Are some materials better than others?
No. It is important to remember that all materials have different properties and impacts, and that none is perfect. Vegetal materials (like cotton, jute, hemp, etc.) are neither better than animal materials (like wool, leather, silk, etc.) nor better than synthetic materials (like polyester, nylon, viscose, etc.).
Cotton is a very thirsty crop, meaning that it consumes a lot of water and fertilisers. For example, producing a pair of jeans needs, on average, up to 10,000 litres of water. That is the amount of water a human consumes in 10 years.
Leather comes from animal hides, meaning that it is natural. However, it can have a great impact on deforestation and chemical release. However, a good leather product is also long-lasting and doesn't need to be replaced often, limiting waste, unlike most plastic/vegan leather alternatives.
Wool and cashmere are made of renewable materials produced naturally by animals. But some practices can lead to animal welfare issues or soil erosion (meaning that the land dries and becomes no longer fertile and suitable for any ecosystems).
Polyester is more energy-intensive than other materials, creating more greenhouse gas emissions. It is also made of non-renewable materials and leaks microplastics when washed. Polyester is, however, easier to recycle.
Viscose is made of wood pulp that undergoes intensive chemical processing. This means it is a renewable material (forests), but if unsustainably managed, viscose can lead to deforestation and thus greenhouse gas emissions.
On a general note, it is best to compare a virgin material with a recycled or a certified one, as those materials have been produced more carefully, taking into account lots of aspects that go beyond yields.
What is also always good to avoid are garments with blends. For example, a T-shirt that is 55% cotton, 25% Polyester, 20% Acrylic. Blends not only affect the quality of the material and the garment, and therefore its lifetime, but also make it very hard to recycle.
A fibre can be organic, but does this mean that the fabric also is?
What does organic fibre mean?
According to GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), the leader in organic textiles, organic fibres are “natural fibres grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, insecticides, or herbicides and GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) according to the principles of organic agriculture.”
What is an organic material?
According to GOTS, organic material can be labelled organic when at least 70% of the materials come from organic fibres. Therefore, organic fibres present in too small an amount in a material/fabric cannot be labelled as organic.
If a garment is not blended, for instance, 100% organic cotton, then the material is organic.
If the blend is of two organic materials (organic cotton and organic linen), then it is organic.
If the blend is a mix between organic and inorganic fibres (organic cotton and polyester), then there needs to be at least 70% of the fibres in the materials that need to be certified organic to have the material/fabric labelled as such.
What happens when the organic fibre is turned into fabric and dyed with a chemical colour?
Organic fibres/materials/products only refer to the way the fibre (s) have been grown (see definition above). Therefore, processes, like dying, are not considered.