"Green" is the new black in fashion
Liz Poland
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With everything these days "going green" it isn't surprising that eco-friendly clothing is gaining popularity.
"If you want to eat organic, you might as well wear organic," said Mitch Rosenfield, owner of "Hempest" on Newbury Street, the No.1 supplier of "eco-friendly" clothing in Boston. The store, which has locations and Boston, Vermont and Santa Barbara, has been in operation for 13 years.
Rosenfield said he and his partner John Napoli have been scouring the planet in search of eco-friendly lines that are responsibly made with no sweatshop labor. "We primarily carry hemp, but we also carry organic cotton and bamboo which are all sustainable products," Rosenfield said.
Eco-fashions are defined by the International Standards Organization (ISO), as "identifying the general performance of a product based on its whole life-cycle in order to contribute to improvements in environmental measures and to support sustainable consumption patterns."
 Media Credit: Liz Poland Owner Mitch Rosenfield |
The ecological benefits of growing a sustainable fiber like hemp are infinite, Rosenfield said. "It doesn't require any of the pesticides, chemicals, irrigation and other inputs that something like a cotton crop does - which incidentally over half of the pesticides used in this country go onto cotton fields, so hemp provides a really great alternative to that," he said.
The ecological impact of the textile industry is a large pollution footprint. Manufacturing polyester and other synthetic fabrics requires large amounts of crude oil and releases emissions which can cause or aggravate respiratory disease, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. According to figures from the Technical Textile Markets, demand for man-made fibers, especially polyester, has nearly doubled in the last 15 years.
 Media Credit: Liz Poland 100% sustainable hemp shirt. |
Non man-made fabrics, such as cotton, account for 50 percent of all pesticides used in the United States and the United States is the largest exporter of cotton in the world, the United States Drug Administraion reports.
But wearing eco-fashions is similar to stocking the fridge with organic food-- good but it's bit more expensive.
"It's a decision, so for the extra couple bucks, the earth benefits from your choice to wear organic and eco-friendly clothing. Your clothes are going to last longer, and your mind can rest because you know you have done your part to reduce your environmental impact," said Roesenfield.
Jane Brinkly, a regular customer at the Hempest agreed. "Shopping here is a lifestyle choice, it's not a trend. I figure the more earth conscious I am each step of the way, the more I contribute to lessening some of our ecological problems. Buying the clothes is just another small decision that may have an important impact," she said.
Although going green isn't a trend for Brinkly, some of the trendier stores on Newbury are latching on to organic, eco-friendly duds. The growing popularity of organic clothing drove Jane Schlueter, the manager of Dress, a boutique on Newbury Street, to look into carrying a line of eco-friendly styles for her customers. She carries a line of eco-friendly jeans that are for the most refined fashionistas, she said.
 Media Credit: Liz Poland Inside Dress on Newbury |
"The line appeals to many people and has a strong following because of the fact that it made from organic fabric, and they have the added bonus of great fit and style," she said.
The jeans called, "LoFli," are eco-friendly and use 100% natural dyes and cotton.
 Media Credit: Liz Poland Jeans made from all natural dyes and cotton at Dress |
"The use of sustainable products coupled with increasing consumer awareness is revolutionizing the garment industry," Rosenfield said. "Organic food is definitely not a trend, it's here to stay and I think clothing is going the same route. Consumer awareness about the impact of the industry may be the best hope for sustainability in the fashion industry yet," he said.