Amid growing concerns about the environmental impact of the textile industry, the spotlight is shifting toward nature-based fabrics as potential eco-friendly alternatives. Regenerated cellulose fibers, such as TENCEL^TM or EcoVero, have garnered much attention for their sustainability attributes. But are all semi-natural/semi-synthetic fibers based on plant cellulose equally sustainable, or are some potentially a bit greenwashed? So, we had to ask: How sustainable are semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics?

Semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics range from unsustainable to sustainable, depending on the manufacturing technologies and plant biomass used as raw materials. Semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics made with certified wood in a closed-loop process that recycles chemicals are generally sustainable.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the life-cycle of semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics used for clothes and bedding. Then, we will evaluate its sustainability, potential, and shortfalls. And in the end, we’ll show you tips for buying sustainable products made with semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics.

Here’s How We Assessed the Sustainability of Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics

It might seem daunting to pin down the sustainability of semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics due to the mixed nature of these materials, as they are both natural and artificial. 

Semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics are made with fibers that originally occurred in nature before being treated chemically to become textile fibers. Most common semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics are based on cellulose, which comes from plant biomass. 

The Common Objective’s Made-By Environmental Benchmark for Fibres ranks semi-natural/semi-synthetic fibers in a wide range, from the least sustainable fiber class (viscose and cupro) to the second most sustainable (TENCEL^TM—a lyocell fiber made by Lenzing).

“Sustainable: The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level | Avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance”

Oxford Dictionary

To understand the sustainability of semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics, we must assess its life-cycle and each stage’s sustainability. This life-cycle assessment (LCA) is a method to evaluate the environmental impacts of products and materials. Over the years, companies have strategically used LCA to research and create more sustainable products. So, let’s have a look at the LCA of semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics!

In this article, we’ll use the cradle-to-grave perspective of the LCA, examining the five stages of the life-cycle of clothes and bedding made with semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics. When applicable, we also look at cradle-to-gate assessments. 

Overall, we can say that semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics are on a spectrum from highly sustainable to not very sustainable. The actual environmental impact of a particular product, like a yoga top or an evening dress, depends on more specific factors, including: 

• the sourcing of fibers from plants,
• the manufacturing process,
• the distance and mode of transportation, and
• the type of energy used in the house during the usage phase. 

Let’s dive deeper into each life-cycle stage and find out how you can buy synthetic fabrics more sustainably.

How Sustainable Is the Sourcing of Raw Materials for Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics?

The sourcing stage is generally sustainable because semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics are made from renewable plant materials. Commonly used raw materials are biomass from fast-growing, low-input plants like bamboo grasses, beech trees, or eucalyptus trees. However, there are concerns over the association between sourcing virgin plant materials for some semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics and deforestation in ancient and endangered forests.

Agriculture and post-consumer cellulose-based waste materials are other sustainable sources for semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics. 

What Raw Materials Are Used for Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics

Raw materials for semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics are mostly plant cellulose, which is a naturally occurring polymer. 

Different semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics source different plant biomass, depending on the manufacturing process and availability of cellulose feedstock. However, we can divide the cellulose-based materials sourced for semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics into virgin plant materials and waste (pre-industrial and post-consumer). 

Semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics that typically source virgin plant materials are as follows: 

• Viscose 
• Modal
• Lyocell
• SeaCell™

And the following are semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics that typically source cellulose-based wastes obtained pre-industrial or post-consumer: 

• Cupro or Cuprammonium rayon
• Acetate
• Orange fiber 
• Piñatex
• AppleSkin^TM
• AeoniQ

We highlight this division among fabrics that are generally considered semi-natural/semi-synthetic because the sustainability of the sourcing stage diverges significantly, depending on whether the feedstock comes from virgin or discarded plant materials. 

However, there are three important notes here: 

• Though there is commonly used feedstock for certain semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics, many of these fabrics—typically acetate—can be made with a mixed cellulose pool from various virgin and/or recycled sources. 
• Some semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics contain 100% cellulose-based fibers, while others, such as acetate or AppleSkin^TM, comprise synthetic fibers. 
• It is not uncommon to find semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics as a blend of several regenerated cellulose fibers. Examples are viscose and modal, modal and lyocell, or TENCEL^TM and Orange fibers. 

