laundry in the sun…

Sunshine naturally beats back germs and odors, which is why I used to dry the kids’ cloth diapers in the sun. But the sun can also bleach or fade clothes. Turn shirts, blouses, and pants inside-out before you hang them to keep their color bright, and bring them inside as soon as they’re dry.

Stiff  towels? 

Line drying is terrific for sports wear, underwear, jeans, pants, towels, sheets, blouses, socks, and shirts. But towels? They can get a little stiff  or crunchy when they line dry. Some people find that adding white vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser helps soften their towels. I prefer to dry mine on the line almost completely, then toss them into the dryer to fluff up for ten minutes or so.

What about pet fur?

My throw rugs collect a LOT of fur from my dog and two cats. Tumble drying is still the most effective way to capture all that fur, even when I shake my rugs out before I was them. I tumble the rugs for about 15 minutes to capture the fur, then finish the drying on a rack or outside. See what works best for you. 

How to Shop for Eco-Friendly Clothes - Part 2: Try TENCEL or Lyocell

If we were to separate clothing into categories, somewhere in between natural fibers like cotton or hemp and man-made petroleum fibers like polyester, we'd find Lyocell, "a natural cellulose" product. Lyocell  is made by processing wood pulp into fiber so it can be woven into fabric and sewn into socks, underwear, pants, and blouses, among many other fashion options.

Lyocell, which is also sold under the trade name TENCEL® or Lenzing Lyocell, offers several advantages over conventional cotton and even rayon, another fiber made from cellulose. The trees Lyocell is made from are grown without pesticides, often in sustainably managed forests on land that's not suitable for other crops. Though harsh chemicals are needed to soften the wood pulp so it can be converted into fiber, the chemicals are captured in a "closed loop" processing system so they can be reused rather than discharged into local water supplies. (NOTE: The Organic Clothing blog cautions people who are highly chemically sensitive to be alert to possible allergic reactions to TENCEL.)

Lyocell also offers advantages over cotton when it comes to water. According to this excellent analysis by the Natural Resources Defense Council, unless the cotton is only grown using rain water, Lyocell can end up using far less water to produce than either conventional or organic cotton. Sustainable textiles expert Coral Rose notes, "I strongly believe Lenzing’s products are a key component to any sustainable fiber strategy, when considering all the environmental impacts associated with fiber growing and production." 

New Innovations in TENCEL® are giving way to several variations of the fabric. TENCEL® MICRO is a very smooth silky fiber, while TENCEL® with Multitouch can be used to make heavier fabrics like denim.
 
Shopping for TENCEL®

TENCEL® products are widely available, some at very reasonable prices. Forever 21, for example, offers a severl TENCEL-based garments like this blazer.

You can also find a huge selection of TENCEL® clothing at Tianello.

To try out a TENCEL® sheet set, check out Downlite  or even your local Bed Bath and Beyond Store.

 

Use Your Purse!

The U.S. has an extremely high average fiber consumption per capita, approximately 41.8 kg per year compared to the international average of 10.5 kg per year. Clearly, how we choose to spend our money on clothing directly affects the environment. The next time you are faced with a choice between TENCEL® and cotton, choose the most eco-friendly option: TENCEL®.

For More Information...

Don't miss Part 1 of our series, "How to Shop for Eco-Friendly Clothing"

You can learn more about Tencel if you read this interview with Coral Rose, who has been a featured speaker at events such as The ECO-SHOW, All Things Organic (ATO), and Texworld-New York, to name a few. In this article Coral points out how rare it is to find a company that answers the questions “what is the source of our raw materials? [and] Where were the materials harvested, processed, produced?” Her opinion on the environmental impact of fiber growing and production is that Lenzing Modal and Tencel come out on top.

Modal
 Modal, which is also manufactured by Lenzing, is made from beech trees. Modal is highly absorbent and, like Tencel, resists fading.  100% Modal  is most often made into towels or bedding, though it blends very well with cotton and is another great choice for clothing.

How to Shop for Eco-Friendly Clothes - Part 1: Read the Label

If we want our apparel to be "eco," most of us start by buying vintage or second-hand, swapping with friends or family, or dragging out the sewing machine to pull together a pattern or alter an old style into something more trendy. We recycle our clothes in a lot of creative ways, too. But even with all that, we may still need to buy new at some point.

