15 Most Sustainable Wood-Based Clothing Brands: The Conscious Consumer’s Guide

15 Most Sustainable Wood-Based Clothing Brands: The Conscious Consumer’s Guide

By
Quynh Nguyen

Read Time:43 Minutes

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Stay impactful,

Wood is a material preferred by most environmentally-conscious consumers. And understandably so, because wood’s renewability and biodegradability are superior to materials like fossil-based plastics. Yet, not all wood comes from the same forests. Wood origins can be murky, and turning wood into textiles can be chemical-intensive. Unfortunately, fashion greenwashing makes it even harder for you and all other consumers to figure out which rayon clothing brands offer the most eco-friendly clothes. So, we had to ask: Which are the most sustainable wood-based clothing brands? 

The most sustainable wood-based clothing brands include Patagonia, MATE the Label, and Tentree, which use low-impact materials, employ full traceability, and strive for textile circularity. In addition, ARMEDANGELS and Mara Hoffman commit to fair trade practices and lower carbon footprints.

Whether you are searching for a versatile top, an elegant dress, or some comfortable underwear to add to your wardrobe without negatively impacting the soil, the water, the animals, and other people, there is a brand for you. So, let’s keep reading to learn more about the most sustainable wood-based clothing brands and how they ensure sustainable, ethical practices. 

Here’s How Sustainable Wood-Based Fabrics Generally Are

Wood-based fabrics are made with one type of fiber or a blend of several fibers based on plant cellulose from trees or tree-like species. The main types of wood-based fibers are viscose, modal, lyocell, and acetate. These fibers can be regenerated in various chemical and mechanical processes using many kinds of wood feedstock (trees in natural forests, trees in planted forests, waste from the forest floor, and pre-consumer and post-consumer cellulose-based waste). Consequently, the sustainability of wood-based fabrics varies. 

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 wood-based textiles, we’ve assessed the life-cycle and each stage’s sustainability. This life-cycle assessment (LCA) is a method to evaluate the environmental impacts of products and materials. Here’s the quick summary of our LCA of wood-based textiles!

What makes sustainable wood-based fabrics: Lyocell is generally considered the most sustainable wood-based fabric. It is also ranked class B on The Common Objective’s Made-By Environmental Benchmark for Fibres, higher than all other wood-based fabrics. The reason lies mainly in lyocell’s closed-loop manufacturing system that uses organic solvents instead of synthetic chemicals, as in the case of modal, viscose, and acetate

Additionally: Modal and viscose fabrics, such as those made by Lenzing, can be relatively sustainable when made with traceable cellulose fibers in closed-loop systems that recover and reuse liquids and chemicals. 

Related: Are you interested in the whole story of wood-based fabrics? Then check out our full article: “How Sustainable Are Wood-Based Fabrics? A Life-Cycle Assessment.”

Here’s How We Selected the Most Sustainable Wood-Based Clothing Brands

The brands on this list were chosen based on their commitment and actions to promote sustainable practices while reducing the environmental impacts of the textile industry. 

They are transparent about their materials, processes, and workforce management within their supply chain. 

Some brands focus their efforts on reducing waste and optimizing natural resources while others strive to reduce the carbon footprint of their clothes. 

All of these brands share the commitment to reshape the textile industry toward a more sustainable and Earth-friendly sector. 

These Are the 15 Most Sustainable Wood-Based Clothing Brands

Overall, these wood-based clothing brands are sustainable. Yet, they take various approaches to reduce environmental impacts and uphold ethical standards. Let’s dive into each brand and find out more. 

1

Patagonia: Everyday Wear for Those Who Care

Logo for Patagonia
Screenshot of the Patagonia front page

Together, we can prioritize purpose over profit and protect this wondrous planet, our only home.

Patagonia

🌎

How do they ensure their sustainability?

Patagonia puts sustainability at the center of their operation. 

🌐

How do they ensure their ethics?

Patagonia commits to fair trade practices. Through the partnership with Fair Trade USA, they currently produce 86% of their clothes in 20 Fair Trade Certified™ factories

🤝

Are they part of any giving-back programs?

Since 1985, Patagonia has pledged 1% of sales annually to environmental causes. They have awarded over $89 million in cash and in-kind donations to domestic and international grassroots environmental groups, making a difference in their local communities. In 2022, the founder of Patagonia gave away his family’s ownership of the company to the newly created Patagonia Purpose Trust and the not-for-profit organization Holdfast Collective, ensuring that all future profits from the company are used to fight the climate and extinction crisis

🛍️

What is their product range?