In the following section, we’ll discuss sourcing cellulose fibers from virgin and discarded plant materials separately. 

How Do the Raw Materials Sourced for Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics Impact the Environment

In this section, we will examine in detail two groups of cellulose fibers commonly sourced for semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics and the sustainability of sourcing such materials. In particular, we will look at the following: 

• sourcing virgin plant biomass as raw materials for semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics
• sourcing cellulose waste as raw materials for semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics 

How Does Sourcing Virgin Plant Materials for Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics Impact the Environment

The General Environmental Impacts of Growing Trees or Other Plants for Fibers Used in Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics 

Sourcing virgin plant materials, such as wood from tree trunks and branches, for semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics is generally sustainable, mainly thanks to plants’ carbon sequestration potential and renewability. However, this raw material source can be unsustainable if the plants are old-growth trees from ancient and endangered forests. 

• Carbon sequestration: As plants like beech trees or bamboo grasses grow, they absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere while releasing oxygen. They act as a carbon sink, taking greenhouse gasses out of the atmosphere and helping to mitigate the climate crisis.
  • Bamboo grasses, for example, are used as raw materials for various semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics, including bamboo viscose, bamboo modal, and bamboo lyocell. The carbon sequestration of bamboo is impressive:
    • One acre of bamboo can absorb around 10,000 lbs of carbon dioxide annually. 
    • If bamboo is planted on 350 million hectares (around 865 million acres) of degraded land by 2030, such new forests will capture ten times the worldwide annual CO₂ emissions.
  • The carbon stored in the plant material is transferred to semi-natural/semi-synthetic fibers, resulting in these fibers, in some cases, being close to carbon neutrality (life-cycle carbon emitted is somewhat equal to carbon stored). 
  • For example, the three types of semi-natural/semi-synthetic fibers made by the Lenzing AG company have the following carbon balances (per tonne fiber, cradle-to-factory gate):
    • Viscose: – 0.25 t CO₂eq / t fiber
    • Modal: 0.03 t CO₂eq / t fiber
    • Lyocell: 0.05 t CO₂eq / t fiber

• Renewable material: Plant material is a renewable resource, provided that sustainable forestry management practices are in place.
  • Plants like eucalyptus trees or bamboo grasses have quick renewal rates because they grow relatively fast. 
    • Eucalyptus wood can be harvested after a decade for fibers used in TENCEL^TM fabrics—a type of lyocell made by Lenzing AG. 
    • Bamboo grows even faster, ready for harvesting within three to five years. 
  • Also, trees like pine (common feedstock for viscose fabrics) and beech (typically used to make modal fabrics) require little to no irrigation, fertilizers, or pesticides to grow.

The Various Locations Where Virgin Plant Materials Can Be Sourced to Make Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics 

Though the raw materials for semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics can come from any plant, some timber species are more likely to be used because of their growth rates and adaptability. 

Here are some common plants used as raw materials for semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics and their whereabouts:

• Eucalyptus trees are native to Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, and surrounding islands. They have also been grown in plantations throughout the world’s tropical and subtropical regions, including California and Hawaii in the US. Lyocell fabrics typically use eucalyptus wood as raw materials. 
• Bamboo can grow in many places, from hot regions in Southeast Asia, Africa, Australia, Latin America, and southern areas of the US, to colder places in the US and the UK. Two giant bamboo species with huge application potentials are ‘Moso’ bamboo, which grows mainly in China, and ‘Guadua’ bamboo, native to countries in Latin America. Bamboo fabrics—including bamboo viscose, bamboo modal, and bamboo lyocell—use bamboo “wood” as raw materials. 
• Beech trees grow natively in the US and Europe. They can be grown in sustainably-managed forests across temperate climates. This means that trees are cut down according to planned harvesting rotation, with new trees planted to replace them. Modal fabrics generally use beechwood as raw materials.

One of the main concerns about the sustainability of semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics, mainly viscose and modal, is the origin of the wood stock. 

