July 2008
Joanna Yarrow uncovers good news for a chemical-free wardrobe - both on and off the high street
For anyone keen to avoid the horrors of conventional cotton production, there's a growing choice of fabulous clothes made from organic cotton and other sustainable fibres.
Organic cotton, grown without chemical pesticides or fertilizers, and processed minus toxic dyes or other treatments, avoids many of the environmental, health and social problems associated with conventional cotton production. On the high street, there's a fairly good pick of the chemical-free crop.
H&M stocks some organic items in all departments, and is starting to use other sustainable materials, including organic and recycled wool and polyester. Marks & Spencer has a growing range of organic and fairtrade cotton basics including ribbed vests and cropped trousers. Topshop's People Tree capsule collection offers a great selection of tops and tunics, and Primark's growing organic range includes T-shirts and boob-tubes.
American Apparel's Sustainable Edition T-shirts are 100% organic cotton. And the company's pledged to convert 80% of all the cotton it uses to organic or similar sources within the next four years.
For more embedded eco credentials, try smaller brands.
People Tree itself aims to use only organic and fairtrade cotton, uses natural dyes, and chooses recycled products over synthetics. Check out its designer collaborations from Thakoon and Bora Aksu for more unusual pieces.
Wildlifeworks also has a great range of high-quality, organic and fairtrade clothing from its own African 'eco-factory'.
Gossypium has good-value organic basics for women, men, teenagers and children, as well as gorgeous homes textiles (bedding, towels, and so forth).
Howies sells a wide range of durable outdoorsy organic wear. For more jeans and casualwear, try Kiyuchi and Del Forte Denim.
Annie Greenabelle's flirty dresses, tops and skirts combine organically grown and recycled fabrics - a must for eco dancing queens!
At the top end of the market, check out Edun for super-stylish fairtrade separates including some organic cotton, or Ciel's covetable range of sumptuously coloured organic women's clothing.
The Katharine E Hamnett collection includes organic T-shirts, hoodies and tailored dresses. Another pioneer of eco-chic, Stella McCartney, has an organic capsule collection including luxurious underwear. And Phillip Lim has recently launched an organic Go Green Go line.
Organic cotton is still in only a tiny proportion of fields and shops. But with the help of organisations such as the Environmental Justice Foundation, Soil Association, Pesticide Action Network and US Sustainable Cotton Project, demand for this chemical-free crop is growing. And farmers are responding, taking three years to convert to organic production.
Other sustainable fabrics include hemp, which is easy to cultivate and pest-tolerant, requiring few agrichemicals and very little water. Modern hemp is hip not hippy, ranging from Enamore's stunning tea-dresses to The Hemp Trading Company's skatewear, streetwear and clubwear.
Bamboo is increasingly popular for its softness and natural antibacterial properties. Tough and fast-growing, without the need for chemicals, it can be a great eco fabric, although some extraction processes require harmful chemicals, so beware.
Polyester fibre produced from recycled plastic bottles can be made into fleece, and is included in clothes from Marks & Spencer, Patagonia, Vaude and Armani Jeans.
Joanna Yarrow is a broadcaster, writer and consultant specialising in green living. She's GMTV's eco expert and presented BBC Three's Outrageous Wasters
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