What are the differences between natural and organic fabrics? Lets take a look at both to answer the question.

Natural fibers- The most common natural fiber would have to be cotton, but the list goes on. You also have ramie, linen, wool, silk, and hemp that are all considered natural fibers too. The use of natural fibers for clothing goes back thousands of years. These natural fibers are usually split into three different groups.

1. Vegetable fibers come from plants. Some of the most common are cotton, hemp, and flax (used to make linen).

2. Protein fibers- these are fibers that come from animal hair and wool. Alpaca, cashmere and wool all are part of this group.

3. Silk is a group all in itself. Silk comes from silkworms.

Organic fibers are produced of natural fibers that are grown without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. That means your 100-percent cotton T-shirt may be an entirely natural fabric, but nowhere near organic. The best breakdown I have found of different types of Organic fabrics comes from Annette Stelmack at GreenBuildingAdvisor.com. It is a bit lengthy, but it has good information, so I decided to post in its entirety (photos added).

Because its so important to know what you are buying, here are some good things that Ive been able to research and find out about when it comes to sustainable natural fibers for rugs and fabrics.

Organic Cotton produces strong fibers due to the fact that it hasnt been chemically processed. Organic Cotton avoids that by not using any chemical fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, and pesticides. Using sustainable agricultural methods, farmers have been able to reduce, and at times eliminate, annoying pests from the cotton. These are in essence more safe because they reduce the damage to the environment, healthy risks, and damaged soil.

On the flip side, manufacturing organic cotton requires large amounts of water; when possible, look for crops from fields that receive sufficient rainfall to irrigate the crops. Biologist Sally Fox developed colored organic cotton with fibers long enough to be spun into thread. It grows naturally in shades of green, brown, and natural, with the added benefit of being fade resistant. Organic cotton is rapidly renewable, minimally processed, absorbent, reusable, recyclable, and, ultimately, biodegradable.

Organic wool is a very strong and naturally gorgeous fiber that isnt restrained very much. It is also has a very long life span and is very durable. Some do complain about the high levels of carbon dioxide that is emitted by sheep. This is recorded as being very bad for the environment. And much like other organic products, the use of large amounts of water is always a problem. It can produce high amounts of water waste that is polluted.

You do want to look for a couple of specific things too when you are out buying. Make sure that the wool you buy is unbleached or, there are also great options now to have things bleached with great ozone-based products. Also check the dying process and make sure that it is dyed with an environment friendly way. This wool is amazing because of how it is stain resistant, recyclable, biodegradable, and even fire retardant.

The world is a blaze with talk about going green, so I wanted to see how all this eco-friendly talk could impact the fashion industry. Well, I found that there is quite a bit to talk about, so I’m going to divide my thoughts into a few articles to cover everything.

Going green or being eco-friendly are terms that relate to products and/ or lifestyles that are environmentally friendly. This can mean consuming less natural resources, using sustainable resources, using organic products, recycling, creating less waste, and much more. The more septs in the production process that are eco-friendly, the greener the end product.

In fashion, the most effective way to be eco-friendly is to simply buy less clothing, shoes, and accessories. The next most effective is to purchase used items from garage sales or thrift stores, reducing the amount of new products that need to be manufactured, keeping goods from ending up in landfills, and often making a charitable contribution at the same time. Another good option is to Freecycle which is a great way to get (and give!) free stuff locally. With the average American throwing out 68 pounds of clothing and textiles a year, it is easy to see how these options can make a huge difference.

Sure, these are great options, but most people like me love to shop, love shoes, clothes and purses. There is something about the thrill of the hunt and finally getting the perfect item for the perfect price. For people like me, there is still some hope, so do not fear! Team Treehugger gives us the following words of advice for building an eco-friendly wardrobe.

Shop with a plan. When you bring an article of clothing into your life, its kind of like adopting a dog or cat. That cute little number has to have a place in your wardrobe, and youre agreeing to provide for and give it the longest possible life with you. Abandoning the impulse buy may sound boring, but how exciting is a closet full of stuff that doesnt work? In the long run, knowing what youre looking for before you shop will save time and eliminate clutter. Youll get more use out of a piece that looks and feels great: What colors work for you? What fits work the best? How will the piece get along with everything else in the closet? If the answer to Will I still want to wear this rhinestone-studded bustier in two years? or Can I eventually find a way to use it in a craft project? is no, skip it.

Love your duds! No matter what you’ve chosen to buy, treat them right. Have a comfortable leisure outfit you can change into when you get home from work. Don’t lounge around the couch, cook or check the tire pressure in your nice work clothes. You’ll be amazed at how long they will last if you take care of them. Learn how to sew a button on a jacket or how to coax a kind friend to do it for you. Have a local seamstress help out with major repairs or alterations.

Dry cleaning is not eco-friendly. The industry is getting better, but the little shop down the street uses perc (tetrachloroethylene), a know carcinogen. These are really harmful the the environment. Although your article of clothing may ask for dry cleaning, often it can be hand washed, especially sik, wool and linen. If not, see if a local green cleaner uses wet cleaning or liquid CO2 techniques.

Buy vintage or used. People unload clothes for all types of reasons, and you know that adage about trash and treasure. From Oscar-worthy vintage dresses to Freecycled denim, you can likely find the piece youre looking for second hand. Youll be giving a cast-off garment a second life, and possibly supporting charitable work in the process.

Wash well. Washing wreaks the most havoc of all. It requires lots of water and energy, so only do it when you absolutely need to and have a full laundry load. Turn articles inside out and use the lowest temp possible. If you know you glowed all over a piece, make a thin salt paste and soak the affected fabric for a half hour before washing. Choose phosphate-free and biodegradable detergents and line dry as much as possible. Treat stains quickly with nontoxic removers. If youre buying a new washing machine, look for one with an Energy Star label.

Wear organic when possible. Though cotton is marketed as clean, fresh, and natural, conventional varieties are anything but. It takes a third of a pound of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to produce the cotton for one T-shirt! That means lots of direct, unhealthy exposure for farmers and nearby wildlife, and heaps of unnecessary pollution. Ick. Luckily, organic cotton is becoming easier and easier to find. As mega-stores get into the game, however, its important to stay vigilant about what organic means, so you know youre really getting clean clothes. Also know that though the cotton may have been organic to start with, your T may be full of processing chemicals and metal-laden dyes.