When that time comes, what should you look for? We've previously tackled the problems with buying apparel made from bamboo, even if it claims to be "eco friendly." Organic cotton is among the most reliable options to choose; it's gotten pretty easy to find socks, t-shirts, maybe even some lingerie made from this "green" fiber. But beyond that, the choices are pretty slim, especially if we still do most of our clothes shopping at the mall.

So if bamboo is out and organic cotton is hard to find, what does that leave? We'll attempt to answer that question and more with this primer on how to shop for eco-friendly clothes.

Here's Part #1 - Read the label.

When shopping for "greener" clothes, ignore words like "environmentally friendly," "nature safe," and "eco." Instead, look for third-party certifications  for claims that mean the shirt or shoes or pajamas were predominantly made from sustainable fibers by adults, not kids, in a Fair Trade process that minimizes its environmental impact. The following companies certify companies that meet these criteria.

GOTS - The Global Organic Textile Standard

The raw materials that GOTS certifies must first be approved organic by a trusted company such as The Institute for Marketecology.GOTS will then review every step in the manufacturing process, from the harvesting of raw materials right through to proper product labeling. GOTS pays special attention to the dyeing process, as this can be extremely harmful to the health of workers as well as the environment. GOTS will not certify any manufacturer that uses any heavy metals, formaldehyde, GMO enzymes or carcinogenics.

GOTS is also very strict about environmental discharge during production and chemical residues in the finished product. GOTS will grade a product as an "Organic Textile" if it has at least a 95% organic origin. They will grade a product as "Textile containing organic fibers" if it has at least 70% organic origin. Several companies partner with GOTS and share their standards, including ICEA, based in Italy, ECOCERT, based in France , the Organic Trade Association in the U.S., Soil Association, based in the UK , and the Japan Organic Cotton Association.

Global Enfant sells baby and children s products that are both COTS and SA8000 (see below) certified.
 Recycle a Tee also uses GOTS certified materials.

 

Oeko-Tex® Standard 100

Oeko-Tex is also recognized globally as a reliable and independent 3rd party eco-certification. The company will test and if applicable, certify textile raw materials, as well as intermediate and end products at all stages of production.  Oeko-Tex will allocate a product into one of four classes based on how much contact it has with skin. Products intended for babies, for example, must meet more stringent requirements than those woven into a woman's blouse.  

Eden Home and Green Earth Bamboo  both offer Oeko-Tex-certified clothing for the whole family.

 

 SA8000
If a company states that it is SA8000-certified, it means it has passed a globally recognized social accountability standard for fair and humane working conditions. Specifically, products must meet the following criteria to be considered for SA8000 certification: No Child Labor, No Forced Labor, Proper Health and Safety, Workers' Freedom of Association and Right to Collective Bargaining, No Discrimination, Reasonable Working Hours, and Fair Wages.

 

Fair Trade Certified™ You may already be purchasing Fair Trade coffee or chocolate. This certifying group now also certifying apparel and linens. If you are buying apparel that has been Fair Trade Certified, you can feel good about your purchase knowing that you are helping fight poverty and develop sustainability for some of the world’s most indigent cotton farmers and factory workers.

In the US, HAE NOW and Tompkins Point Apparel are among a handful of companies that have been Fair Trade Certified.

Read more about sustainable and eco-friendly clothing here. And check back soon for Parts 2 and 3 of our eco-friendly clothing series.

 

Clothing: What's Eco, and What's Not

What does it take to manufacture, sell, and dispose of clothing? You might be surprised. The clothing industry is one of the most environmentally intensive in the world. If it's made from cotton, it's been doused with as much as 22.5% of the pesticides applied to agricultural crops worldwide. If it's made from a synthetic fiber, its source is actually coal or oil. As much as we might prefer to wear fig leaves, when we have to wear fabrics, what should we choose? 

The Green Moms Carnival tackles the clothing conundrum this month. Most of us bemoan how difficult it is to figure out how to buy environmentally-friendly fashions in the first place.

