Here at Yogamatters, we know how important people and planet are to our customers – and that naturally includes a keen interest in sustainable fabrics and sustainable yoga wear. After all, a key part of any yoga practice and lifestyle is ahimsa: compassion for all living things. That includes caring for our wonderful world and for all those hard-working, talented individuals around the globe who make the stylish, practical active wear that we so enjoy wearing.
The good news is that there are some fantastic sustainable yoga brands out there committed to their ethical credentials, producing responsible yoga wear that not only looks good and feels good but is made from sustainable fabrics. Yogamatters is proud to partner with many of these companies to bring a wide range of eco-friendly clothing in inclusive sizes to our customers.
Here in the Yogamatters Guide to Sustainable Fabrics and Certifications, we’ll introduce you to these sustainable fabrics, setting our their qualities and benefits for the individual and for the planet. We also thought it would be useful to provide you with a guide to the certifications that accompany these garments, so that you can make the right choice for you.
The guide to sustainable fabrics
Clothing made from sustainable textiles continues to grow in popularity because of the growing awareness and moral consciousness that many people feel around the fact that the textile industry is one of the biggest polluters in the world, with most harmful effect on people and planet, as most of the production is done in the developing world.
A number of fashion design and active wear companies are feeling the impetus to shift their unsustainable ways to work with more sustainable materials, such as those listed below.
BAMBOO
Bamboo grows faster than hardwood trees (with reported growth rates of a metre in 24 hours!) and absorbs more carbon dioxide, making it a far more sustainable and environmentally low-impact alternative to other more conventional materials out there.
Natural bamboo fabric is particularly good for sensitive skin too. This fabric is naturally anti-bacterial and breathable with great moisture-wicking properties. These factors make bamboo fabric the ideal choice for activewear. It’s great for yoga wear too, as it has a super soft feel and moulds to the body with excellent stretch capabilities.
Asquith, are an activewear brand that uses sustainably sourced bamboo fabric throughout their range of high-performance yoga clothing. We particularly love Asquith’s open back tees, as the free-flowing fabric is both breathable and comfortable, yet the qualities of bamboo mean they do not fade, bobble or stretch. Take a look at Asquith’s full collection of bamboo activewear for women online at Yogamatters.
HEMP
Hemp is one of the fastest-growing plants and was one of the first plants to be spun into usable fibre ten thousand years ago. Although industrial hemp derives from Cannabis sativa, the same species as in cannabis the drug, there’s no cause for concern. Governments regulate the concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and permit only hemp that is bred with an especially low THC content for use in sustainable fabric.
Hemp doesn’t require chemical fertilisers or pesticides to grow and is, therefore, a safer and healthier alternative for farmers and for the land. Fabrics made from hemp are extremely durable, lightweight and breathable. They’re wrinkle-resistant and gorgeously soft too.
Hemp, as a fabric for activewear, has countless benefits as it is one of the strongest and most durable textile fibres mimicking the same properties as traditional linen. Hemp moves and flows synchronously with the body, helping you to move freely within your yoga practice without feeling constricted. One of the leading womenswear brands we stock at Yogamatters, Thought, use hemp fabrics as their main fabric to create sustainable casual clothing for women.
Take a look at Thought’s range of hemp womenswear online at Yogamatters.
ORGANIC COTTON
Organic cotton is a delicately soft, breathable and durable fabric that works to retain shape, regardless of wear – meaning you’ll likely favour organic cotton garments over traditional cotton for years to come. As cotton is a natural fibre harvested from the cotton plant (Gossypium) the extraction process typically uses harmful chemical fertilisers and pesticides to keep overheads low. Organic cotton is a delicately soft, breathable and durable fabric that works to retain shape, regardless of wear – meaning you’ll likely favour organic cotton garments over traditional cotton for years to come. As cotton is a natural fibre harvested from the cotton plant (Gossypium) the extraction process typically uses harmful chemical fertilisers and pesticides to keep overheads low.
Why choose organic cotton over traditional cotton?
By choosing to purchase organic cotton over regular cotton, not only are you helping to support a healthy working environment for farmers, but you’re also contributing to the biodiversity of the land, as organic cotton completely eliminates the use of harmful chemicals in the extraction process. As this is a considerable trait of organic cotton, whenever you purchase organic cotton, you’re likely investing in brands that are committed to making a more responsible future.
Gossypium, are a leading example of a brand committed to creating a more eco-friendly future for womenswear. Pioneering the use of fairtrade and organic cotton in the UK since 1998, this sustainable activewear brand supplies Yogamatters with women’s yoga clothing made from natural materials such as organic cotton, which are each skillfully blended with Lycra to provide stretch and breathability. Take a look at Gossypiums range of organic cotton womenswear online.
