Last Updated on February 22, 2024
You may have heard of lyocell fabric, or seen it on a clothing tag, but what exactly is it? And is it sustainable? Well, in comparison to polyester it is.
Most of the clothes we wear today are made from polyester, aka plastic. Polyester is made from non-renewable petroleum (crude oil) that’s extracted from the earth unsustainably.
To create polyester, 70 million barrels of oil are used annually, and turning this oil into polyester fabric releases a lot of toxins into the environment.
On top of this, every time polyester pieces are washed, they shed microplastics into our waterways. An estimated 496,030 polyester microfibers are released from a 6kg wash – but this can vary based on several factors.
Recently, a new study found we could be ingesting 11,000 microplastics per year. Microplastics have been found in our lungs, feces, and even our placentas. While the health effects of this are still unknown, it can’t be good.
A good way to reduce microplastic exposure is to switch to more natural fibers in our clothing. Lyocell is a popular new fabric being touted by sustainable brands. Here’s what you need to know about lyocell fabric and which brands are using it.
is lyocell natural or synthetic?
Lyocell is a semi-synthetic fiber that is made primarily from wood cellulose, usually from eucalyptus trees. It’s commonly used as a substitute for cotton or silk.
Lyocell was originally developed by American Enka in 1972, but only recently did it gain popularity in the 20th century. With American Enka, lyocell fabric only made it through the pilot phase of development before it was abandoned.
It wasn’t until the 1980s when a British company called Courtaulds Fibres created a new fabric called Tencel based on lyocell research. The terms Tencel and lyocell can be used interchangeably now because they are chemically identical.
Its production process does involve some synthetic chemicals, but they are recycled during the circuit and they don’t generate by-products.
how is lyocell made?
- Wood is broken down into chips and loaded into a vat of chemical digesters. This softens them into pulp.
- This pulp is washed in water and may be bleached to sanitize it. Next, it is dried in a sheet, and rolled into spools.
- These sheets are then broken into squares and placed in pressurized and heated vats of amine oxide.
- Once the cellulose has dissolved into a clear liquid, it’s filtered and pumped through spinnerets.
- As it goes through the spinnerets, cellulose is turned into long, thin fibers.
- The resulting fibers are immersed in a vat of diluted amine oxide to set, and they are then washed with demineralized water.
- The lyocell fibers are then dried, and a lubricant, such as silicone or soap, is added.
- Next they are carded, which seperates and orders the strands.
- Lastly, the fibers are cut and they are then ready to be turned into an array of products.
is lyocell a good fabric?
Lyocell is a good fabric in terms of substituting it in place of cotton or silk. It’s smooth fibers are an excellent choice for people with sensitive skin and it’s soft to the touch. It’s also more resistant to pilling than cotton.
In terms of the environment, lyocell is a good fabric in comparison to conventional cotton and polyester. The production process uses less water and energy than alternative fabrics, like cotton.
One of the main producers of lyocel is TENCEL
Lyocell: Their fibers are produced in a closed loop process which recovers water and 99.8% of the solvent, which transforms wood pulp into cellulosic fibers with high resource efficiency and low environmental impact.
Additionally, TENCEL lyocell is biodegradable and compostable, if it is not combined with any polyester, elastane or nylon fabrics/elements.
However, you should be mindful that not all lyocell is made from the same materials. Most lyocell is made from eucalyptus trees, whereas others are made from bamboo, oak, birch, or other types of wood.
Eucalyptus and bamboo are great choices, as they grow fast, require minimal inputs, and sequester carbon as they grow. Additionally, unlike conventional cotton, eucalyptus and bamboo don’t require irrigation or pesticides.
If you can, look for lyocell made from wood sourced from responsibly managed forests, like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.
is lyocell better than cotton?
Lyocell is better than cotton in terms of water, land and pesticide usage.
Cotton is a water-intensive crop. But chemicals sprayed on the plant will mix with water runoff. This leads to groundwater contamination. To give you an idea of how water-hungry cotton is, it takes 2,500 liters of water to produce one t-shirt.
Cotton is also one of the top four genetically modified crops in the world. It’s considered the world’s “dirtiest crop” because it requires heavy amounts of toxic pesticides. These pesticides have poisoned thousands of cotton farmers, as well as pollute the environment.
On top of this, cotton needs more than five times the land that eucalyptus trees. That’s a lot of space that could be utilized in other, less water-intensive ways.