Mary of In Women We Trust regrets how few organic fabrics are designed for the boardroom instead of the beach, and points out the valuable role that the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) play in ensuring that textiles are produced organically.

Amber at Strocel.com compares polyester and acrylic, two synthetics made from fossil fuels, and comes down on the side of buying less clothing over all, and natural fibers over synthetics. "Reducing consumption pretty much always comes out ahead," she notes.

Anna at Green Talk provides a comprehensive analysis of the use of recycled plastic bottles in clothing, as well as other textiles. A big concern is that textiles made from recycled plastic emit the chemical antimony, which has been linked to a wide variety of health problems in laboratory animals. Anna also reports that demand for plastic bottles that can be recycled into textiles has risen so much that some manufacturers are using brand new plastic bottles, rather than recycled ones. Talk about the law of unintended consequences! 

Linda at Citizen Green points out several benefits to using recycled plastic, like the fact that "30% less energy is needed to down cycle the bottles into shirts than is needed to make them out of virgin plastic." So what's the worry? Plastic is still plastic, and will take hundreds of years to biodegrade.

Sarah of Practically Green provides a great set of tips if you're shopping vintage. "Don't keep it if you will NEVER be that size again," she suggests -- good advice whether you're buying old or new. You'll also love her pictures of the vintage clothes she's snagged over the years, from a snazzy leopard clutch she lined with red leather (see photo, right) to her dad's v-necked, cashmere sweater.

Keep reading. There's more!

Bamboo Clothing: Green, or Greenwashed?

If you’re looking for more eco-friendly clothing, should you choose bamboo?

Bamboo has been touted for the last several years as being one of the most environmentally-responsible fabrics on the market. A hardy grass, it grows like a proverbial weed, sometimes sprouting 4 feet in a single day – and that’s without the assistance of pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers let alone irrigation. Bamboo sounds like the kind of “green” fabric you’d love to love – were it not for the process needed to transform it from a plant into something like a pair of socks.

In August 2009, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission issued "Have You Been Bamboozled by Bamboo Fabrics?" a report that questioned the fiber’s green bonafides. While not challenging how the grass is grown, the FTC warned that transforming the plant’s tenacious stalks into soft fabrics requires the use of toxic chemicals that pollute the air and water,” reducing the cloth’s natural appeal. Many consumers have been wondering ever since if bamboo is green – or being greenwashed.

What concerns the FTC is the manufacturing process. Because bamboo is so hardy, it is also hard to refine into fiber – unless a manufacturer uses toxic chemicals like sodium hydroxide, which can cause chemical burns or blindness, to break down bamboo’s cells into something pliable called viscose.

Some manufacturers claim that sodium hydroxide poses no health hazard if used and disposed of properly.  I’m more reassured by companies that use fabric from bamboo  which has not only been certified as organically grown, but where the chemicals used in processing bamboo into viscose are captured in a “closed loop” system that is supposed to prevent them from being released into the environment. The resulting viscose is Oeko Tex 100 certified, which means that no harmful substances lurk in the finished textile, where they might rub off on your skin. Conventionally produced and polluting "bamboo" might be labelled simply bamboo, or rayon from bamboo.  You can get a more comprehensive explanation on the entire process, and the controvery surrounding the selling of bamboo, here.

So...Cotton, or Bamboo?

'Green' is the New Black: Eco-Friendly Fashion Finds for Summer

Whether we look good in green or not, more and more of us are wearing it.

Soft organic cotton T-shirts. Bamboo-based business attire. Versatile vests spun from recycled soda bottles. Raw silk scarves. Linen shirts, slacks, and dresses. Shoes carved out of cork and padded with refurbished rubber. From top to toe, our wardrobes are getting earth friendlier; they're becoming snazzier, too. I wouldn't be surprised if Mother Nature herself was inspired to accessorize her fig leaf with a charming little handbag hewn from hemp.

She's probably also starting to breathe a sigh of relief. The apparel industry has never been a friend of the earth, given its often toxic impact on our natural resources. Every dollar we spend on clothing and accessories to 'green' our wardrobe helps protect our air, water, wildlife, and wilderness. Of that, Mother Nature would approve.