A report from Changing Markets pointed out the association between sourcing raw materials for semi-natural/semi-synthetic fibers and deforestation in ancient or endangered forests, which have huge ecological costs and environmental implications. Specifically, Canada, Indonesia, and Brazil—all countries with endangered and ancient forests—provided around two-thirds of China’s 2010 dissolving pulp imports for viscose, 75% of which was then manufactured into viscose fabrics. 

More Information on Sourcing Virgin Plant Materials to Make Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics 

How Does Sourcing Cellulose-Based Waste for Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics Impact the Environment

The General Environmental Impacts of Sourcing Cellulose-Based Waste to Make Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics 

Sourcing cellulose-based waste for semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics is generally sustainable, arguably more so than sourcing virgin plant materials. This is because utilizing waste reduces the pressure on natural resources to grow new plants. Diverting waste back into the economy slows down the demand for land needed for waste storage. 

• Less pressure on natural resources: Growing fiber crops generally requires land, water, and agrochemicals, though the inputs vary depending on the crops. Cotton, for example, is a resource-intensive crop. Thus, using cotton waste to make cupro fabrics demands fewer natural resources than growing new cotton plants to produce cotton fabrics. 
• Reduce waste: Using discarded cellulose-based garments to make new semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics reduces the amount of waste going to landfills.
  • Globally, a truckload of used clothes is dumped into a landfill site every second.
  • The EPA estimates that in 2017, of the 16.9 million tons of textile waste generated in the US, only 15.2% was recycled.

The Various Sources of Cellulose-Based Waste for Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics 

Two types of cellulose-based waste are used to make semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics: 

• Pre-industrial waste includes plant materials not suitable for other industry processes. Some examples of such waste are as follows:
  • Cotton linters are considered waste because they are too small to be spun into cotton fabric. However, they can be used as raw materials for cupro and acetate fabrics. 
  • Pineapple leaves are an agricultural waste of the pineapple industry. They are utilized to make Piñatex fabrics. 
  • Apple peel and pomace, which are discarded after the apple juicing process, can be used as raw material for AppleSkin^TM fabrics.
  • Citrus fruit waste from industrial citrus juice is recycled into the process of making Orange Fiber yarns. Orange Fibers can be blended with natural fibers (silk, cotton) or semi-natural/semi-synthetic fibers (TENCEL^TM). 

• Post-consumer waste
  • Used cotton garments can be used as feedstock for cupro fabrics. 
  • Renewcell’s textile pulp, for example, coming from worn-out jeans, is one of the feedstocks used to make AeoniQ fabrics. 

More Information on Sourcing For Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics 

How Sustainable Is the Manufacturing of Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics

Manufacturing semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabric can be energy and chemical-intensive. This can have serious knock-on ecological impacts, especially if fossil fuels are the main energy sources at the manufacturing locations. However, integrated and closed-loop manufacturing processes can recover part of the energy during production while optimizing materials. 

How Sustainably Is Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics Generally Manufactured

The manufacturing of the semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics diverges in technology and chemicals that are used. Still, the core principle involves the same steps: 

1. Prepare the textile pulp, either from virgin plant materials or cellulose-based waste (discarded garment, cutting scraps, returned clothes, etc.). 
2. Dissolve the pulp using various artificial chemicals or organic solvents. 
3. Process the solution. 
4. Spin to create thread-like forms. 
5. Wash, bleach, finish, dry, and weave the yarn into semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabric. 

Let’s now dive deep into a few key sustainable issues of this life-cycle stage: 

Manufacturing Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics Is Generally Energy-Intensive 

Both pulp and fiber production require significant energy, which can have serious knock-on impacts when manufacturing depends on fossil fuels for energy generation. 

For example, the following table compares the energy needed to produce viscose, modal, and lyocell (all made by Lenzing AG), as well as cotton (made in the US and Canada). 

In this life-cycle assessment, all semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics have higher energy requirements in manufacturing than cotton, roughly from 1.5 to 2 times higher. 

Manufacturing Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics Is Chemical-Intensive

Manufacturing semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics depends on the chemicals used to dissolve the naturally occurring fibers and regenerate the new fibers. In many cases, there are many toxic chemicals used during production and released into the environment during and afterward. 