  • Best for: kidswear, menswear, womenswear 
  • Product range: shirts, pants, jackets, blazers, hoodies, sweatshirts, T-shirts, shorts, plus-size
  • Price range: $$$ 
  • Size range: XXS–XXXL
2

MATE the Label: Clean From Seed to Skin

Logo for MATE the Label
Screenshot of the MATE the label front page

To provide people everywhere with essentials that are clean from seed to skin.

MATE the Label

🌎

How do they ensure their sustainability?

MATE the Label ensures sustainability by sourcing low-impact natural materials, reducing carbon footprints, and recycling. 

🌐

How do they ensure their ethics?

MATE the Label has a Code of Conduct covering four of the ILO’s Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work

🤝

Are they part of any giving-back programs?

In 2021, MATE the Label donated 1% of sales to nonprofit partners that are committed to saving the planet. On Giving Tuesday in 2021, they upped the donation from 1% of every purchase to 5%. Since their partnership with BEAM Impact, MATE the Label’s consumers can choose which organization the donations of their order should go to. 

🛍️

What is their product range?

  • Best for: minimalistic, versatile clothes for women
  • Product range: sweaters, dresses, pants, hoodies, maternity wear, blouses, T-shirts, jumpsuits, underwear
  • Price range: $$
  • Size range: XS–XL
3

Tentree: A Lifestyle Clothing Brand That Plants Trees for Every Item Purchased

Logo for Tentree
Screenshot of the Tentree front page

“ We believe the future of business is restorative.”

Tentree 

🌎

How do they ensure their sustainability?

Tentree ensures sustainability by planting trees, promoting circularity, opting for low-impact fabrics, and attaining responsible packaging

🌐

How do they ensure their ethics?

Tentree enforces fair labor practices by collaborating only with manufacturers and suppliers that guarantee a safe and respectful environment for their employees

🤝

Are they part of any giving-back programs?

Giving back is a cornerstone of Tentree’s mission. Tentree plants 10 trees worldwide for every item purchased, contributing to reforestation and combating climate change. In 2022 alone, their customers helped plant over 22 million trees across nine countries, restoring over 2,000 hectares of terrestrial forests, over 1,000 hectares of coastal mangrove forests, and hundreds of hectares of marine land.

🛍️

What is their product range?

  • Best for: kidswear, menswear, womenswear
  • Product range: T-shirts, tank tops, shirts, sweaters, cardigans, dresses, pants, hoodies, shorts, skirts, joggers, jackets, coats, underwear
  • Price range: $$
  • Size range: XXS–XXL
4

ARMEDANGELS: Sustainable Clothing Brand Plus an Agent of Lifestyle Change 

Logo for Armedangels
Screenshot of the Armedangels front page

“So starting out with the humble tee, we took our oath against wage slavery, chemical shortcuts, and mass-producing pure crap, and transformed ourselves into one of the first clothing brands in all the land to put people and planet first.”

ARMEDANGELS

🌎

How do they ensure their sustainability?

ARMEDANGELS ensures sustainability by reducing carbon footprints while enabling people to change their lifestyles to fight climate change. 

🌐

How do they ensure their ethics?

ARMEDANGELS ensures their ethics by only working with trusted partners to deliver decent wages and workers’ safety. 

🤝

Are they part of any giving-back programs?

ARMEDANGELS raises funds by donating part of their sales tosupport various organizations and campaigns. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, they have raised €745.800 ($790,883.61 USD) for Doctors Without Borders, facilitating isolation wards, COVID-19 clinics, and protective clothing for medical professionals worldwide. Other fundraising projects include supporting the climate movement with German Zero and the Climate Emergency Fund, fighting for equality with UN Women, advocating for fair payment and safe working conditions for Bangladeshi garment workers with the National Garment Workers Federation, and rescuing refugees in the Mediterranean Sea with Sea-Watch

🛍️

What is their product range?

  • Best for: kidswear, menswear
  • Product range: denim jeans, jackets, jumpsuits, shorts, skirts, T-shirts
  • Price range: $$
  • Size range: XS–XXL
5

Mara Hoffman: Womenswear Brand Promoting Mindful Fashion Habits

Logo for Mara Hoffman
Screenshot of the Mara Hoffman front page

As a team, we remain committed to reducing our footprint on the planet by extending the life of each garment, contributing to the regeneration of the environment, and advocating for the communities least responsible for, yet most impacted by, climate change.”

Mara Hoffman

🌎

How do they ensure their sustainability?

