These 5 types of fabric are examples of materials that do less bad and more good for the world we live in.

When it comes to pursuing an eco-friendly lifestyle, your actions are meaningful beyond what you choose to eat and drink, your choice of transportation and the extent of your use of electronics and appliances that contribute to global warming. Environment-conscious living can get as subtle and not obvious as the seemingly innocent and simple cotton shirt you are wearing right now. “Eco-fashion”, as I will refer to it in this piece, is a growing sector in the fashion world, shining light on how the industry exploits the world’s resources for the sake of vanity and keeping up with the demands and trends inherent in fast fashion. And it’s largely defined by the types of fabric used in garments.

Did you know that cotton utilizes 22.5 percent of all the insecticides and 10 percent of all pesticides used globally, on just 2.5 percent of agricultural land? Moreover, were you aware that producing just one T-shirt requires the use of 257 gallons of water?

Insecticides and pesticides are used to prevent living organisms from growing on the cotton and interfering with its growth. However, these chemicals don’t just stop the growth of pests – they stick around the entire life cycle of the cotton. Between 25 million and 77 million agricultural workers suffer from pesticide poisoning each year, with 1 million requiring hospitalization. The chemicals used also affect the water stream applied to cotton, which can make its way into the water supply of indigenous populations. In 2004, a study detected chemicals in cotton clothing that can negatively affect those who wear them. Ultimately, 7 of the 15 most prevalent chemicals used in conventionally grown cotton have been classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as suspected carcinogens (read: cancer-causing).

Additionally, dyes that are applied to fabrics have been shown to retain cancerous substances, which have only recently been banned by the EU. Formaldehyde, which is limited but allowed, is a chemical that irritates the skin and can contribute to cancer. Rayon, another common material used to make clothing, is often linked to the depletion of the worlds rain forests. Polyester products’ main raw material is oil. Yes, you read that right: oil. Petroleum-based fabrics continue to damage and exploit the world’s resources and are non-sustainable in the long run. Polyester is also non-biodegradable and simply stress landfill capacity.

With this in mind, it begs the question: what’s the alternative? Here are 5 eco-friendlier fabrics with which we should all acquaint ourselves.

1. Bamboo

Bamboo fabric comes from bamboo grass pulp. It doesn’t require pesticides to grown nor other chemicals during irrigation. It biodegrades quickly. It is often spun into bamboo rayon for a more durable shape and texture. Bamboo matures in two years and in a close-loop system. It can take on more than 3-times its own weight in water and works well in both hot and cold climates by trapping warm air in its fibers in the winter and absorbing perspiration in summer to keep you cool. Bamboo fabric is soft, quick-drying, and smooth, having a silk or soft-cotton-like texture. It also has a 99.8 percent antibacterial rate, which means it kills odors and keeps you smelling fresher for longer.

2. Hemp

Hemp fabric is considered among the most eco-friendly types of fabric around the world. It grows without pesticides, crowds out weeds on its own, produces oxygen and controls topsoil erosion. It is cultivated quickly – in less than 100 days – and produces more fiber per acre than cotton or flax. It is also extraordinarily versatile. Its versatility derives from the fact that it has incredible strength: 8-times more than that of cotton. Furthermore, it is hypo-allergenic and does not irritate the skin. Studies have shown that it stops the spread of bacteria. It has the texture of flannel and wrinkles easily. For some, it may have a scratchy feeling.

3. Organic cotton

Organic cotton is grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides, insecticides or other chemicals. It has all the benefits of conventional cotton, only it is less toxic to your body and the environment.

4. Tencel

Man-made fiber tencel is also referred to as lyocell. It is derived from wood pulp of sustainable farm trees. The fabric is versatile and can take on the texture of suede or silk. It is gentle, lightweight, and absorbent (50-percent more moisture absorption than cotton), and thus good for those with sensitive skin. Despite these qualities, tencel is quite durable. It even has anti-bacterial properties due to its efficient moisture management.  Tencel textiles utilize nanotechnologies in a closed-loop process recovering and decomposing all solvent and emissions. Certified by the international Forest Stewardship Council and 100-percent biodegradable, tencel fabric is a huge victory among eco-fashion enthusiasts. While it is on the expensive side relative to other eco-friendly fabrics, it is well worth it!