For example, the manufacturing process of viscose and modal uses caustic soda (or sodium hydroxide), carbon disulfide, and sulphuric acid:

• Caustic soda, carbon disulfide, and sulphuric acid are all toxic chemicals that could potentially cause serious harm to the environment and workers.
• Carbon disulfide has been linked to higher levels of coronary heart disease, birth defects, skin conditions, and cancer, both in textile workers and residents in the vicinity of semi-natural/semi-synthetic factories. 
• Sulfuric acid is a corrosive substance, destructive to the skin, eyes, teeth, and lungs. Severe exposure can result in death. 

Producing another semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabric, acetate, uses acetic acid, acetic anhydride, and sulfuric acid. These chemicals are typically derived from fossil fuels—nonrenewable resources with serious adverse environmental impacts. 

Integrated and Closed-Loop Processes Increase the Sustainability of Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics Production 

Some semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics, including TENCEL^TM, EcoVero, and Birla Cellulose, are produced in closed-loop processes. Such processes keep toxic gases from being released into the environment while recovering, converting, and returning nearly all of the chemicals to the production process for raw materials. 

Recovering process chemicals, especially dissolvent agents, reduces the demand for virgin resources to produce new chemicals. Also, it minimizes hazardous waste being discharged into the environment. 

In an integrated process, for example, in the Lenzing Modal factory in Austria, production energy can also be recovered and reused. Bark, thick liquor, and soda extraction liquor from pulp production become energy sources for pulp and fiber production. The remaining heat requirements—about 40% of the total heat requirements—come from incinerating externally purchased bark and municipal solid waste. 

How Sustainable Is the Transportation of Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics

Transporting can be a carbon-intensive stage in the life-cycle of items made with semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics because of the emissions associated with transporting and delivering vehicles. Semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics typically travel from forests or recycling centers, where raw materials for semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics are grown or collected, to processing factories, then sorting centers, shops, and consumer’s homes before going to recycling centers or landfills. 

In the life-cycle of semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics clothes made with virgin plant materials, transportation typically occurs as below: 

• from fields where plants are grown to the fiber and fabrics manufacturing location(s),
• from the fabric manufacturing location to sorting centers and/or physical shops, 
• from sorting centers and/or physical shops to the consumer’s home, and
• from the consumer’s home to the centers for recycling and/or disposal.

In the life-cycle of semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics clothes made with cellulose-based waste, transportation typically occurs as below: 

• from places where cellulose-based waste materials are collected, including factories, warehouses, and recycling centers, to the fiber and fabrics manufacturing location(s),
• from the fabric manufacturing location to sorting centers and/or physical shops, 
• from sorting centers and/or physical shops to the consumer’s home, and
• from the consumer’s home to the centers for recycling and/or disposal.

Traveling Distances of Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics Vary 

It is uncommon for cellulose-based fabrics to have raw materials grown/collected, processed, sewn, and sold in one town, country, or even continent. 

Here are some scenarios of transporting semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics: 

• Manufacturers can source beechwood grown in the US, process it into modal fabrics and clothing in a nearby factory, and then semi-natural/semi-synthetic textile products can be sold around the US to consumers.
• Cotton linters are harvested at the same time as cotton fibers from fields in India and shipped to factories in Japan, where acetate fibers and fabrics are made. The final products are then sold primarily to the US market.
• Bamboo can be grown in China, transported to a factory in the immediate vicinity for dissolved pulp manufacturing, and then to the US for fiber manufacturing before being sold to US consumers. 
• Manufacturers ship eucalyptus wood from forests in Asia to lyocell fabric factories in Europe and consumer markets in the US.

You can reduce the transportation carbon footprint by opting for semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics that travel a shorter distance from the fields and are made closer to your home.

