Eco-Friendly Fabrics

CEBU, Philippines - When talking about the ins and outs of the eco-conscientious fashion scene, organic cotton is often pegged as the eco-fashion industry's linchpin materiel - a status that's seconded by the popular use of organic hemp-based cloths.

Produced without the use of genetically modified plants or crops, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and chemical-riddled dyes, it's not difficult to see why most eco-fashion brands opt for the use of organic cotton and hemp - given that they are among the easiest of eco-friendly fabrics to source; owing to a demand that's proportionally as stable as that of their non-organically produced counterparts.

But just because the organic cotton and hemp are the dominant fabrics used by eco-conscientious brands doesn't mean that they are the only eco-friendly fabrics there are.

Following are quick takes on three of the eco-fashion industry's "underdog materials" - fabrics that deserve the same amount of attention that's given to organic cotton and hemp. (FREEMAN)

Organic bamboo-derived fabrics

Though not as popular as fabrics derived from organic hemp, bamboo-derived cloths do exist - typically used in the making cold-weather clothes like sweaters, jerseys and jackets.

Characterized as highly absorbent fabrics that have effective insulating properties, bamboo-based cloths are also used to make socks and certain types of bed and table linen, with blended variants used to make t-shirts and shorts.

Yarn from organic soy beans

Believe it or not, but strands of yarn can be made from soy beans, which, in turn, can be used to craft a wide range of knits and knitwear.

From knitted baby caps to knitted sweaters, the application of soy bean-derived yarn is not all that different from cotton-based yarn - though there are industry experts who note that soy bean knitwear is not as durable as those that are made using cotton yarn fibers.

Still, as an alternative to non-organic cotton-based knits, organic soy bean knitwear is gaining a solid following among the advocates of the eco-friendly fashion items, and is even perceived as a premium-item class in certain circles and cliques.

Fabrics from recycled plastic bottles

Certain types of polyester fibers can be produced from a type of plastic known as polyethylene terephthalate - commonly referred to as PET or PETE plastics. PET plastics are typically used as containers for beverages, bottled water, cooking oil and the like.

As raw materials, the fibers and fabrics produced from PET plastics can be used for all sorts of items; from carpets to sleeping bags, backpacks to hats.

When blended with cotton fibers, recycled PET plastic fibers can be used to make comfortable t-shirts too, and advocating fast-fashion brands that works with recycled plastic fabrics helps lessen the volume of plastics sent to landfills - apart from lessening the need to produce petroleum-based virgin plastics. (FREEMAN)