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Curating a Sustainable Wardrobe with Hemp and Bamboo Clothing

 

If you’re committed to going green, you’ve probably already made lots of eco-friendly choices, such as choosing to turn off lights when not in use and swapping out household chemicals for greener cleaning solutions.  But one often overlooked aspect of going green is the clothing we wear.

 

Today, thanks to fast fashion, more clothing is produced today than ever before.  Unfortunately, most of that clothing is made from synthetic fabrics, such as polyester and acrylic, that are non biodegradable and produce tons of pollution during the manufacturing process.  In fact, the modern clothing industry is responsible for over 10% of global carbon emissions and 20% of the world’s wastewater.  Even worse, because much of this clothing is made cheaply, it doesn’t last very long either.  It's estimated that the average American sends over 80 pounds of used clothing to landfills every year.

 

However, for the eco-minded among us, there is an alternative to the wasteful impacts of the clothing industry.  We can vote with dollars every time we decide to purchase clothing by choosing to support only clothing manufacturers who are committed to environmentally friendly practices and by buying clothing made from renewable resources, like bamboo and hemp. 

Both bamboo and hemp fabric are produced from plants that grow quickly, require comparatively little water to grow and can be densely sown to reduce land waste.  Unlike conventionally grown cotton, organically grown hemp and bamboo are not treated with synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers, eliminating pollution from water runoff.  Even better, both plants help to sequester carbon by removing carbon dioxide from the air and locking it into soil.  This makes these plants actually capable of combating climate change!

But beyond the environmental benefits of natural fabrics, like bamboo and cotton, clothing made from these sustainable options has other perks too.  Clothing created from bamboo is super soft, naturally breathable and crease-resistant, meaning you won’t have to iron it.  Hemp clothing, on the other hand, has natural anti-microbial properties that make it odor resistant and it is one of the strongest fabrics around – having up to four times the durability of cotton!  And of course, unlike synthetic fabrics, both hemp and bamboo clothing are naturally biodegradable.

 

The impressive benefits of bamboo, hemp and other natural fabrics make them amazing, eco-friendly clothing options that can’t be overlooked.  Choosing to support sustainable clothing brands and purchasing clothes made from natural fabrics are excellent ways to reduce your carbon footprint and further your commitment to going green.

 

If you want to learn more about environmentally friendly fashion, sustainable products and “green living,” follow along with Natural Florida LLC.  We’ll be exploring these topics further in the future and we’ll also be posting more updates about our upcoming membership program.  It’s our hope that this program will foster holistic living and permaculture by rewarding local, sustainable businesses, volunteers and donors and connecting eco-minded individuals with the best green companies in their area.  

And, if this article has you interested in bamboo or hemp clothing, there’s more.  Natural Florida will be coming out with our very own product and clothing line soon.  But in the meantime, when you join our membership program, you will receive your choice of one free organic bamboo or hemp t-shirt or hemp baseball cap along with lots of other great benefits!  To learn more, visit www.naturalflorida.org.