Mara Hoffman’s sustainability efforts focus on responsible materials, low-impact manufacturing practices, and mindful fashion habits.

🌐

How do they ensure their ethics?

Mara Hoffman works with Fair Trade Certified™ products and factories to ensure workers receive premium work payment.

🤝

Are they part of any giving-back programs?

As Mara Hoffman has shifted toward sustainability, they have increased contributions to and participation in social justice movements. They give back in various ways, including sponsoring, fundraising, and mentoring, in partnership with many organizations working towards social justice and sustainability. The list includes Black in Fashion Council, CanopyStyle, Equality Now, Woman March, and Sweet Freedom Farm

🛍️

What is their product range?

  • Best for: womenswear
  • Product range: dresses, tops, blouses, pants, skirts, swimwear, jumpsuits, playsuits, bodysuits, plus-size
  • Price range: $$$ 
  • Size range: XS–XXXL
6

LA Relaxed: Garments Ethically Designed and Made in LA 

Logo for LA Relaxed
Screenshot of the LA Relaxed front page

“We measure our impact in footsteps, not a footprint and assemble each garment in under one hundred footsteps.”

LA Relaxed 

🌎

How do they ensure their sustainability?

LA Relaxed ensures sustainability by sourcing natural and non-toxic fibers and dyestuffs, manufacturing locally, and minimizing textile and plastic waste

🌐

How do they ensure their ethics?

LA Relaxed has a Code of Conduct that covers all of the ILO’s Fundamental Freedoms principles. 

🤝

Are they part of any giving-back programs?

LA Relaxed donates garments to local charities

🛍️

What is their product range?

  • Best for: womenswear
  • Product range: tops, bottoms, dresses, accessories
  • Price range: $$
  • Size range: XS–XL
7

Neu Nomads: An Ethic-First Brand With a Commitment to Sustainability and Traceability 

Logo for Neu Nomads
Screenshot of the Neu Nomads front page

We always consider how to create something beautiful with the lowest possible impact on the world.”

Karen Wood, founder of Neu Nomads

🌎

How do they ensure their sustainability?

Neu Nomads prioritizes sustainability by opting for eco-friendly materials, using renewable energy in their supply chain, and reducing waste with a platform to resell and reuse pre-loved clothes

🌐

How do they ensure their ethics?

Neu Nomads ensures their ethics through fair labor practices and transparent supply chains. They also make regular inspection visits to their suppliers. On top of that, 85% of their garments are produced in a family-owned factory in Delhi that maintains healthy working conditions, healthcare benefits, and compensation far above the living wage.

🤝

Are they part of any giving-back programs?

Neu Nomads is not known to be part of any giving-back programs.

🛍️

What is their product range?

  • Best for: luxurious essential clothing items for female modern travelers 
  • Product range: shirts, scarves, dresses, pants, jackets, blazers, knitwear, tops, blouses, T-shirts, lingerie
  • Price range: $$$
  • Size range: XXS–XXL
8

Ecoalf: Committing to Recycling Waste and Cleaning the Environment 

Logo for Ecoalf
Screenshot of the Ecoalf front page

“I believe the time when fashion was just about looking good is over. More than ever it has to be about doing what is right and feeling good about it.”

Javier Goyeneche, founder of Ecoalf 

🌎

How do they ensure their sustainability?

Ecoalf’s commitment to sustainability is evident in their innovative recycling practices. 

🌐

How do they ensure their ethics?

Ecoalf ensures their ethics by protecting their workers and the environment.

🤝

Are they part of any giving-back programs?

Ecoalf actively participates in giving-back programs. The Ecoalf Foundation was founded to clean the oceans of marine waste with the help of the fishing industry while giving a second life to plastic waste through recycling and closing the loop. They achieve that with their “Upcycling the Oceans” projects. In 2021, Ecoalf donated 10% of all Because There’s No Planet B sales to the Ecoalf Foundation to expand the “Upcycling the Oceans” project beyond the Spanish border and into countries like Thailand, Greece, and France. The foundation also partners with Biotherm to set up the framework of “Limpia ríos, salva océanos”, a project supported by corporate volunteer days to collect waste and restore the environment. Additionally, Ecoalf’s employees volunteer in various environmental incentives

🛍️

What is their product range?

