Some students opt for sustainable clothing

By Amanda Nguyen
<[email protected]>

Celebrities and designers such as Bono, the lead singer of U2, Oscar de la Renta, Michael Kors and Rogan Gregory have produced eco-friendly lines. Natalie Portman designed a vegan shoe line completely free of animal products. Stores like Timberland, Esprit and Nike have also started incorporating organic cotton in their clothes. Other “green” trends are recyclable purses or bags.

“Green is the new black,” Michelle Li, fashion student and freshman, said. More and more people are “going green” not only in cars and electronics, but also in fashion. Li said she doesn’t want to destroy the planet she lives on. “Every little effort helps,” she said. “One of the easiest ways of helping the environment is as simple as wearing organic clothes.”

Rogan Gregory designs a more affordable environmentally conscious line for Target called Rogan made of organic cotton. Li’s clothes are also mostly made of organic cotton. “I got involved with organic fashion recently,” Li said. “I started being involved because it’s good for the environment. (Being environmentally aware) is important because if you’re not eco-friendly, then the environment will pay the cost.”

Fran Rushing, environmental science and biology teacher, said, “There is a limited supply of stuff. We can’t destroy it, but in the process of using it, it changes form and it becomes less usable with time. We can use it all up, if we’re not careful.”

Designers are making environmentally-friendly clothes because materials in many clothes are harmful to people and their surroundings. According to Larry West’s article “Why is Organic Cotton Clothing So Cool?,” “Analysts estimate that cotton crops use about one quarter of all the agricultural insecticides applied globally each year.” Color dyes and other materials can be harmful to people and the environment if they’re not used carefully.

Rushing said, “Depending where the dyes come from, synthetic dyes can be a problem, but natural dyes are not.” Many designers, according to West’s article, “are making waves in fashion circles with their cutting edge clothing designs crafted from materials like organic cotton, grown without harmful synthetic materials.”

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, bromoxynil, a herbicide used in cotton, can pose developmental risks to infants and children. Studies also show that it can cause cancer in laboratory animals.

“People don’t want to be exposed to harmful chemicals in their food or clothing,” Rushing said. According to earthcreations.net, hemp is a naturally resistant to insects and grows so quickly that pesticides and fertilizers aren’t needed. Since herbicides and pesticides in cotton can be harmful, using hemp is much more beneficial and some consider it just as comfortable. “Hemp clothes really aren’t all that different. The material is more eco-friendly and honestly, you don’t feel a difference,” Li said.

Since so many materials used in clothing can be harmful to the people wearing it, as well as the environment, it’s a logical step to move away from these materials and toward the organic fabrics, according to Li.

Li said, “The environment is something we need to care about. If everyone just helped a little, and became a little more eco-friendly, I really think changing the environment is possible.”