5. Soy

Soy fabric is made from soybean hulls that come from food production waste. It has been dubbed the “vegetable cashmere” due to its soft texture, and it has just a bit of stretch to it. It also absorbs dyes quickly, meaning it requires less of it, and is relatively easy to take care of. Its ability to absorb well makes soy fabric fitting for those who perspire a lot or are at the mercy of hot weather. Soy fabric biodegrades quickly and has little environmental impact. It is also UV-resistant and anti-bacterial.

Related on EcoSalon

What Exactly Is Eco-Friendly Fashion?

Natalie Chanin: Pound for Pound

Why Hemp Fabric Makes Sustainable, Durable, Fabulous Fashion: Fiber Watch

Photo Credit: Bethan

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The fashion trends of the future could involve living, growing textiles, or even accessories implanted into our bodies.

By 2082, couture will be made not from fabric, but from cells. That’s the vision of designer Amy Congdon, whose Biological Atelier project explores how the same sort of medical biotechnology set to revolutionize skin grafts and prosthetics can be carried over into the world of fashion. In fact, her idea is pretty similar to the controversial effort to grow meat in a lab so no animal has to be harmed, and test-tube leather. Cultured ivory bracelets or cruelty-free cross-species fur, anyone?

Congdon’s Extinct Collection uses a sort of embroidery ‘scaffolding’ upon which cells can be grown—whether plant, animal or mineral. The idea is that in the future, fashion trends could be grown from the ultimate commodity: life itself. Congdon aims to explore the ethical issues surrounding this sort of manipulation of life, and the seemingly sci-fi concept of integrating and implanting fashion and technology right into our own bodies.

Considering the social and environmental impact of the textile industry, even the most unlikely sounding ideas deserve a good look – and while Biological Atelier is intended for bespoke luxury garments, similar technology could possibly be used on a wider scale. When grown in a lab or made from waste materials rather than farmed, biological-based textiles could potentially replace fabrics made from unsustainable materials, like polyester – as long as they don’t require too much chemical manipulation in the process.

One admittedly weird example is fabric grown in a soup of green tea, sugar and other nutrients, which bacteria then transform into long cellulose filaments that can be woven once dried. Scientists have also managed to produce a fabric by letting microbes go to work on wine, fermenting the alcohol into fibers. A similar process turns proteins from spoiled milk into fabric. Unfortunately, none of these weird new bio-textiles smell too pretty, but researchers are already working on eliminating that problem.

Related on Ecosalon:

Fiber Watch: Will the Fashion World Embrace Test Tube Leather?

Fabrics Made from Tea?

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Who needs paper when you can use gorgeous vintage fabrics?

Need some art to spruce up a boring wall? Back away from the paper and check out your fabric stash instead. Here’s how to print on vintage fabrics to make your own custom wall art.

Sure, prints on paper can be really cute and fun, but vintage fabric has a couple of advantages over plain ol’ paper. First off, vintage fabric is reclaimed. That means that unlike the paper you pick up at the office supply store, there’s no impact associated with your medium. Vintage fabric also comes in such unique, beautiful prints. The pattern becomes part of your finished piece.

Choosing Your Inks and Fabrics

When you’re choosing vintage fabric to print on, cotton or cotton blends are your best bet. Skip anything with a loose weave, because your print will come out looking a little wonky. You also want to skip coated fabrics like oilcloth. The plastic coating makes it really hard to get ink to adhere without priming, and you don’t want to cover that beautiful print up with primer.

You also want to make sure your ink will show up on your fabric. If you’re planning to print in a beautiful, lemon yellow, you probably don’t want that bright yellow and orange floral as a background. Make sure your ink contrasts nicely with your fabric, so your design will pop!

As inks go, you have a few good options. Since wall art doesn’t have to stand up to things like washing, you can branch out a bit here. These are a few options you have:

• fabric paint
• screen printing ink – the type for fabric or paper will work fine for wall art
• acrylic paints
• house paint

Printing Techniques

What I love about printing is that you don’t need brush skills to make a nice-looking design. You can go as high- or low-tech as you want with your printing.

Screen Printing – Screen printing is best if you’re going to be doing multiples of your design, since burning a screen is either a lot of work (if you do it yourself) or kind of pricey (if you use a service). You can burn your own screens, if you’re feeling extra-DIY, or you can use a service. I’ve gotten custom screens from Anthem Screen Printing, and they do a great job. You just design your art on your computer, send them your artwork, and they burn and ship your screen.