This being said, if you own any cotton garments, don’t toss them out in favor of replacing them with lyocell products. The most sustainable thing you can do is use what you have (and at that point, the resources have already been used up).
If you’re thinking about getting a new item, choose to support brands that utilize lyocell over conventional cotton. However, choosing organic cotton over conventional cotton is also a much better choice, as it’s grown without pesticides and with less water.
Modal is also another fabric you should consider using, as it is similar to lyocell. Here’s everything you need to know about modal fabric and how it’s sustainable.
which brands use lyocell fabric?
Several brands have started to see the potential in lyocell fabric. Here are the top sustainable brands that are utilizing the fabric.
1. tentree
- Women and men’s clothing
- Sustainable materials, including TENCEL Lyocell
- 10 trees planted with every order
- Ethical manufacturing
- Responsible packaging
- B Corporation
- Carbon neutral certified
2. toad and co.
- Men and women’s clothing for everyday and outdoor use
- Sustainable materials, including TENCEL Lyocell
- Takeback program for old clothes (from any brand)
- Member of The Renewal Workshop
- LimeLoop partner, reusable shipping—made from recycled billboards
3. reformation
- Women’s clothing
- Sustainable materials, including TENCEL Lyocell
- Packaging is made from recycled or compostable materials
- RefRecycling take back program
4. armed angels
- Women and men’s clothing
- Sustainable materials, including TENCEL Lyocell
- Carbon offsets
- Fair trade company
- Supports biomass projects in India to reduce emissions
5. whimsy and row
- Women’s clothing
- Sustainable materials, including TENCEL Lyocell
- Limited quantities, produced locally
- Recycle every scrap of material in their production process
- Carbon neutral
6. patagonia
- Outdoor clothing for women, men + children
- Uses both traditional virgin TENCEL and REFIBRA TENCEL
- Worn Wear program
- Founder donated company to fight climate change
- 1% For The Planet member
So, what do you think of lyocell fabric? Would you give it a go? Let me know in the comments.
The post What’s Lyocell Fabric? And Is It Really Sustainable? appeared first on Going Zero Waste.
Green Living
Classic Sustainability In Your Ear: The Ocean River Institute’s Natural Lawn Challenge for Climate Action
Turn back the clock with this classic interview that will get you ready for Spring yard care planning. A lawn may be beautiful but it can take a heavy toll on the environment, accounting for between 30% and 60% of residential water use in the United States. Rob Moir, Ph.D., is president and executive director of the Ocean River Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts. ORI works with residential lawn owners to heal damaged ecosystems by restoring coastal areas to lessen the destructive impacts of climate change. The benefits of a natural lawn reach far beyond reduced local water pollution, eliminating chemicals that can contribute to cancers, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and other cellular diseases. Natural lawns are also better for local pollinators and store much more carbon than heavily fertilized lawns. If you considered removing your lawn to play a part in the battle against climate change, this interview may change your mind — a healthy lawn is a powerful carbon sink.
The Ocean River Institute is recruiting Massachusetts communities, town by town, to take a pledge to follow natural lawn practices in the Healthy Soils for Climate Restoration Challenge. You don’t need to live in Massachusetts to participate and learn about the alternatives to the traditional, chemical-intensive lawn practices that use Roundup, a source of glyphosates that kills soil-dwelling fungi and local pollinators, and fast-acting nitrogen fertilizers. You can learn more about the Ocean River Institute at www.oceanriver.org.
Rob has contributed many articles about climate change and the history of environmental change since this interview, including:
- Finding a Northwest Passage to the Sea
- Turning the Tide—How Land and Water Shape Our Climate Future
- Learning from Captain Scoresby’s Ten-gallon Fir-Cask
- Earth Savvy?
- Let the Ground Keep Falling Rainwater
- The Sultans of Swag Versus Looking at Clouds from Both Sides Now
- Subscribe to Sustainability in Your Ear on iTunes and Apple Podcasts.
- Follow Sustainability in Your Ear on Spreaker, iHeartRadio, or YouTube
Editor’s Note: This episode originally aired on May 30, 2022.