The Carbon Footprint of Transporting Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics Depends Largely on the Vehicle of Transportation 

During its life-cycle, a piece of semi-natural/semi-synthetic clothing can be transported using various types of vehicles, including: 

• large container ships 
• planes 
• freight trains 
• long-distance trucks 
• short-distance delivering vans 

There are also various types of transportation vehicles used that have different carbon footprint impacts: 

• Large container ships are generally the most carbon-efficient option for international transportation of goods, while planes are the heaviest carbon emitter.
  Large container ships emit, per unit of weight and distance, half as much carbon dioxide as a train and one-fifth and one-fiftieth as much as a truck and a plane (respectively).
• Deliveries made by planes—for example, to fulfill fast shipping options for clothing—are the mode of transportation with the highest carbon footprint. 

As a consumer, you can choose not to pick the fast delivery option when ordering clothing items and accessories made with semi-natural/semi-synthetic fibers to reduce the carbon footprint of your order.

How Sustainable Is the Usage of Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics

The usage of semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics ranges from sustainable to not very sustainable. Semi-natural/semi-synthetic materials made with 100% naturally occurring fibers don’t shed microplastics into the environment while being washed. However, acetate and Piñatex fabrics shed microplastics and contribute to the increasingly serious problem of microplastic presence in marine environments. Some semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics, such as viscose, modal, and lyocell, are breathable. They don’t need to be washed frequently—less often than synthetic fabrics—thus saving water and energy. 

100% cellulose-based semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics, like cupro, viscose, modal, and lyocell, don’t shed microplastics into the environment while being used and washed like synthetic materials (polyester or nylon). 

The usage phase is a main source of energy consumption in the life cycle of clothing due to washing, drying, and ironing. Therefore, breathable semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics, such as lyocell and modal, are more sustainable to use. 

As a consumer, you can make using semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics even more sustainable by modifying some laundering habits. Possible changes include:

• wash semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics less often, 
• switch to line drying instead of using tumble driers, 
• do cold washes with appropriate detergents, and
• use energy-efficient washing machines. 

Some semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics, such as modal and lyocell, are also durable. Clothes made with modal fabrics, for example, will last years of wearing. Specifically, modal clothes can withstand more washes and dry cycles than cotton. 

Long-lasting clothing is generally more sustainable because you don’t need to replace it too frequently (thus, no need for more resources to make a replacement). 

How Sustainable Is the End-of-Life of Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics

The end-of-life stage for 100% cellulose-based semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics is generally sustainable because they are reusable, biodegradable, and compostable. 

100% cellulose-based semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics are made from biodegradable materials. At the end of the fabrics’ life, there are three available options: 

• composting
• incineration
• landfilling

For example, it takes about six to eight weeks for viscose, modal, and lyocell fibers to decompose, contrary to plastic-based items that could take up space in the landfill for up to 100 years. Cotton typically takes 11 weeks to decompose. 

How Circular Are Products Made of Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics

In the textile industry, a circular economy is designed to keep products and materials in use for as long as possible, especially through reusing and recycling. It also covers regenerating natural systems that support the industry and reducing polluted waste released into such systems.

“The circular economy is a systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution.”

Ellen MacArthur Foundation

As a whole, the textile industry is almost linear: 97% of the input are new resource.

Regarding regenerated cellulose fabrics, there have been incentives for recycling materials and energy in closed-loop manufacturing processes. 

Since 2000, new technologies have emerged to produce cellulose fibers to keep harmful toxins from being released into the environment. Such closed-loop systems have excellent control to minimize the emission of gases to the environment and recover the solvent carbon disulfide up to 90–95%. Later technologies also improve the recovery of other resources (water and energy) used in manufacturing.

Lenzing AG and Birla Cellulose are two semi-natural/semi-synthetic manufacturers with closed-loop manufacturing processes. 

Also, cellulose fibers in lyocell fabrics can be reused in manufacturing new fabrics if not blended with other fibers. 

Another recycling alternative is to mix the virgin wood pulp with recycled cotton fibers (from garment production or end-of-life recycled clothes) to create a cotton-lyocell blend. 

How Can You Buy Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics More Sustainably

The key to sustainably buying semi-natural/semi-synthetic products is to check on relevant environmental and original certifications.

• Forest Stewardship Council: An FSC certification ensures that the wood (or wood-like material) comes from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social, and economic benefits. There are two types of FSC Certification: 
  • FSC Forest Management Certification, with a focus on the origin of the wood—the forest. 
  • FSC Chain of Custody Certification, which focuses on the path from the forest to the customer’s home. 