Shopping for 'green' a la mode, does not require the sacrifice of personal style or personal finances. I never travel without my trendy sienna-colored hemp sweater because it fits me perfectly, doesn't wrinkle, and is easy to launder in a sink; I just wash it in a little hand soap and water, wring it out, and let it line dry. And guess what? It only cost $40. My organic t-shirts wear just as well as ones made from industrial cotton but are a lot softer. Plus, I get a kick out of the tongue-in-cheek messages on the shirts, like this one from Green Label Organics that takes Hummers to task.

The industry of sustainable clothing is expanding, providing you with a variety of trendy and affordable options. So choose 'green' this summer and dress your part.

How "Organic" Is Organic Dry Cleaning?

Are "organic" dry cleaners popping up in your neighborhood?

Are they legit, or another greenwashing scam? Here's the low-down:

What Makes A Dry Cleaner Green?

It's not PERC.

Just because a dry cleaner claims to be "organic" doesn't mean it's free of toxic chemicals. That's because, scientifically speaking, any chemical is considered to be organic if it contains carbon. So even cleaners that use a solvent like perchloroethylene (PERC), which has been classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a probable human carcinogen, can claim to be organic. An ad for "green" dry cleaners doesn't necessarily mean much, either, since there is no standard definition for what makes cleaning green.

Hydrocarbon solvents are in the same boat. Hydrocarbon solvents are petroleum-based, says Sierra Club, and contribute to greenhouse gases by emitting volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Solvents to avoid are: DF2000, PureDry, EcoSolve, Shell Solution 140 HT and Stoddard.

And that GreenEarth method you may have seen around? It does not necessarily translate into 'green-for-the-earth.' GreenEarth cleaners replace PERC with a silicone-based solvent called methyl siloxane or D5, which is similar to the base ingredients used in deodorants and shaving creams. The solvent itself is currently considered safe for the environment because it degrades to sand, water, and carbon dioxide, says the Union of Concerned Scientists, but it has caused cancer in lab animals in EPA studies. In addition, it is manufactured using chlorine, which can generate harmful dioxin emissions.

The good news?

Safe, non-toxic alternatives do exist. And they are just as effective as traditional dry cleaning, minus the negative impacts on the environment.

• Wet-cleaning replaces PERC with carefully controlled amounts of water and special non-toxic biodegradable detergents. Computer-operated equipment helps ensure that your delicate fabrics are cleaned without the risks to human health or the environment.
• Carbon dioxide (CO2) cleaning relies on high pressure to convert carbon dioxide gas into liquid that acts as a carrier for biodegradable soaps. When the washing is complete, the pressure is released, turning the CO2 back into a gas to be used again and again. One drawback: the requisite machinery is expensive, so this method costs more than PERC-based dry cleaning.

If you want to locate the nearest reliably green cleaner, check out this national directory published by Occidental College. It is slightly out of date, but will give you a start, at least, on locating a more eco-friendly dry cleaner.

The U.S. EPA also offers a nationwide list of CO2 and wet cleaners that was compiled in 2003.

Keep in mind that not all "dry clean only" garments need to be professionally dry-cleaned. Green living expert and Care2.com editor Annie Bond provides safe, eco-friendly instructions on hand-washing silk, wool and rayon clothing here. My daughter regularly washes her wool sweaters on the cold, delicate cycle in the washing machine, then line dries them. Cheap, effective.

The most obvious solution of all? Transition your wardrobe to wash-and-wear clothing that requires no dry cleaning. You'll save money on cleaning bills and breathe easier knowing you're reducing your exposure to questionable chemicals.

BONUS: Discover easy, simple ways to clean out your closet this season, and how your wardrobe transition can make a world of a difference, here.

Environmental In-Box: Feelgoodz Flip-Flops

“Mai Pehn Rai” is Thai for “It’s cool, no worries, or take it easy.”  What a spot-on mantra for a company that makes flip-flops.  Meet Feelgoodz, whose "take it easy" style complements perfectly its socially responsible and sustainable business model.

What is it? Feelgoodz flip-flops are made of 100% natural rubber that's harvested from the Yang Para tree in Thailand, where the flip-flops are also produced.  Biodegradable and 100% recyclable, these comfortable flip-flops come in 5 different color combos and are available worldwide through their website. I particularly like the "Twilight" choice, pictured left, which Feelgoodz has designed especially for brides looking to be comfortable at their weddings!