  • Best for: womenswear, menswear, kidswear
  • Product range: shirts, pants, jackets, blazers, hoodies, sweatshirts, tops, blouses, knitwear, T-shirts, sneakers, accessories
  • Price range: $$
  • Size range: XS–XL
9

Encircled: Minimalist Clothing Essentials Made Without Compromising Style, Comfort, or the Planet 

Logo for Encircled
Screenshot of the Encircled front page

Ethically made from the finest, most soft and flattering eco-friendly fabrics, our collection is designed with intention, flexibility and exceptional fit at its heart.”

Kristi Soomer, Founder of Encircled 

🌎

How do they ensure their sustainability?

Encircled prioritizes sustainability through minimizing waste and maximizing options. On top of that, they are vigilant about closing gaps in the supply chains and the life of each piece of clothing. 

🌐

How do they ensure their ethics?

Encircled puts ethics at the core of their operations. 

🤝

Are they part of any giving-back programs?

Encircled is not known to be part of any giving-back programs. 

🛍️

What is their product range?

  • Best for: womenswear
  • Product range: skirts, dresses, pants, jackets, blazers, knitwear, tops, blouses, T-shirts, stockings, tights, jumpsuits, playsuits, accessories, plus-size 
  • Price range: $$$ 
  • Size range: XS–XXL
10

Whimsy + Row: Reducing Eco-Footprint With Every Step of the Process

Logo for Whimsyandrow

 “Growing and being a good company.”

Rachel Temko, founder of Whimsy + Row

🌎

How do they ensure their sustainability?

Whimsy + Row prioritizes sustainability by opting for low-impact materials like certified organic cotton, linen, TENCELTM Lyocell, and deadstock/upcycled fabrics

🌐

How do they ensure their ethics?

Whimsy + Row clothing is made within a few miles of their office, enabling weekly factory visits. The brand also ensures that fair wages are given and that workers are being treated fairly.

🤝

Are they part of any giving-back programs?

Whimsy + Row actively participates in giving-back programs that support environmental causes and community initiatives. Specifically, they donate money to organizations like One Tree Planted, People Tree, Global Fund for Women, Black Lives Matter, Reclaim the Block, Black Vision Collective, Downtown Women’s Health Center, and Feeding America. Once a month, their employees also donate their time to community work, such as cleaning the beach or planting trees. 

🛍️

What is their product range?

  • Best for: womenswear with eco-friendly, contemporary designs 
  • Product range: skirts, denim, dresses, pants, tops, blouses, shorts, lingerie, plus-size 
  • Price range: $$$
  • Size range: XS–3XL

Organic Basics: A Carbon Neutral Brand Creating Underwear, Activewear, and Everyday Essentials

Logo for Organic Basics
Screenshot of the Organic Basics front page

We make our basics to be both Earth- and people-friendly — carefully choosing materials and fabrics that care for our environment, only partnering with factories that consider their impact too, and designing all the basics for all bodies.

Organic Basics

🌎

How do they ensure their sustainability?

Organic Basics promotes sustainability by choosing fabrics based on their environmental footprint and lifetime durability

🌐

How do they ensure their ethics?

Organic Basics works only with trusted, certified factory partners, who ensure that their workplace is free of child labor and forced labor and that their workers enjoy a safe working space, earn a living wage, and benefit from employee perks like free lunches and childcare.

🤝

Are they part of any giving-back programs?

Organic Basics donates 1% of the value of all orders to sustainable projects. Their partnership with Beam Impact enables consumers to choose where their 1% donation will go, at no extra cost to the consumers, to support local charities that help Nature Conservation, Ocean Conservation, Rewilding, or Sustainability & Gender Equity.

🛍️

What is their product range?

  • Best for: womenswear, menswear
  • Product range: underwear, bras, bottoms, T-shirts, tops, sweatshirts, hoodies, knitwear dresses, swimwear, socks, plus-size
  • Price range: $$$
  • Size range: XXS–XXL
12

Toad&Co: Made-to-Order Clothes Using Highly Sustainable Materials 

Logo for Toad&Co
Screenshot of the Toad&Co front page

Our commitment to a cleaner way of living and doing business has made us stronger and, like any good relationship, we take every day as it comes.

Toad&Co

🌎

How do they ensure their sustainability?

Toad&Co promotes sustainability by sourcing eco-friendly materials, reducing carbon footprints, supporting textile circularity, and joining the responsible packaging movement

🌐

How do they ensure their ethics?

Toad&Co is committed to promoting fair labor practices and safe working conditions in all factories in their supply chain. 

🤝

Are they part of any giving-back programs?