• Program for Endorsement of Forest Certification: PEFC’s approaches to sustainable forest management are in line with protecting the forests globally and locally and making the certificate work for everyone. Getting a PEFC certification is strict enough to ensure the sustainable management of a forest is socially just, ecologically sound, and economically viable but attainable not only by big but small forest owners.

• USDA Certified Biobased Product: The USDA BioPreferred® Certification is a voluntary certification offered by the United States Department of Agriculture. The certification identifies products made from plants or other renewable materials.
• STeP by OEKO-TEX®: STeP by OEKO-TEX® is an independent certification system for brands, retailers, and manufacturers from the textile and leather industry. It communicates organizational environmental measures, including reducing carbon footprint and water usage.
• OEKO-TEX^® Standard 100: OEKO-TEX® labels aim to ensure that products pose no risk to human health (i.e. containing banned chemicals). 
• Ecolabel: Ecolabel is the official European Union voluntary label recognized worldwide for certified products with a guaranteed, independently-verified low environmental impact. The label requires high environmental standards throughout the entire life-cycle: from raw material extraction through production and distribution to disposal. It also encourages companies to develop innovative, durable, easy-to-repair, and recyclable products.

Some certifications that are signaling brands’ efforts toward lowered environmental impacts and a circular economy are: 

• B Corp Certification: The label B Corp is a certification reserved for for-profit companies. Certified holders are assessed on their social and environmental impacts. 

• Cradle2Cradle certification: Cradle2Cradle provides a standardized approach to material circularity. It assesses whether products have been suitably designed and made with the circular economy in mind covering five critical categories: material health, material reuse, renewable energy and carbon management, water stewardship, and social fairness.

Where to Buy Sustainable Semi-Natural/Semi-Synthetic Fabrics 

As we have established throughout the life-cycle assessment, not all semi-natural/semi-synthetic clothes are made equally sustainable. 

Here are the indicators of semi-natural/semi-synthetic clothes’ sustainability:

• The fibers are sourced sustainably from one of these systems: sustainably managed forests, organic farms, and cellulose-based waste streams. 
• Fiber production is integrated and closed-loop, reducing energy, water, and chemicals. 
• Manufacturing locations have a relatively high rate of renewable energy.

As a consumer, you can look for these indicators when buying clothing items made with semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics.

Why Is It Important to Buy Products Made of More Sustainable Fabrics

It is important to buy products made of more sustainable fabrics because a sustainable textile industry has a lower carbon footprint, helps save natural resources, and is better for forests, animals, and humans. 

Buying Sustainable Fabrics Reduces Your Carbon Footprint 

The production of clothing and footwear is estimated to contribute 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions—more than all international flights and shipping combined. If the fashion industry were a country, it would be the fourth largest emitter of carbon dioxide. 

One way to reduce the carbon footprint of the clothes you buy is to opt for sustainable fabrics. Sustainable fabrics, which are often made with natural or recycled fibers, have relatively low carbon footprints compared to petroleum-based fabrics. For example, organic cotton made in the US has a carbon footprint of 2.35 kg CO₂ (per ton of spun fiber)—a quarter of polyester’s carbon footprint. 

Buying Sustainable Fabrics Reduces Demand For Natural Resources and Waste Management

The textile industry uses water and land to grow cotton and other fibers. It is estimated that 79 billion cubic meters of water were used for the sector worldwide in 2015. For example, producing a single cotton t-shirt requires as much water as one person drinks for 2.5 years (2,700 liters of fresh water).

Worse yet, the textile economy is vastly more linear than circular: the largest amount of resources used in clothes ended up in landfill (instead of being recycled to remake clothes). According to a report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation,

• Less than 3% of materials used in the textile economy in 2015 came from recycled sources.
• In other words, more than 97% of resources used in making clothes are newly extracted. 

When clothing items are disposed of within a short period of time—under a year in the case of half of the fast fashion clothes—the natural systems that provide raw materials for fabrics don’t have enough time to recover and regenerate, which could lead to ecological breakdown. 

