Organic Plant Fabrics

It's a great sign that we, as producers and consumers, are more aware of the environmental impacts we have when we purchase our clothes, shoes, and accessories. Recently, a renewed wave of fabric fibers has been developed from plants other than cotton, hemp, and bamboo that can benefit our ecosystem.

1.  FLAX/LINEN

This stalky and fibrous plant can be grown with far less water and fewer pesticides than cotton and produced at a lower price.  While cotton is cultivated on 12.6 million US acres, flax is at just 2 million acres in North America.  Its fiber can be transformed into materials that look and feel similar to cotton.  

One version of flax fabric is Crailar flax.  This Vancouver B.C. based plant is focusing on developing 100% BioPreferred products to dramatically reduce chemical and water usage in fabric weaving and manufacturing.

2.  JUTE

Jute comes from Corchorus olitorius, and it's a shrub with yellow flowers that grows in Asia. It's mainly been used as a cotton replacement and uses less water for processing. However, they have a silky luster, are not particularly strong, and tend to deteriorate when exposed to excess moisture. It's been used to weave twine, carpets, curtains, and coarse cloth.

3.  AGAVE FIBERS

These plants are stemless perennials with fleshy leaves.  The leaves contain fibers that are removed and spun into fibers for weaving.  They are very drought tolerant.  

4.  TAPA CLOTH

This cloth is obtained from the bark of mulberry trees, extracted, and pounded into rough substitutes for material in Polynesia and parts of Eastern Asia. Strips of bark are peeled from the trunk, and the outer coating is pounded with a mallet. The finished product varies according to the thickness, from muslin to leather-like material.

Written by Amy Leu for TAAS

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