At the very beginning of their journey, Toad&Co co-founded Planet Access Company, which employs adults with disabilities, fostering inclusivity and diversity in the workforce. Additionally, they run programs that support people with disabilities to make arts and enjoy outdoor adventures. They also give 1% of all sales to environmental causes via 1% for the Planet membership. In the last 20 years, they have helped to fund 120 environmental protection organizations

🛍️

What is their product range?

  • Best for: menswear, womenswear
  • Product range: shirts, sweaters, dresses, pants, maternity wear, T-shirts, shorts, underwear
  • Price range: $$ 
13

TAMGA Designs: Luxurious, Lightweight, and Forest-Friendly Clothing 

Logo for TAMGA Designs
Screenshot of the Tamga Designs front page

“We believe in a bright future for our planet, which is why we only use fabrics made from traceable and sustainable botanic fibers. ”

TAMGA Designs

🌎

How do they ensure their sustainability?

TAMGA Designs ensures sustainability by lowering their environmental impacts throughout the life-cycles of their clothes. 

🌐

How do they ensure their ethics?

TAMGA Designs ensures their ethics by sharing every supplier that touches a TAMGA garment, from “field to fashion.” 

🤝

Are they part of any giving-back programs?

Since their inception, TAMGA Designs has always given back a portion of their sales to causes they care about. Through their partnership with 1% for the Planet, they give 1% of the annual sales to the Sumatran Orangutan Society (S.O.S.). The fund is used to replant the rainforests in Sumatra, restoring one of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots and bringing back the habitat for four critically endangered species, including orangutans, rhinos, elephants, and tigers. Additionally, they have a special t-shirt collection made with Lenzing’s viscose fabrics, Trees Please Tee, for which they contribute $10 per every sold item to S.O.S. In 2022, they celebrated Forest-Friendly-Friday and International Orangutan Day, donating 20% and 25% of all sales, respectively, to the Sumatran Orangutan Society

🛍️

What is their product range?

  • Best for: womenswear, kidswear
  • Product range: skirts, shirts, dresses, pants, tops, blouses, shorts, jumpsuits, playsuits, T-shirts, kimonos, loungewear, accessories, plus-size
  • Price range: $$$$
  • Size range: XS–XXL
14

Baukjen: Womenswear Designed for Circularity and Made Sustainably 

Logo for Baukjen
Screenshot of the Baukjen front page

“Our collections are designed for the modern woman struggling with a busy lifestyle. Effortless style is our design signature, premium quality is our standard so our clothes can be worn year after year.”

Baukjen

🌎

How do they ensure their sustainability?

Baukjen ensures sustainability by swapping planet-unfriendly materials for more responsible ones, cutting down environmental impacts throughout their supply chain, and moving toward a circular model. 

🌐

How do they ensure their ethics?

Baukjen ensures their ethics by maintaining a high level of transparency regarding their factories and the impacts of their garments. 

🤝

Are they part of any giving-back programs?

Baukjen gives at least 10% of their annual profits to charities, including NHS Charities Together, GOSH, Oxfam, Strut Safe, World Land Trust, Prince’s Trust, and Birth Companions. Their team is offered two days per year to volunteer at charities of their choice. For three years running, they swapped deals for good deeds over the Black Friday Weekend, opting instead to donate profits or clothing over the four-day shopping bonanza to a range of deserving charities, such as the UK women’s charity Smart Works

🛍️

What is their product range?

  • Best for: womenswear
  • Product range: shirts, blouses, sweatshirts, cardigans, dresses, tops, jackets, blazers, outerwear, T-shirts, vests, jeans, pants, skirts, knitwear, jumpsuits, joggers, pajamas, underwear, tights, maternity wear
  • Price range: $$
  • Size range: XS–XX
15

Threads 4 Thought: Everyday Basics Produced Responsibly 

Logo for Threads 4 Thought
Screenshot of the Threads 4 Thought front page

From our original designs to our fabrics to the factory floor, we are committed to leaving an innately smaller impact on our planet.

Threads 4 Thought

🌎

How do they ensure their sustainability?

Threads 4 Thought promotes sustainability by sourcing a high proportion of eco-friendly materials including recycled polyester, organic cotton, and modal with Lenzing’s renewable beech tree pulp

🌐

How do they ensure their ethics?

Threads 4 Thought traces most of their supply chain and reduces their impact through Greenstory. They have a Supplier Code of Conduct that covers all ILO’s Fundamental Freedoms

🤝

Are they part of any giving-back programs?

