Recycling plastic waste to make nylon fabrics reduces the amount of long-lasting, potentially hazardous plastic in landfills and avoids digging into the nonrenewable fossil reserve for more virgin plastic. And recycled nylon fabrics seem like a win-win situation, but there is more to it. So, we had to ask: How sustainable are recycled nylon fabrics?

Nylon was the very first entirely polymer fiber, invented as an alternative to silk. This elastic and strong material offers a long lifespan for items like stockings. Yet, producing virgin nylon from fossil fuels, which is most often the case, has environmental impacts. So we had to ask: How sustainable are nylon fabrics?

Polyester is cheap and durable, explaining the material’s extreme popularity as a type of fabric. The sheer volume of polyester fibers used in textiles (and other industries) intensifies the environmental impacts of synthesizing this material, especially from newly extracted fossil fuels, which is often the case. So we had to ask: How sustainable are polyester fabrics?

Acrylic is the supposed artificial wool, like how nylon was invented as a synthetic answer to silk and polyester was developed to replace cotton. And acrylic fabrics are claimed a vegan wool alternative. Yet, there is much more about this synthetic material than its being free of animal cruelty. So we had to ask: How sustainable are acrylic fabrics?

Sheep wool is a wonderful natural material that can keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. But sheep farming is rife with practices harming animals, the lands, and ecosystems. So, we had to ask: How sustainable are sheep wool fabrics?

The often fine and soft lambswool is a coveted textile in fashion. Yet some of the lambs that provide the hair to make such luxurious material are raised in farming systems that are neither sustainable nor ethical. So, we had to ask: How sustainable are lambswool fabrics?

Producing virgin wool has significant environmental impacts associated with the land and water use for rearing more animals to collect their hair or fleece. Considering that wool is readily recyclable, reusing this material is a logical step up the sustainability ladder. Yet, we had to ask: How sustainable are recycled wool fabrics?

Toyota is the second largest manufacturer of cars in the world, producing over 8 million cars per year. With production at record levels and their immense need for resources, Toyota claims to be taking major steps to move toward producing sustainable cars. So we had to ask: How sustainable are Toyota cars?

A cocoon made by a silkworm caterpillar can be unraveled into one continuous silk thread of impressive length. Such thread can be weaved into a fabric with beautiful luster and the properties to keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Yet, modern-day commercial production of this wonderful ancient fabric is tainted with sustainably and ethically questionable practices. So, we had to ask: How sustainable are silk fabrics?

Active people like you are taking a serious look at your athletic wear since the apparel industry contributes 10% of global emissions and is the second biggest polluter of our environment. When we talk about rugged outdoor gear, Timberland often comes up. They became known for making sturdy work boots that gained popularity in the 1990s and turned the apparel brand into everyday streetwear. So we had to ask: “How sustainable is Timberland?”

Wool is a wonderful natural material that can keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. But the wool industry is rife with practices that harm the animals, the lands, and ecosystems. Is organic farming and milling the answer to the problems in the wool industry? We had to ask: How sustainable are organic wool fabrics?

Wool is a term used for various fibrous materials made from animal hair. The wool industry utilizes many animal species, from the ubiquitous sheep and goats to the lesser-known Alaskan musk ox or Peruvian vicuña. Unsustainable practices have been documented in the systems where these animals are raised, harming living beings and the environment. So, we had to ask: How sustainable are wool fabrics?

The super fine and soft merino wool is an increasingly favorable clothing fabric. It has a comfortable feel and resistance to odor that helps reduce the washing frequency, saving energy and water. Yet, the large flock of thick-hair merino sheep can be troublesome to their pasture lands and the environment at large. So, we had to ask: How sustainable are merino wool fabrics?

Cashmere is the soft and fine fibers used to be reserved for the few most luxurious items in one’s wardrobe. Fast fashion has changed that by bringing cheaper cashmere sweaters, gloves, and scarves to department stores. The falling price of cashmere happens almost simultaneously with the intensified animal cruelty and ecological crisis in places where these wonderful and unmatchable fibers originate. So, we had to ask: How sustainable are cashmere fabrics?

Leather is a material with a long history and a troublesome modern-day reality. Demand for leather made with animal skin is high and current animal farming systems for meat and skin are far removed from how our ancestors hunted animals for food and used their hides for protective gear, including clothes. So, we had to ask: How sustainable are leather fabrics?