Sustainable fabrics are made with less water and emissions while lasting longer:

• Because they are durable, you don’t need to buy new clothes too often. 
• Thus, you help reduce the pressure to extract more resources for making new items. 

Similarly, making and consuming sustainable fabrics made with recycled materials reduces the demand for virgin materials while helping tackle waste management. 

Buying Sustainable Fabrics Encourages Sustainable Management of Forests

Sustainable plant-based fabrics are made with raw materials from forests and plantations that are sustainably managed, such as complying with FSC standards. 

When you buy sustainable plant-based fabrics, you discourage unsustainable forestry practices like illegal logging. You can help reduce deforestation, biodiversity loss, and the effect of climate change. 

Buying Sustainable Fabrics Encourages Fairer Treatment of Animals 

The fashion industry is rife with animal mistreatment when it comes to making animal-based fabrics like cashmere or leather. Every year, billions of animals suffer and die for clothing and accessories.

Buying sustainable vegan alternatives can help to reduce the pressure on raising more and more animals to meet the demand for animal-based fabrics while sacrificing their well-being and lives. 

Suppose you have to buy fabrics made with, for example, leather or wool; make sure you only choose brands committed to cruelty-free products. In that case, you help advocate better treatments for animals raised within the textile industry. 

Using Sustainable Fabrics Encourages Fairer Treatment of Textile Workers 

Recent statistics from UNICEF estimated as many as 170 million child laborers worldwide, many of whom were engaged in some form of work in the textile industry. They don’t get paid minimum wages and often work long hours. 

When you buy sustainable fabrics from brands transparent about the working conditions at their factories, you discourage the use of child labor and help promote better working conditions for textile workers.

Final Thoughts

Semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics are on a spectrum from highly sustainable, such as the case of lyocell manufactured in a closed-loop process, to not very sustainable, like viscose and acetate made with uncertified wood. 

To find sustainable semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics, you want to be able to trace the origin of the fibers to certified forests or reliable cellulose waste streams. Also, manufacturing processes matter. You want to check if your chosen brands are committed to reducing fossil-based energy and recycling chemicals and other inputs. 

To make using semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics more sustainable, follow these steps:

1. Buy second-hand, recycled, or upcycled clothes made with semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics.
2. While using semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics, maximize the number of wears between washes and keep them as long as possible.
3. At the end-of-life of your garments made with semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics, upcycle the materials to extend their usage and arrange for them to be recycled or properly disposed of.