Threads 4 Thought partners with the International Rescue Committee to help people displaced due to various conflicts

⚒️

What they do:

  • Best for: menswear, womenswear, kidswear
  • Product range: sweaters, dresses, pants, jackets, blazers, shorts, hoodies, T-shirts, tops, blouses, maternity wear, stockings, tights, jumpsuits, playsuits, sportswear, sleepwear, accessories, plus-size 
  • Price range: $$
  • Size range: XS–XXL

Wood-Based Fabrics: Biodegradable Textile Materials Made With Renewable Resources

Wood-based fabrics can be highly sustainable when durable, breathable, and biodegradable textiles are made with wood from sustainably managed forests in a closed-loop system. Lyocell is considered the most sustainable type of wood-based fabric, especially when made with some recycled content, such as in the case of TENCELTM Lyocell x REFIBRA™. 

Here are the life-cycle stages of wood-based fabrics and each stage’s sustainability assessment:

  • Sourcing of wood-based fabrics: The sourcing stage is generally sustainable. This is largely thanks to the carbon sequestration potential of trees. Also, wood-based fabrics are made from renewable plant materials, especially when the wood comes from fast-growing, low-input tree species in well-managed forests or farms. However, there are legitimate concerns over the traceability of timber and the association between sourcing plant material to make textiles and deforestation in ancient and endangered forests. 
  • Manufacturing of wood-based fabrics: Manufacturing wood-based fabrics is generally unsustainable, though there are some exceptions. Wood-based fabric production is typically 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. 
  • Transportation of wood-based fabrics: Transporting can be a carbon-intensive stage in the life-cycle of items made with wood-based fabrics. This is because of the emissions associated with transporting and delivering vehicles. Wood-based fabrics typically travel from forests, where raw materials for wood-based fabrics are grown, to processing factories, then sorting centers, shops, and consumers’ homes before going to recycling centers or landfills. 
  • Usage of wood-based fabrics: Using wood-based fabrics is generally sustainable. Because these fabrics are made with cellulose fibers, they don’t shed microplastic during the usage stage. Some wood-based fabrics, such as lyocell and modal, are breathable and durable—two telltale signs of sustainability. 
  • End-of-life of wood-based fabrics: The end-of-life stage for wood-based fabric is generally sustainable because it is reusable, biodegradable, and compostable. 

Not all wood-based fibers are made equally. The sustainability of wood-based fabrics depends largely on the origin of the cellulose fibers and the use and disposal of process chemicals. 

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 Rayon 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 also help reduce deforestation, biodiversity loss, and the effects 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 wool or silk. 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, wool or silk; 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.

How Can You Generally Buy More Sustainable Fabrics

The key to sustainably buying fabrics is to check on relevant environmental and original certifications. 

For natural fabrics

  • Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS): A globally-recognized certification system that ensures a certain threshold of organic content has been met. It covers manufacturing, packaging, labeling, transportation, and distribution (but not what happens in the fields where crops are grown). 
  • 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.
  • 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. 

For plant-based semi-natural/semi-synthetic fabrics:

  • 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.

For recycled fabrics:

  • Recycled Claim Standard (RCS): The Textile Exchange RCS was originally developed as an international, voluntary standard that sets requirements for third-party certification of Recycled input and chain of custody. 
  • The Global Recycled Standard (GRS): The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is an international, voluntary, full product standard that sets requirements for third-party certification of Recycled Content, chain of custody, social and environmental practices, and chemical restrictions. It can be used for any product with more than 20% recycled material.

For all types of fabrics:

  • 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). 

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.

Final Thoughts

Conventional viscose and acetate are considered unsustainable because of the harmful chemicals used during manufacturing. However, modal and lyocell fabrics produced in closed-loop systems that recycle and reuse chemicals and water and use traceable cellulose fibers, such as those from Lenzing, have relatively low environmental impacts. Alternatively, upcycled wood-based textile is sustainable, thanks to bypassing the manufacturing process. 

By purchasing new or pre-loved wood-based clothes from brands that commit to sustainability, you support their mission to create a fairer and less harmful textile industry for all lives on Earth. 

Here is the list (again) of the most sustainable rayon clothing brands:

  • Patagonia 
  • MATE the Label
  • Tentree
  • ARMEDANGELS
  • Mara Hoffman
  • LA Relaxed
  • Neu Nomads
  • Ecoalf
  • Encircled
  • Whimsy + Row
  • Organic Basics
  • Toad&Co
  • TAMGA Designs
  • Baukjen
  • Threads 4 Thought

To make your use of these fabrics even more sustainable, follow these steps:

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

Stay impactful,



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