What I like: Feelgoodz flip-flops are made from biodegradable natural rubber, hemp, bamboo, and recycled paper; its display hangers are recycled, too.  The company belongs to the Ashoka network, a global association of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs.  Through their relationship with Ashoka, Feelgoodz has developed a plan to donate 1% of profits to the planet, 1% to the Fair Trade Natural Rubber Program in Thailand, and 1% to the Phitsanulok community that inspired founder Kyle Berner when he worked there several years ago.   I’ve been wearing a pair of the "moon" flip-flops for several weeks, and find the rubber to be very soft and cushiony.  They have not completely molded to my feet just yet, but it is clear from the softness of the rubber that they will.

What could be improved? Because Feelgoodz is a very young company, you can only purchase their products in a handful of retail stores in Louisiana, Hawaii, Oregon, and Maine.  We'd like to see them replace the throwaway flip-flops found in most big-box outlets.  The website is confusing: it shows a great variety of color combos, but only sells five options. Are those coming soon? Hard to say. The company claims the product is recyclable and biodegradable, but where's the proof? If I wanted to recycle my Feelgoodz flip-flops, where would I send them? How long does it take for them to biodegrade? Back up the claims, please.

Think Eco-Shoes Stop at Birkenstocks? Think Again.

There’s a lot of talk about greening your closet these days. With cotton production accounting for 10% of the world’s insecticide use and 25% of its pesticides, choosing alternative fabric options like organic cotton, hemp or bamboo can send a powerful message to the conventional cotton industry.

But as Rachel Sarnoff, CEO and Founder, EcoStiletto.com, points out in this guest column, greening your closet doesn’t stop at your ankles. Here's what Rachel recommends for the shoes in your life:

"Obviously, the greenest thing to do when you’re updating your closet is to start with vintage stores. But I'll be the first to admit: Although reusing and recycling can go a long way towards reducing your "footprint," because most shoes mold to their wearer’s feet, it can be difficult to find pre-worn pumps and other footwear that fit right.

Most shoes are made from conventionally processed leather. And processed leather is a by-product of the meat industry, a resource-intensive business that consumes 25% of our world’s land surface and one-third of our grain while generating a majority of our carbon emissions: 18 percent —that’s more than cars. Processing leather from meat animals adds environmental insult to injury, given that it requires an estimated 225 toxic chemicals during the tanning process.

What to do?

Choose "Eco-Leather" - If you do plan to buy new and still want to wear leather, look for shoes made from so-called “eco-leather,” leather tanned without heavy metals like chrome. Reputable companies will also recycled materials and packaging. Consider El Naturalista (www.elnaturalista.com), Coclico (www.shopcoclico.com) and PURE by Rickard Shah (www.rickardshah.com).

Try "Faux" Leather - With so many faux leathers and suedes out there, it’s easy to eliminate leather completely from your footwear repertoire. Consider shoes made from dioxin-free polyurethane (a slightly more environmentally-friendly option than PVC) or natural elements like hemp. Kailia (www.kailiafootwear.com) and Charmone (www.charmoneshoes.com) both manufacture completely vegan shoe lines in artisan factories in Italy, but it’s the hemp Nadia Ankle Boot from Sui Generis by Beyond Skin (www.endless.com) that we EcoStilettoistas are head over heels for.

Don't Forget Birkenstocks - Oh and about those Birkenstocks, the symbol of social consciousness since 1966: They’re leather, but the company uses every ounce of its scraps, and recycles the cork from the soles. (www.birkenstockusa.com) Plus, with the right outfit, today’s Birkies can look downright chic.

Want a smaller carbon footprint? Beginning in January 2009, www.EcoStiletto.com will give away a free pair (or pairs) of eco-friendly shoes worth $500 or more each and every month! Get on the list now, and get the lowdown on shrinking your carbon footprint from an Ugg boot to a Manolo with daily green fashion, beauty, lifestyle, parenting, celebrity and eco-events nationwide."

Thanks, Rachel!

For more ideas on sustainably made, shoes, don't miss these links!