Stay impactful,

Sources

• Science Direct: Cellulose
• Common Objective: REPORTS & TOOLS | Made-By Environmental Benchmark for Fibers
• Impactful Ninja: How Sustainable Are Viscose Fabrics? A Life-Cycle Analysis 
• Impactful Ninja: How Sustainable Are Cupro Fabrics? A Life-Cycle Analysis 
• Impactful Ninja: How Sustainable Are TENCEL^TM Fabrics? A Life-Cycle Analysis
• Impactful Ninja: How Sustainable Are Lyocell Fabrics? A Life-Cycle Analysis
• Science Direct: Life-cycle assessment (LCA)
• MIT SMR: Strategic Sustainability Uses of Life-Cycle Analysis
• European Environment Agency: Cradle-to-Grave
• Science Direct: Cradle-to-Gate Assessment
• Science Direct: Materials Science and Materials Engineering | Biopolymers From Crop Plants
• Impactful Ninja: How Sustainable Are Modal Fabrics? A Life-Cycle Analysis
• The Sustainable Fashion Collective: FOCUS ON FIBRES: SUSTAINABLE SEAWEED FABRIC… SEACELL™
• Impactful Ninja: How Sustainable Are Acetate Fabrics? A Life-Cycle Analysis
• ORANGE FIBER: The First Fabric From Oranges
• Impactful Ninja: How Sustainable Are Piñatex Fabrics? A Life-Cycle Analysis
• Impactful Ninja: How Sustainable Are AppleSkin^TM Fabrics? A Life-Cycle Analysis
• Heiq-aeoniq: Replace Polyester & Nylon with Our Climate Positive Circular Cellulosic Yarn
• Science Direct: Inorganic and Composite Fibers
• The Guardian: The bear’s necessity
• TED: Bamboo to save the world
• ScienceDirect:Life Cycle Assessment of man-made cellulose fibres
• Impactful Ninja: How Sustainable Is Eucalyptus Wood? Here Are the Facts
• Impactful Ninja: How Sustainable Is Bamboo “Wood”? Here Are the Facts
• Impactful Ninja: How Sustainable Is Pine Wood? Here Are the Facts
• Impactful Ninja: How Sustainable Is Beechwood? Here Are the Facts
• Britannica: Eucalyptus
• ONETREEPLANTED: 8 AMAZING BAMBOO FACTS
• Impactful Ninja: How Sustainable Are Bamboo Viscose Fabrics? A Life-Cycle Analysis
• Impactful Ninja: How Sustainable Are Bamboo Modal Fabrics? A Life-Cycle Analysis
• Impactful Ninja: How Sustainable Are Bamboo Lyocell Fabrics? A Life-Cycle Analysis
• Britannica: Beech
• Changing Markets: DIRTY FASHION: CRUNCH TIME | WHERE DOES THE INDUSTRY STAND ON STAMPING OUT DIRTY VISCOSE
• The Guardian: Deforestation for fashion: getting unsustainable fabrics out of the closet
• Impactful Ninja: How Sustainable Are Bamboo Lyocell Fabrics? A Life-Cycle Analysis
• Impactful Ninja: How Sustainable Are EcoVero Fabrics? A Life-Cycle Analysis
• Impactful Ninja: How Sustainable Are Cotton Fabrics? A Life-Cycle Analysis
• BBC: Why clothes are so hard to recycle
• WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE: The Apparel Industry’s Environmental Impact in 6 Graphics
• Britannica: linter
• RENEWCELL: Home
• Forbes: Next-Gen ‘Bio-Based’ Synthetics Are Here, But When Will They Replace Polluting Polyester?
• SewPort: What is Modal Fabric: Properties, How its Made and Where
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: CARBON DISULFIDE
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Sulfuric Acid
• CHEMEUROPE: Acetic acid
• CHEMEUROPE: Acetic anhydride
• CHEMEUROPE: Sulfuric acid
• Birla Cellulose: SUSTAINABILITY, A WAY OF LIFE
• Time for Change: CO₂ emissions for shipping of goods
• Impactful Ninja: How Sustainable Are Polyester Fabrics? A Life-Cycle Analysis
• Impactful Ninja: How Sustainable Are Nylon Fabrics? A Life-Cycle Analysis
• Springer Link: The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment: Statistical analysis of use-phase energy consumption of textile products
• Good on You: Material Guide: What Is Modal? And Is It Sustainable?
• TENCEL^TM: TENCEL^TM Modal
• SEMANTIC SCHOLAR: Biodegradation of Three Cellulosic Fabrics in Soil
• Birlacellulose: Closed-Loop Technologies in Viscose Process
• Uniform Reuse: Fabrics Database – Lyocell
• TENCEL^TM: Refibra
• Forest Stewardship Council
• FSC Forest Management Certification
• FSC Chain of Custody Certification
• Program for Endorsement of Forest Certification
• BioPreferred: WHAT IS THE BIOPREFERRED PROGRAM?
• OEKO-TEX: Certification according to STeP by OEKO-TEX®
• OEKO-TEX^® Standard 100: Home
• European Commission: EU Ecolabel
• B Corp Certification: Home
• C2CCertified: Home
• European Parliament: The impact of textile production and waste on the environment (infographic)
• Science Direct: The challenge of “Depeche Mode” in the fashion industry – Does the industry have the capacity to become sustainable through circular economic principles, a scoping review
• Science Direct: Carbon Footprint of Textile and Clothing Products
• European Parliament: Environmental impact of the textile and clothing industry
• European Parliament: What if fashion were good for the planet?
• Ellen MacArthur Foundation: A New Textiles Economy: Redesigning fashion’s future
• McKinsey: Style that’s sustainable: A new fast-fashion formula
• Forest Stewardship Council: Home
• Our World in Data: Deforestation and Forest Loss
• Our World in Data: Renewable Energy
• Peta: Animals Used For Clothing
• The Guardian: Child labour in the fashion supply chain