4 Eco-Friendly Fabrics You Need to Know: Non-organic linen production processes may surprise you

What you don’t know about most fabrics will probably surprise you. Not only are there chemicals in the foods we eat, they are also found in our upholsteries, blankets, and clothes.

“Green fabric” includes any fabric made from sustainable or organic natural materials. Green fabric is also used to describe both recycled and fabric created using natural products and organic processes.

Organic cotton: Traditional cotton covers 5% of the world’s cultivated land, yet uses it uses 25% of the world’s insecticides and 10% of world pesticides (including probable carcinogens).

Organic cotton is weaved from non-genetically modified plants. It is certified as grown without the use of any synthetic agricultural chemicals, such as fertilizers or pesticides that damage not only the integrity of the cotton but the land and surrounding ecology.

Organic linen (Flax Fiber): Though many use “organic linen” to describe all organically (grown without the use of any synthetic agricultural chemicals such as fertilizers or pesticides) produced linen, true organic linen is created with flax fibers – the oldest crop in the world! Linen is naturally creamy white to light tan in color, pure white is only achieved through bleaching. It is notorious for wrinkling, but linen lovers just accept that as part of its charm. It is a great hot-weather fabric because it absorbs a lot of moisture (e.g. sweat) without feeling damp and dries quickly, which cools the skin.

Flax fiber is extracted from the skin of the stem of the flax plant. Flax fiber is incredibly soft, shiny and flexible (often resembling blonde human hair). Though flax fiber is stronger than cotton fiber, it is less elastic. The best grades are used for linen fabrics such as damasks, lace and sheeting. Coarser grades are often used for the manufacturing of twine and rope.

Organic wool: Traditional methods for producing wool have an adverse impact on the environment and livestock welfare. During the production of non-organic wool, livestock is often subject to synthetic pesticides, non-organic feed, and possibly even synthetic hormones and/or genetic engineering. The livestock could also be subject to substandard health management, and live in substandard conditions.

Organic Wool During the production of organic wool, sheep/livestock are raised and treated in a different way to those which produce non-organic wool. The above treatment and conditions should not be present during the production of organic wool.

Hemp: Because of its biological association with marijuana, hemp is still illegal to grow industrial hemp within the United States. Legislation is being worked on to change this, but as of now, hemp needs to be grown elsewhere in the world (which causes it’s carbon footprint to increase). Hemp products can be manufactured in the US, though, and there are now on the market a wide variety of clothes that use hemp as the green fabric in their manufacture.

Hemp grows easily and is environmentally friendly. Hemp fiber is naturally mildew-resistant, antimicrobial, UV protecting and even fireproof! This makes it an ideal candidate for household pieces that get a lot of use, but isn’t the softest option around.

Creating an Organic Feeling Environment

Organic, Natural, Environmentally friendly, these are all the buzz words we are hearing today. But what can you do to bring the organic look into your home? In the ideal world, a large open area with lots of windows would be a great way to bring in the organic look.

Now some of you may have this and some of you may not, so let’s start with the background color. This can make or break the overall feeling in the environment. Make your color scheme consistent with the colors of nature; beige, brown, white, light blues, light greens, stone, and grays. I recommend picking one of these colors for the paint on your walls. Possibly light beige, a color that might remind you of sand. Now, what to do with the rest of the room?

For a dining room, I recommend light colored or painted white woods. The area to pop the other “nature” colors might be on the seat fabrics. Bringing in light greens and blues mixed with white and browns are ideal to make the room pop. Try a beautiful oil painting of a water scene over a buffet or on an open wall. Keep the window treatments light and airy; possibly not use any at all! Soft linen drapes in a white might be a perfect solution, but do not use this color if it is the same color of your walls because a soft contrast is needed here. Repeat the soft colors used in the room through the dishes, glasses and/or vases. And most importantly, don’t forget the table centerpiece! Some soft greens foliage, a bowl with sea shells or stones, possibly even candles may work perfectly here.

As for the bedroom, I would recommend light colored wood, painted white wood, bamboo, or wheat board for the furniture. The bedding would be the perfect opportunity to bring in the beautiful blues and greens found in nature. Texture can also add to the feeling such as using linen or soft cottons. Wood, bamboo, or tile floors would look great in here with a sisal rug. Wall art should be simple with a skinny frame or even frameless, but don’t forget to make sure there is some color! Keep the lamps light, possibly with a glass base and a white shade without any details. Simple picture frames, greens, or candles would be the perfect finishing touch for the nightstands.

Finally for the living room, always look at the largest piece of furniture you will need. Typically this is the sofa and is a great start to building the atmosphere of your room. A beautiful crisp white sofa will bring a light organic feeling to an environment. Then placing colored pillows in blues, greens, beiges, stone or grays is a great start to bring in the colors of nature. For the coffee, end tables, and entertainment console remember to keep the wood light colored or painted in light colors. Simple accessories that remind you of nature are great for adding to the feeling to the room. How about some large coffee table books with photographs of the ocean, lighthouses, or the outdoors? Simple candles can be placed in a large charger with stones or shells covering the bottom. Bowls are a great place to add natural textured accessory balls. Finally, finish off the room with a beautiful seascape painting, photography of outdoor places, or flower prints.

Enjoy your Organic Feeling Room!