When you’re screen-printing on fabric, make sure you tape your fabric to your table, because otherwise when you lift your screen, the fabric will come, too, and that’s how you get unsightly smudges.

Block Printing – Block printing is a classic fabric-printing technique that’s a lot like stamping. With block printing, though, the idea is to create a pattern. You use the block to repeat your print over the whole fabric. I’d check out sites like Etsy and eBay, where you can find cool, vintage printing blocks to make all kinds of designs.

Stamping – This is probably the lowest-cost option, and it’s a lot of fun! If you have a stash of stamps, you’re pretty much good to go. Just use a paint brush to apply your ink or paint of choice to your fabric, then carefully stamp away on your fabric. You can also check thrift stores and yard sales for old stamps. If you want to be super DIY about it, you can even make your own felt stamp to create a one-of-a-kind design.

No matter what technique you use, you’ll want to let the ink dry completely, and then flip your art over and use your iron on high to heat-set the ink. Remember: you’re ironing the back of your design, not the front.

Have you guys done any printing on fabric? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments.

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The best eco-friendly boutiques online.

Eco-boutiques are popping up all over the web thanks to visionary retailers willing to take risks. While the debate over green consumption asks tough questions (is marketing lots of green stuff the answer to our consumerism woes?), it is clear that when it comes to eco fashion, the mantra is quality over quantity.

While some sites carry tried and true lines we’ve been following for years, others are peddling cutting edge sustainable fashion – making conscious consumption more provocative than ever.

Here’s an updated list of what we consider the top online eco boutiques going.

Start your shopping engines…

Annie Novotny, the designer behind Frei, opened Workshop in 2009 in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. Her boutique’s 100 year old building houses her own line as well as lines like Brooklyn’s Loup Charmant, Shades of Gray vintage jewelry, D.S. & Durga perfume and a great selection of vintage leather handbags and belts for accessorizing.

Novotny’s shop also serves as a gallery and an actual workshop space for sewing classes.

In Roman mythology, Juno and Jove ruled as the divine queen and king of all gods, online they rule as a fantastic source for shopping over 70 designers. This online boutique (and store based in Sarasota, Florida), is massive but never overwhelming. Owner and buyer Olivia Bono has done well balancing high fashion with wardrobe staples including clothing, shoes, body care, home and even a nice section for men.

Whenever I want something totally different and inspiring, I click on over to Beklina. Not only is owner/buyer Lina Rennell one of the best online site curators, she designs an eponymous (eye candy) line featured on her site. Here is where you find architecturally and artistically pleasing clothes infused with all the glamor and femininity a site can offer. An additional bonus is Rennell selling fabric yardage from her own line and sustainable sweetheart, Caitlin Mociun’s of you guessed it, Mociun.

Joslin Van Arsdale’s Eco Citizen is a San Francisco staple for lines including The Podolls, Stewart+Brown, Feral Childe and more. Van Arsdale caters to women more than men but still has some fun organic pieces for your significant other you can quickly purchase before checking out with a cart full of your own new duds. We love the Jade Tribe and Collina Strada bags.

Everything at Olivine is special, (their tag line of “Atelier” says it all). With plenty of beautiful clothing, trendy beauty products and the healthiest dose of Swedish Hasbeens and Prairie Underground around, Olivine is a source of sustainable inspiration. Did I mention there’s cute baby gear too?

Three core passions inspired founder, Shana Yansen to start Jute and Jackfruit and now tie into the company’s core mission: to be smart, sustainable and chic. She accomplishes all three in her Boston based online shop filled with flattering Kelly Lane dresses, Turk+Taylor tops and Indigenous’ Fair Trade clothing.

Super girl Kate McGregor of Kaight is always on trend with her role as buyer and owner of New York City’s premier brick and mortar shops as well as having a major online presence via her blog and Facebook. McGregor can often be found working with leading sustainable designers, housing shops within her shop (Melissa shoes and a vintage section), as well as hosting fun store events. Kaight is the complete package.

In 2008, a conference speaker told Future:Standard owner/buyer Jessica Althoff  “You do not have to choose between your passions. If you want to combine them, you should.” Two years later Future:Standard was born from Althoff’s desire to support the environment, promote fair labor practices, and spend her days looking at (and wearing), beautiful clothes. We love all her indie lines that aren’t so frequently seen in other online boutiques.

