Cotton, Linen, Hemp, and You
Have you ever thought about which material is the best option for your sustainable lifestyle goals? Some of the best options are cotton, linen, and hemp but which one is the best option for you?
Cotton
Cotton is one of the most commonly used materials to make clothing. It is light, it is breathable but is it sustainable? Normal practices to grow cotton use a lot of chemicals such as pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and genetically modified seeds to grow it as well as a lot of water. In order to ensure the clothing you are purchasing is as sustainable as possible from a material stand point look for organic cotton.
Organic cotton is grown without all the harmful chemicals that affect the soil and the workers who farm the cotton. Also look out for clothing that may have harmful chemical dyes used to color the cotton. Look for the Global Organic Textile Standard, or GOTS certified symbol, to be sure that the clothing or bedding you are purchasing has been vetted through all stages of production as organic.
Even with the cotton being GOTS certified, growing cotton still takes a large amount of water to grow. The most sustainable cotton is recycled cotton which does not add to the amount of energy used and water waste to grow or produce.
Linen
Linen is another natural fiber that is a favorite for hot summer days because of its light, airy composition and it keeps the body cool by not retaining any heat. It is made using the flax plant and may have many similarities to cotton. It can be more sustainable by the organic farming of flax without any harmful chemicals. The difference starts with the flax plant needing very little water to grow and every part of the plant is used in production to make linen. Organic linen can also be biodegradable when it is untreated with chemical dyes.
Hemp
Hemp is a plant that has been used for centuries in healing and has many uses today from clothing to the beauty industry. It is found in skincare, makeup, supplements and is a natural fiber used in the textile industry. Organic Hemp is similar to Linen in that it needs very little water to grow a crop. A key difference is that it is a fast growing crop that naturally fertilizes the soil which expands the life of soil for future crops. It can be used both in cold winter months and warm summer days. Without the use of chemical dyes in production, Hemp is a beautiful natural resource that has many uses for everyday life.
These are the natural fiber options for sustainable shopping that are the best options with Hemp being the best option out of the three. The organic farming of these plants to produce clothing, bedding, and more is free of harmful chemicals that runoff into the water harming not only the workers but the surrounding communities. It damages soil so that its lifespan is shortened and chemical dyes used in production can be harmful as well. Cotton, Linen and Hemp are biodegradable materials that will return to the earth after they have given you a sustainable alternative.