RECYCLED POLYESTER
Recycled polyester uses PET as the raw material, which is the same material that is used in clear plastic water bottles. Repurposing this plastic to create a fabric ultimately minimises the number of plastic bottles going to landfill and increasing the average lifespan of that particular plastic, as it will likely become a durable garment that will offer a customer years of wear.
Transforming plastic waste into polyester fibres allows brands to produce midweight, warm clothing that is championed for its cosiness, warmth and comfort. Patagonia, are a brand that regularly works to prevent plastic bottles going to landfill and a lot of their most-popular garments are made from repurposed PET. Take a look at our collection of Patagonia activewear for men and women online and browse through some of their latest PET arrivals. We particularly love the Patagonia Centered Tights, as these performance-forward tights made from recycled polyester offer a compressed fit, perfect for drying out quickly in high-intensity workouts.
MODAL
Modal, is another plant-based textile to keep firmly on your radar. Made from spinning reconstituted cellulose that often comes from tree pulp, modal is both breathable and silky smooth and as it is tightly woven, makes an excellent sustainable fabric for yoga clothing and activewear. Built with around 50% more water absorbency than traditional cotton, modal works to keep you cool, dry and comfortable – particularly impressive if your favourite practice is hot yoga.
Looking for flexible hot yoga activewear made from modal to keep you cool and dry? We love the Boxy V-Neck Ribbed Pullover from Manduka which contains Modal.
WOOL
Wool is a wonderfully sustainable fabric as it is rapidly renewable, biodegradable, recyclable and can be produced organically. The Yogamatters yoga clothing range includes Merino wool and recycled wool. Merinos are regarded as having some of the finest and softest wool of any sheep breed. There are wool traceability standards and certifications to ensure the highest standard of animal welfare and our range complies with these standards, so customers have peace of mind that the Merino wool used throughout our yoga activewear is 100% ethically obtained.
Other interesting sustainability facts that are good to know:
-
- Azo dyes are usually used as vivid colouring agents, but such dyes and pigments can be harmful and are not biodegradable. That’s why choosing non Azo dyes is better for your skin and for the environment.
- Bambor® is Asquith’s own trademarked performance fabric: a blend of organic cotton, bamboo and a tiny amount of Elastane.
- Biodegradable products are capable of being decomposed by living matter, so they don’t hang around in landfills for extended periods of time.
- Microfibre refers to synthetic fibres that measure less than one denier. Plastic fibres from synthetic textiles are released during washing and the persistence of these fibres in aquatic ecosystems is an area of major concern.
- Polygiene permanent odour control is Patagonia’s natural choice when it comes to odour control. Polygiene uses low concentrations of silver chloride to prevent the growth of odour-causing bacteria at the source.
- Spandex, Lycra or elastane are essentially the same synthetic fibre known for their exceptional elasticity. Often used in fabric blends in fitness clothing to provide a four-way stretch, to maintain shape and to reduce pilling.
The Yogamatters guide to sustainable certifications
The bluesign® system is the solution for a sustainable textile production. Customers can buy clothing with Bluesign certification, confident in the knowledge that no harmful substances have been used in the manufacturing process. Bluesign sets and controls standards for an environmentally friendly and safe production.
This certification guarantees a model of sustainable, ethical trade that puts people and planet first, from production to purchase. It supports the people behind the product by ensuring safe working conditions and a fair working wage.
Fair Wear Foundation is a non-profit organisation that works with brands, factories, trade unions, NGOs and sometimes governments to verify and improve workplace conditions in 11 production countries in Asia, Europe and Africa.
GLOBAL ORGANIC TEXTILE STANDARD (GOTS)
GOTS is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibres, including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain.
GLOBAL RECYCLE STANDARD (GRS)
GRS aims to substantiate the recycled content in a product. In addition to monitoring the recycled content that goes into a finished product, the standard also addresses issues pertaining to environmental and social criteria.
ORGANIC CONTENT STANDARD (OCS)
This textile certification from ECOCERT aims to guarantee the traceability and integrity of the raw materials during all the manufacturing stages.
An international testing and certification system for textiles, limiting the use of certain chemicals that may be considered harmful for people and planet.
Products carrying the Woolmark logo are subject to The Woolmark Company’s high-quality standards, which are backed up by rigorous Woolmark test methods.
Sustainable fabrics at Yogamatters.
Here at Yogamatters, we recognise the importance of shopping responsibly and our brand ethics and values ensure that we provide our yoga enthusiasts with the very best eco-friendly offerings from sustainable suppliers. Investing in responsible yoga clothing, accessories and yoga props will not only improve the quality and longevity of your products but will also help protect our planet for future generations to follow. Most of our responsible products work with recycled plastics to eliminate the impact on landfill and are produced with less of an impact on the environment, so you can make easy, conscious product decisions with both people and the planet in mind. Take a look at our whole collection of sustainable yoga wear and accessories online at Yogamatters.