Moving from Synthetics to Natural Fibers
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Merino Wool Sheep
For the past few years, I’ve made a conscious effort to switch more of my clothing to natural fibers such as organic/chemical-free cotton, hemp, linen and wool. Where I could, I’ve stopped buying synthetics. With recent advances in wool I’ve also switched most of my performance clothing to merino wool.
Why I made the move
I made the switch to organic natural fibers for several reasons.
The first is environmental and health. Most synthetics are made from plastics — a petrolum-based material that’s not biodegradable in the environment. The chemicals used in making these fabrics are also toxic to humans and animals alike. The less exposure we have to them the better. I also don’t want to support the petroleum industry any more than I have to.
The second is comfort. In the summer time, I find synthetics don’t breath as well as natural fibers. Nor do they feel as nice against the skin as cotton and linen. If you need wicking power, wool does as good of a job as synthetics. Plus wool has natural anti-odor/antimicrobial properties. You can wear the same wool base layer for days without stink. With polyester, forget about it.
The third is safety. Synthetics will melt. You don’t want to wear it near a fire or high heat source. Wool on the other hand is naturally fire resistant.
And fourth is performance. As mentioned before, wool will wick moisture and sweat just as well as synthetics. But wool is also naturally stain resistant. You’ll need some toxic man-made chemicals to treat synthetics to match that. In hot or cold weather, wool does a better job of regulating body temperature. It breathes better. It’ll keep you warm even when wet. Because it’s odor resistant, it is also perfect for multi-day use without smelling like a bum. It’ll help keep your pack light
Shopping for Natural Fiber Clothing – What to Look For
Go organic/pesticide free. Ordinary cotton, for example, requires a ton of pesticides to produce. If you want to buy cotton, buy organic or pesticide-free. Organic cotton is getting mainstream these days and is fairly easy to find so I’m not going to write too much about it.
Warm weather clothing. Cottons and linens work best for casual wear. For warm weather sports/performance, consider replacing your synthetics with merino wool. They make light weight merino wool t-shirts and underwear these days. They’re pricey compared to synthetics but they’re worth the investment. You won’t need as many of them to change into either since they’re odor and stain resistant.
Cold weather clothing. Switch to Merino wool for your base and light to mid weight insulation layers. Down for mid and outer layers. While it’s impossible to avoid synthetics altogether (esp in the shell material), less is a huge improvement. Plus down will compress better and weigh less than even the best synthetic garments.
Buying Used. Even natural fibers require energy to produce and will make an environmental impact. Check out your local thrift shops, consignment stores, eBay, Craigslist or speciality online communities for people letting go of clothes they no longer need. An added bonus is you’ll save money.
Buying Recycled Synthetics. If you must buy synthetic, check out Patagonia. They are one of the few clothing companies I know that make synthetic clothes from recycled materials. I have a nine year old fleece of theirs that was made from recycled bottle caps. They’ve made a lot of manufacturing advances since then and most of their current synthetics are now also made to be fully recyclable. This means you can take it back to them to recycle it. It doesn’t have to go into the landfill.
Buying wool clothing. I grew up hating wool because they itch. Merino wool has allowed me to wear wool next to my skin. But not all merino wool are created equal. The best in terms of comfort and environmental impact is Patagonia’s merino line. Typical companies will bleach their wool as part of the process to remove the scales that cause wool to be itchy. Unfortunately chlorine bleach isn’t so good for us or the environment. Patagonia slow washes theirs without using chlorine. Having tried several different brands, such as Icebreaker, SmartWool and Patagonia, I also find Patagonia’s wool to be softest and most comfortable.
Downsides to wool that you should be aware of. Wool isn’t perfect. Compared to synthetics, wool performance clothes are still expensive. Save some money by buying used, taking advantage of sales, or buying from outlets that sell previous season goods. It’s not hard to find stuff at 40%-60% off retail. If you have sensitive skin, even the best wool will still itch a little bit here and there. Then there’s static electricity, although this can be a positive or a negative depending on whether you get a kick out of zapping people/yourself. Lastly, wool is not as easy to care for as synthetics. For performance pieces, you can throw them in the wash, but most will recommend you air dry them and not use the dryer.
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