Low-quality, fast-fashion garments often degrade quickly, leading to premature disposal. In contrast, durable materials can reduce the frequency with which clothes are discarded.

Before the last few decades most clothes were made from natural materials, but today most of our clothes create excess pollution and waste from chemical and plastic waste. Fortunately you have the opportunity to protect the earth with your wallet.

Recycled Polyester and Nylon

Companies are taking discarded polyester and nylon garments, plastic bottles, and fishing nets and transforming them into high-quality fabrics. Green natural fiber, green regenerated fiber ecological organic cotton, bamboo fiber, color natural silk, soybean fiber, milk fiber, corn fiber, and recycled fiber are the key sources of environmental garments.

Patagonia, Stella McCartney, and Adidas have led the way in utilizing recycled polyester in their products, such as jackets, t-shirts, and sneakers.

LEZÉ the Label turns old fishing gear into clothes. As their site states, “640,000 tons of fishing gear are abandoned in our ocean annually. For every 100 tons of nylon that we regenerate, we save 700 barrels of crude oil, avoid 571 tons of CO2 emission and reduce global warming impact by up to 80% compared to virgin nylon.”

Recycled Cotton

Traditional cotton farming uses significant amounts of water, pesticides, and land, leading to environmental concerns. Recycled cotton is produced from post-consumer waste such as old clothing or fabric scraps, offering a more sustainable alternative. This process involves shredding old garments and re- spinning the fibers into new yarn, reducing the need for fresh cotton production.

Levi's “Cottonized Hemp” collection incorporates recycled cotton to reduce water usage in production, while Re/Done works with vintage denim to create new, sustainable designs

Plant-Based and Biodegradable Materials

Tencel (Lyocell)

Made from sustainably sourced wood pulp (often from eucalyptus, beech, or spruce), Tencel is a type of lyocell, a biodegradable and compostable fabric. It’s moisture-wicking, durable, low-maintenance, and naturally inhibits the growth of bacteria

The production process is closed-loop, meaning that the chemicals used to break down the wood pulp are recycled, minimizing waste and pollution. Tencel Lyocell is made from Forest Stewardship Council Certified sustainable trees.

Companies like Allbirds and Stella McCartney have incorporated Tencel into their collections for its softness, durability, and eco-friendly production process. Toad & Co has light and fun clothing for him and her.

Hemp

Hemp is one of the oldest textiles used by humans, and in recent years, it has seen a resurgence due to its environmental benefits. Hemp requires little water, no pesticides, and grows quickly in most climates, making it a sustainable choice. Additionally, hemp fibers are strong, durable, and biodegradable, offering a natural alternative to synthetic fabrics.

Brands like Patagonia and Levi’s have integrated hemp into their lines, producing everything from jackets to jeans.

Piñatex

Made from the fibers of pineapple leaves, Piñatex is a sustainable alternative to leather. It is biodegradable and provides an eco-friendly solution for those seeking cruelty-free fashion options.

The production of Piñatex helps reduce waste by repurposing agricultural residues that would otherwise be discarded.

Companies such as Adidas, H&M, and Nanushka have embraced Piñatex to create shoes, bags, and accessories.

Cork Fabric

Made from the bark of cork oak trees, cork fabric is a sustainable alternative to leather. The harvesting of cork does not harm the tree, allowing it to continue growing and absorbing CO2. Cork fabric is biodegradable, lightweight, durable, and water-resistant, making it ideal for accessories, bags, and footwear.

Matt & Nat and Corkorare using cork in their product designs, offering sustainable fashion alternatives.

Sallie Tomato sells beautiful cork textiles if you make your own clothes.

Mycelium Leather (Mushroom Leather)

Mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms, is being used to create mushroom leather—a biodegradable and cruelty-free alternative to traditional leather.

Mycelium is cultivated in a controlled environment, and the process requires fewer resources than animal leather production, making it an environmentally friendly alternative.

Bolt Threads and MycoWorks have developed Reishi leather and other mushroom-based materials for use in fashion, including accessories, footwear, and apparel.

Algae Leather

Algae leather is made from seaweed, a renewable and fast-growing resource. Companies are exploring ways to process algae into a leather-like material that is biodegradable and free from the harmful chemicals often associated with traditional leather production.

Algae-based products are lightweight and can be used in footwear, bags, and outerwear.

Cameron, Finnegan, & Walsh and AlgiKnit are developing algae-based textiles for fashion applications.

Apple Leather

Made from the waste of the apple juice industry, apple leather is a novel eco-friendly material. It uses leftover fibers from apple processing (e.g., skins and cores) and turns them into a durable and biodegradable fabric.

The story of Apple leather started in 2004. Alberto Volcan, an inventor from Italy, was looking for ways to use leftover apple waste from the fruit juice and compote industry in Northern Italy. One of the first projects developed was a vegetable glue, which in itself wasn’t successful. Alberto didn’t give up though, and instead reworked the glue to be placed through a pasta machine. The sheet of fabric created became the basis of apple leather.

Apple leather has been touted as a sustainable alternative to both synthetic and animal-based leathers.

Stella McCartney has explored using apple leather for accessories and fashion items in her collections.

Bio-Fabricated Materials

Cellulose-Based Fabrics

Some companies are developing new fabrics from cellulose, a natural polymer found in plant cell walls. For example, Spinnova is working on a sustainable fabric made entirely from wood pulp, without the need for harmful chemicals. These cellulose-based fabrics can be biodegradable and are produced with minimal water and energy consumption.

Spinnova and Patagonia are exploring cellulose-based textiles for their eco-friendly properties.

Silk from Bacteria (Bio-Silk)

The production of silk traditionally relies on the use of silkworms, which are often killed in the process. Bio-silk, however, is produced by genetically engineered bacteria that produce proteins similar to those found in natural silk. This sustainable approach to silk production eliminates the need for silkworms and reduces environmental impact.

Bolt Threads is one of the companies leading the charge in creating bio-silk materials for the fashion industry.

I love the values and style at Flora Animalia -

“At Flora Animalia, ethically designed and produced garments are both a purpose and a passion. People can wear our clothes with complete confidence that our fabrics and other materials are not only comfortable and beautiful, but sourced in a way that is fair to the men and women who produce them, protective of the lives and safety of animals, and beneficial to the delicate balance of our planet’s ecosystem.”

Upcycled and Waste-Derived Materials

Upcycling

Upcycling involves repurposing old clothes, discarded textiles, or waste materials to create new garments. Fashion brands are increasingly focused on upcycling, both to reduce the waste generated by fast fashion and to create unique, one-of-a-kind pieces.

Brands like Re/Done, Patagonia, and Gucci are embracing upcycling, turning old fabrics and garments into new, high-end products.

Ocean Plastics

The accumulation of plastic waste in the oceans is a growing environmental crisis. Companies are now turning plastic waste, especially discarded fishing nets, into yarn for textiles. This innovative material is used in everything from swimwear to outerwear.

Parley for the Oceans partners with Adidas to create products made from ocean plastic waste.

The Top Clothing Alternatives to Plastics