What are sustainable textiles?
Sustainable textiles are generally understood to be those produced with consideration for their ecological footprint. This means fabrics made from renewable raw materials or recycled materials. The place of manufacture also plays an important role, as locally produced clothing has a lower CO2 footprint due to shorter transport routes. Additionally, working conditions during production must be considered, as well as whether pesticides, bleaches, and other toxic chemicals were used.
What is the difference between eco-fashion and fair fashion?
This often leads to a misunderstanding. A sweater made from organic wool, which was produced without the use of pesticides and genetic engineering, may not necessarily have been made under fair conditions and may also have a poor CO2 balance due to a long transport route.
Fair fashion places great importance on improved working conditions in production, such as adherence to maximum working hours and the prohibition of child labor.
Therefore, it can only truly be said that fashion is sustainably produced if, ideally, both aspects are ensured or at least the positive aspects outweigh the negative ones.
Where can I find sustainable fashion?
Instead of indulging in extensive shopping sprees, we advise you to shop mindfully and first inform yourself online about how much value a fashion company places on quality, durability, and sustainability.
Next, you should consider which materials are suitable for you. Not all sustainable textiles are right for everyone. The trend of using recycled plastic and thus reusing existing plastics is certainly very ecologically sensible and simply important in many areas. However, we urgently need to ask ourselves whether we really want to expose our sensitive skin to petroleum-based plastic daily. At Princess Goes Hollywood, we therefore clearly rely on natural fabrics, either pure or, for the sake of longevity, as a blend here and there. For us, durable quality and natural materials are top priorities.
The most popular sustainable and natural textiles
There are many reasons to prefer clothing made from natural materials. The sole advantage of these being naturally renewable raw materials automatically makes natural textiles more sustainable compared to synthetically produced fabrics. But the material properties themselves are also clearly superior: Textiles made from animal fibers, such as cuddly soft cashmere wool, warm our bodies in winter and even have such strong temperature-balancing properties that they can also be worn in summer. Air circulation is ensured, unlike with a plastic sweater. Sweaters made from virgin wool or garments made from silk also provide optimal wearing comfort and, due to their balancing properties, prevent unpleasant odors or skin irritations.
Those who live vegan or generally prefer plant-based fibers are well-advised to choose clothing made from cotton, hemp, and linen, which not only offers a high feel-good factor due to its temperature and moisture-regulating properties. Linen also has a cooling effect and is completely lint-free. Cotton is light in weight and highly absorbent. And did you know that hemp fabric absorbs up to 90% of UV radiation?
However, we should not make the mistake of completely removing chemical fibers, such as elastane, from our shopping list. If these are added to natural fibers, preferably in small proportions and from recycled plastic, they ensure longer durability and shape retention. This, in turn, is also an important aspect of sustainability.
Our tip for you: if you want to wear the garments directly on your skin, we recommend opting for high-quality cashmere wool. It is guaranteed scratch-free and provides an enormous feel-good factor, regardless of the season!
