Next Friday, April 22nd, is Earth Day, but since it's also Bettie Page's birthday, we'll be celebrating Pin-up Week
instead. However, there's been a lot of interest in eco-friendly and
ethically-produced lingerie lately, and I wanted to make sure we talked
about it on the blog. So I asked Josh Verleun, environmental lawyer and
co-founder of Between the Sheets to share his expertise with us here. He and Layla are also appearing on Sundance channel's "All on the Line" tomorrow night so be sure to check them out!
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They say “green” is the new black. The world is changing and more and
more companies are introducing “eco-friendly” products into their
lineups. Although the thought of environmentally friendly apparel may
evoke nightmares of scratchy hemp and drab colors, this perception
couldn’t be further from the truth. Thankfully some of the softest most
comfortable, luxurious fabrics are eco-friendly, and many eco-lines have
a vibrant color palate.
With so many companies jumping on the green bandwagon and throwing
around terms like “sustainable”, “eco-friendly”, and “green” in a
seemingly interchangeable manner it can be almost impossible to sort out
what it all means. The fashion and lingerie worlds are no different
with new eco-lines introduced every season.
With so many terms floating out there I think it is important to start
the conversation about “eco-fashion” from a baseline understanding of
what these terms mean. It’s also true that no matter how “green” a new
line may be, there are always tradeoffs and environmental costs of some
sort. For example a line of “eco” undies could be made from organic
cotton or modal, but use spandex or other non-sustainable stretch fibers
in their fabric. Even though spandex may not make you think of saving
the planet, using a fabric with high spandex content makes the garment
last longer and wear better, keeping it in your drawer and out of the
garbage.
Apparel companies who set out to create eco-friendly lines must make
countless numbers of these types of decisions and have to decide where
their fabrics, trims, and other materials are sourced, as well as where
the line is manufactured. This makes it very important for companies to
be transparent with their customers about these decisions.
What does “green” mean?
It can be a challenge to sort out what each “green” term means, and
figure out which terms have real meaning and are more than just
marketing buzzwords. For example “Certified Organic” products are
regulated by the US Department of Agriculture and must follow certain
standards, Fair Trade Certified apparel (which recently was introduced
to the US) is certified by several affiliated not-for-profit
organizations around the world and works to guarantee fair wages and
labor conditions. On the other hand products that call themselves
“green” or “sustainable” are using vague and poorly defined terms that
could mean a whole range of things.
Even if a garment is made of organic or another eco-material it doesn’t
necessarily mean that it is environmentally friendly. This is why
transparency from a company is so important. For example—a shirt could
be made of organic cotton, but be dyed in a polluting dye-house in China
, or could be sewn in a factory that does not pay a living wage. This
same organic cotton could come from China, be cut in Mexico, and sewn,
in India—adding up to a large carbon footprint.
How to tell “real green” from “greenish”
Even though many lines call themselves green because they use “sustainable” materials, not all “green” is created equal.
Bamboo: Fabrics made of bamboo have been touted as natural,
green, and environmentally friendly, but are produced using a
non-natural chemical process that leads to air and water pollution. The
bamboo plants are broken down to be spun into fibers using acetate (not
so different from nail polish remover). These deceptive eco-claims led
the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to crack down on companies who were
“Bamboozaling” consumers by falsely marketing their clothing made of
bamboo fabrics using terms such as natural, and environmentally
friendly-when the fabric was in fact Rayon.
Cotton: Other fibers used in fabrics can be more environmentally
friendly—although there are still eco-pluses and minuses. Cotton is
considered the world's 'dirtiest' crop-even though it covers 2.5% of the
world's cultivated land traditional cotton production uses 16% of the
world's insecticides, more than any other single major crop. Organic
cotton is grown in a manner that doesn’t use harmful pesticides, thus
sharply reducing the environmental impact. Despite these huge
reductions in impact, like all cotton, organic cotton uses an enormous
amount of water to grow, which in and of itself is an environmental
impact.
Modal: Another eco-friendly fiber is modal. Made from
sustainably harvested beech trees-the wood is broken down using
chemicals in a “closed-loop” process that reuses much of the chemicals.
The fibers are then spun and knit into fabric. Although similar, this
process is far more environmentally friendly than the process that turns
bamboo into fiber as the chemicals are reused and not discarded.
Polyester: It may surprise you, but Polyester is now emerging as
an “eco friendly” fabric. With advancements in production and
recyclability, polyester’s environmental star is on the rise, even
though it is made from a non-renewable resource.
Environmentally friendly and affordable:
Even though the desire is often there to buy products and support
companies who help protect the planet, cost can sometimes get in the
way. As more and more companies introduce environmentally friendly
lines the price points for these offerings has started to broaden from
basic to contemporary to luxury. Although you don’t often find
eco-friendly lingerie at bargain basements prices there are lines that
hit price points from $15-20 for bottoms and $30-$50 for bras. At most
price points the added benefit is often that the lines are produced in
the US, supporting our local economy and keeping jobs from vanishing
overseas.
It’s Easy to Go Green:
With so many companies offering “green” or “eco-friendly” intimates and
other fashion, going green is not so hard or expensive. All that it
takes is a little time to become an educated consumer on the things to
look for and a dedication to buy from companies who are transparent and
market “eco friendly” products real information and not just vague
ill-defined buzzwords.
Bio: Josh Verleun lives and works in New York City as an
environmental lawyer and business advisor. He currently holds the
position of Staff Attorney at Riverkeeper, a not for profit tasked
with protecting the waters of New York and serving as a global model
for watershed stewardship and protection.