Cow Jones Industrials’ owner Donna Oakes runs her vegan boutique from upstate New York as well as online with an eye for the pretty and playful: Think Popomomo tunics and dresses, Feral Childe frocks and a wide array of vegan shoes and hand bags by top designers. Vegan paradise fulfilled.

Label Gazer gives you a snapshot of socially responsible, ethical and eco-friendly fashion, then links you to where you can immediately buy it. Thieves, Elroy, The Uniform Project, Studio Jux and more, all presented so stylishly and clean with additional links to sales, sites and a designer database.

In early 2008, Mission Savvy founder Jennifer Miller picked up her journal and began writing, documenting careless acts of
animal neglect. From this introspection, Miller realized a way she could fuse both her love of clothing and animals was to open a vegan boutique (online and brick and mortar in Charleston, West Virginia). Not so strange a jump seeing as each collection of clothing is based on themed animal rights or “Missions.” Her clothing, footwear and accessories highlight not only a raised consciousness in fashion but of our furry friends.

Kate Morison and Andrea Barrett, founders of Arboretum hail from Sonoma’s wine country where the living is easy and the clothing, organic perfume and shoes coming out of this brick and mortar (as well as online eco-boutique), is refreshing. We love that they offer staple capsule collections for both men and women and only wish we lived in the same town to shop and see more!

Enjoy the pretty sounds of chirping birds as you shop. Not kidding.

Did you know that Tobi had a whole Eco Tobi section? A great selection of Matt and Nat handbags, wallets and clutches, tons of Melissa shoes, Prairie Underground and Alternative Apparel, make Tobi a perfect destination spot for those stylish staple pieces that never grow old.

Another great online boutique, Embodies also has a shop based in Larkspur, California. Owner Kenlynn Wilson bases her criteria on a few things: What fabrics are used in the clothing, where the items are manufactured (and under what conditions), what types of dyes are used in the clothing as well as the packaging the clothes are being shipped in. Curating with a careful eye, Wilson’s due diligence yields a great stable of fashion-forward eco-designers. Look for Alabama Chanin, Calleen Cordero cuff bracelets and select Linda Loudermilk.

In 2007, inspired by the fashionable direction green and ethical designers were taking, A Green Wardrobe decided to launch promoting all the organic, sustainable, or recycled and repurposed material clothing they could find from top designers. Look for Juleselin, Kris Nations jewelry, Numanu and Les Fees de Bengale.

UPDATEd 4.27.11: This post has been updated with more amazing boutiques since the original publish date.

BTC Elements combines smart style with sustainability, hand-selecting each item in their boutique’s collection of clothing, gifts, and accessories with an eye to the environment and social justice. The result: fresh, inspiring designs that are both earth friendly and ethically sourced.

Look for lines including Raw Earth & Wild Sky, Kelly B and Feral Childe.

Kathleen Rowan and Deana Bracken, run Green With Glamour from both Los Angeles and Chicago, building and curating the Green with Glamour® collection. Founded in 2007, the duo has always operated sustainably whether it’s buying for the shop or running the site on a certified carbon neutral webhost. GwG reaches eco-chic shoppers worldwide and continues to promote the concept of living with style while passionately caring for our beautiful planet.

We love that they carry Dallas based Koch, as well as a lot of L.A. based Popomomo and EcoSkin.

Equita, (Italian for fairness), is a design-conscious shop showcasing the finest in green, sweatshop-free and Fair Trade essentials for the body and home. Each item is hand-selected and thoughtfully edited to ensure a mix that is design-conscious, functional, eco-friendly, and socially conscious. In addition to ethical fashion and footwear, Equita carries green home decor, sustainable furniture, fair trade handbags and jewelry, organic and fair trade body care, ethical baby clothing, fair trade sport and wellness gear, and specialty gourmet treats.

Is that it?

Top image: Annie Novotny of Workshop, from Chicago Magazine

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A weekly roundup of EcoSalon’s top stories.

Before we all have a big love fest for bamboo, let’s get to know it a little bit more. Kelly Drennan, in her article Bamboo, We Hardly Knew Ye, writes: “Bamboo seemed like a miracle fiber – and in a sense, it is. It’s turning it into fabric that’s the more complicated issue.” It’s important to be able to make an informed decision about environmental impact before ruling any fabric out – read up to learn more.

