Thoughts on Sustainability Earth Day

Happy Earth Day friends! When I started this little business of mine 8 years ago I used whatever fabric I found, mostly your standard cotton and polyester blends. I did not use any organic fabrics, because I didn’t know what I didn’t know.

But early on I was working on my first big order and started to question what I was working with. Since I was ironing the same denim fabric over and over I started to notice that my eyes were burning a little from the steam that came off of the fabric, and it had a slight chemical smell. And it got me thinking…what IS in this fabric? That began the longest deep dive Google search of my life. I have learned so much over the last 8 years. I will continue to educate myself, because “the fabric of ours lives” should truly be considered, right?

I’m pleased to say that I only use organic fabrics now, and while that did limit some of my options, it was important to me to do this. Textiles grown from organic crops do not use pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, or GMO’s. When I think about the life span of fabric, the big picture really starts to blow my mind on why this is important. How many touch points are there when creating an article of clothing? How many times will chemicals be introduced to an ecosystem if they are used?

The soil it is grown in, the water used to irrigate the crops, the farmer growing the crops for the fibers, the people working in the fields harvesting the crops, the people taking those crops and weaving them into fibers, the people working in the dye house to dye the fabric, the people sewing the garment, us wearing that garment, then the breakdown stage of that fabric once it is no longer wearable.

It’s a lot. It’s why I care about using organic, biodegradable fabrics, low impact dyes, and recyclable packaging. I am by no means perfect, I do not only own organic clothing or only use eco-friendly products. But I’m doing my best, checking myself on my personal consumerism, and trying to spread knowledge nuggets when I can. I don’t want to preach at you or be self-righteous, this is a journey and everyone’s looks different. Thank you for helping in all the ways you do. Remember that what you do makes a difference, even the smallest changes can have big impacts over time.