In our weekly Insider’s Guide To Life: Bite Me, Sara Ost dishes out tips on how to deal with female bullies at any age. Ost writes: “If the thought of never seeing your bully again gives you more joy than the thought of a bathtub full of calorie-free sea-salt and caramel chocolate truffles dipped in lottery tickets, fame, a flat stomach and true love, it’s time to walk away.” Enough said.

Unless you’re living on the moon or ride a bike, you’re probably painfully aware of gas prices rising. If you don’t live in a city and have access to public transportation you might even be feeling doomed, damned or find yourself prone to yelling at the sky with a clenched fist. News editor Andrea Newell’s 11 Ways To Save At The Pump gives city and country dwellers the opportunity to become environmentally empowered (and financially enhanced) by being just a bit more conscious.

Has your sustainable path led you to veganism? You’re not alone, but there are also many ex-vegans like EcoSalon writer Abigail Wick who, in The Conscious Case Against Veganism, writes: “Conscientious consumption means eating and living ethically, not religiously. As Slate’s Christopher Cox says, ‘Eating ethically is not a purity pissing contest, and the more vegans or vegetarians pretend that it is, the more their diets start to resemble mere fashion – and thus risk being dismissed as such.'”

As you can imagine, vegans near and far were interested in this topic so we also published a rebuttal from Laura Hooper Beck, a vegan writer, the founding editor of Vegansaurus, Editor-at-Large for VegNews Magazine, and the community manager of VegWeb, to speak on behalf of the vegan community.

While we continue to hear bad news from Japan, how its people are managing in the face of this crisis is deeply inspirational. In Heroism And Hope: 7 Heartwarming Tsunami Stories, Newell finds, “…heroism is not dead, love is a powerful motivator, hope is still alive, and people can be compassionate toward strangers.”

Image: kimubert

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Each week here at EcoSalon, I ask my favorite bloggers and designers to hand select a beloved green product, whether it’s a finish, furnishing, or accessory. The end result? An endless anthology of aesthetically perfect products for your viewing pleasure.

This week I am honored to host Kim Derby. Does Ms. Derby’s name sound familiar? It should, dear reader. Kim was previously an editor at EcoSalon, and now we are graced with her words once again (check out her past posts and clever conversations). Kim has an immense talent for molding her keen wit and discernible style into amusing and informative articles.

Kim has handpicked a collection of charming little pieces of artwork.

“They’re quaint, clever and petite. I’m a big fan of ‘less is more’ and clear the clutter, but in my opinion there’s rarely too much art,” says Kim.

I agree completely. Deana Bracken, the director of Green With Glamour, designed this vivid and vintage artwork. From left to right: Black Cat Wallpaper Silhouette ($55), Scottie Wallpaper Silhouette ($45), and Boxer Fabric Silhouette ($65).

Come back tomorrow for Kim’s inaugural re-introduction post. Welcome (back) Kim!

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We recently had Peter Ingwersen, founder of Noir on record, saying, “Technology will save us all. I think that man-made fibers are truly amazing and will be the new hot thing in eco-materials. We will all need to overcome our prejudice that natural made fibers are more eco-friendly.”

Not to worry, Peter, you know as well as I do that there are mad scientists, I mean pioneers, out there pushing the boundaries for all kinds of fabrics. Take this new one made from tea, of all things.

The fabric is grown in a soup of green tea, sugar and other nutrients, over the course of several days. Bacteria is then added to the solution to produce “long filaments of cellulose that clump together to form thin mats of fabric that float on the top of the mixture. Once dried, this becomes become see-through and similar in appearance to papyrus. However, it can be treated, dyed and molded to produce different textures and effects,” says the UK’s Daily Telegraph.

The project is led by Suzanne Lee, a senior research fellow and designer at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London, who has already used the material to make clothes. This has inspired Professor Paul Freemont and Professor Alexander Bismarck, materials experts at Imperial College in London who are furthering research on the fabric “using synthetic biology techniques by introducing the genes needed to produce these cellulose sheets into other bacteria.” More details are outlined on the project’s website, Bio-Couture.

There’s just one problem: While the fabric is extremely tough, apparently it really stinks.

“It doesn’t have a very nice smell at the moment though because it is produced by bacteria, but we are trying to overcome that. There is still some way to go before it can be used as a standard item in the high street,” says Freemont. “These are projects we need to think about because of the impending resource shortages we face and one thing we are not short on is bacteria.”

How refreshing?

Image from Bio-Couture

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This duet of Lace Fans Fabric Pillows (in Olive) from Ink & Spindle stole my heart. It was love at first sight. Nothing freshens a space as quickly (or as inexpensively) as a handful of throw pillows – a pop of color or a rich texture can instantly add life.

I immediately headed over to Ink & Spindle for further intoxication. The artists (Lara Cameron and Tegan Rose) have charmed me with graphic prints in pretty colors. In my humble opinion, the worth of a textile is realized through imagination. Fabrics are like well cared for art supplies. When I see a great fabric, visions of pillows, art, and upholstery dance through my head. These amusing textiles have me dreaming up a myriad of fabric-enveloped furnishings and accessories.

Ink & Spindle plays the conscientious role of a green business through the usual route (water based solvent free inks, recycled products whenever possible, organic, sustainable, and fair trade base cloth, etc.), and have added a sweet effort, including using a water board certified separation system to prevent foreign particles from entering the water system. The company walks the walk, and I like it. Oh, and did I mention they are entirely carbon neutral?!

For pricing information, please visit Ink & Spindle’s online shop or email info@inkandspindle.com.au.

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Since I work from home, I have about a million and one little pieces of paper tacked to my bulletin board: inspirational quotes, photos of friends, birthday cards, ticket stubs, and reminders about my New Year’s resolutions. When I saw this patterned Cedar Record Frame Magnet Board ($7.50) on Etsy, I knew it would breathe new life into my office space.

In fact, I’d actually want to leave a little empty space for a change, and show off the vibrant purple pattern. This magnetic board also comes with five color-coordinated magnets in a handy little tin. (Bonus: you don’t have to poke holes in favorite snapshots or cards and it works with magnetic poetry!)

When I was finished writing this, I noticed that this playful piece of recycled art had sold out (bummer!) But I decided to blog about it anyway, because it seems like the kind of DIY project that even I could tackle in an afternoon. A scrap of fabric, galvanized metal, an old frame, plus a few magnets and an old tin. Who knows? Maybe Polarity (the Etsy seller) will make a few more! She also makes jewelry out of recycled auto parts.

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You don’t have to be an economist to want to understand the economics of “the fabric of our lives.” Case in point: The recent ban on cotton exports by the Indian government has piqued my curiosity. I wanted to understand whether this ban would have an impact not only on the cotton farmers, particularly those growing organic and fair-trade cotton, but also what impact it might have on us as consumers.

What I learned is that there are no clear answers.

Fact: the price of cotton is at a 15-year high.

Why? According to Eco Textile News, this is the result of Indian authorities lowering cotton export tax rebates. With higher rebates there is more incentive to export raw cotton. Once you lower those tax rebates, you are effectively lowering its export appeal. Supply goes down, but demand is up (marginally), and the price of cotton rises.

So why ban raw cotton export altogether? What does this mean to the farmers? And what will be the impact to consumers?

The reason for the ban is simple, if you are the Indian government and your best interest is to protect the textile industry. A robust export market means a shortfall in the amount of cotton available for India’s own textile manufacturing sector. When you factor in China as a fierce competitor, this makes sense. China is, after all, the world’s largest cotton importer.

When it comes to the impact of the ban on cotton farmers, there are conflicting views.

On the one hand, some experts contend this decision was made in haste, out of panic over the fact that cotton prices have risen by 80%. And, that by restricting exports, cotton farmers (particularly organic and fair-trade growers) are not seeing any of the benefits enjoyed by the cotton traders. The organic and fair-trade cotton growers in India rely heavily on its export, and some believe that when times are good, these communities should be supported rather than punished.

On the other hand, some organizations support the banning of raw cotton export from India.

“I believe the true value of this commodity is long overdue, and has been taken advantage of for so many years,” says UK Pants to Poverty representative Ben Ramsden. “Without any move to keep cotton within India, the booming Indian textile and garmenting industry could be considerably challenged, putting further strain on this very fragile industry.”

Will we feel this impact on our wallets?

In some cases, fabric suppliers could pass their costs up the supply chain. This would result in retailers paying more for basic cotton items such as socks and t-shirts. However, some industry experts claim the ban will have little impact on domestic cotton prices, as most of the exports for the current cotton season have already been committed. So if we do feel any price sting, it will likely be marginal.

To this end, Ramsden says, “If this goes some way to enabling us all to understand more about where our clothes come from, and why our choices can change the world, then the whole exercise will be fantastic.”

Image: Ken Lund

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