The post Classic Sustainability In Your Ear: The Ocean River Institute’s Natural Lawn Challenge for Climate Action appeared first on Earth911.
https://earth911.com/podcast/earth911-podcast-the-ocean-river-institutes-natural-lawn-challenge-for-climate-action/
Choosing your perfect gown can be one of the most exciting decisions for your special day, but for the eco fashionista, it can be a challenge to find a dress that fits your values and style — but these brands have exceptional sustainable wedding dresses you’ll swoon over!
Using earth-minded materials like hemp, cruelty-free peace silk, deadstock recycled fabrics and vintage lace, and producing consciously, either in small batches or handcrafting each individual piece made-to-order, the brands below meet high standards for transparency, ecological sustainability, and fair labor.
[For more sustainable wedding dresses, check out this guide to secondhand wedding dress sites!]
Note that the guide contains affiliate links. As always, we only feature brands that meet strict criteria for sustainability we love, that we think you’ll love too!
1. Christy Dawn
Dreamy dress brand Christy Dawn does not disappoint with their romantic bridal collection! Each piece is more swoon-worthy than the next.
Their three sustainable bridal gowns are made from regenerative silk charmeuse —sourced through BOMBYX, an innovative silk producer using best practices — and colored in a beautiful pearl silk with non-toxic dyes. Each dress is ethically cut and sewn by makers in Los Angeles earning living wages, as with the rest of Christy Dawn’s collections.
The Britta Dress and Fitzgerald Dress are 1920s inspired while the Athena Dress is a more modern (but equally romantic) option. All of these dresses are made-to-order with an estimated timeline of 4 weeks.
Conscious Qualities: Regenerative silk and organic non-toxic dyes, ethically made-to-order in Los Angeles
Price Range: $2,500 – $3,000
Size Range: XS – XL
2. Pure Magnolia
Blending the traditional with the modern, Pure Magnolia designs classic-inspired sustainable wedding dresses with contemporary touches. And each dress is made in their Canadian studio by seamstresses earning fair wages from eco-fabrics, such as organic cotton and hemp silk.
The brand sources recycled fabrics whenever possible as well, and recycles their scrap fabric through FABCYCLE.
Conscious Qualities: Eco-friendly fabrics, locally and fairly made, recycles scrap fabrics
Price Range: $845 – $3,300 CAD
Size Range: 0 – 28
3. Lost in Paris
Lost in Paris crafts each of their creatively designed bohemian-inspired gowns ethically in their Sydney, Australia studio. Unconventional yet undeniably striking, Lost in Paris’ dresses are made from vintage lace and cotton.
Investing in a dress from Lost in Paris is seamless — the brand offers at-home sample try-ons, offers train and sleeve adjustments on several styles, ships their dresses worldwide for free, and even accepts returns. Oh, and, if one of their ready-made sizes doesn’t work for you, you can get a dress designed to your measurements.
Conscious Qualities: Made-to-order model, uses vintage lace, locally made
Price Range: $950 – $3900 AUD
Size Range: XXS – XXL + custom sizing options
For More Slow Fashion Content:
4. Wear Your Love
Wear Your Love creates feminine, effortless dresses in their Northern California studio that are — in contrast to the majority of wedding dresses on the market — actually comfortable! The brand’s free-spirited designs are made with soft, earth-minded fabrics like organic cotton and each dress is made to order for each bride to their exact measurements.
There are also customizations available for each eco-friendly wedding dress such as train or no train, skirt or sleeve linings, back coverage, skirt style, and more.
Conscious Qualities: Eco-friendly fabrics, made-to-order model, locally and transparently made
Price Range: $680 – $1,700
Size Range: N/A; dresses are made to your measurements
5. Larimeloom
Based in Reggio Emilia, Italy, Larimeloom crafts exceptional custom-made dresses by hand in their atelier. The brand creates comfortable minimalist dresses from durable natural fabrics and colors them with natural or non-toxic dyes.
Larimeloom has also implemented zero waste design techniques, cutting their patterns strategically in order to minimize fabric waste.
Conscious Qualities: Made-to-order model, zero-waste designs, natural fabrics and dyes
Price Range: 650€ – 2,650€
Size Range: XS – XL
6. Sister Organics
Sourcing quality earth-friendly natural fabrics like organic hemp and cotton, Sister Organics creates classic, eco-friendly wedding dresses for UK-based brides.
Each dress is made to order in England, so you can select a pre-defined size, customize the length of a size, or get an entirely different dress made for your measurements.
Conscious Qualities: Eco-friendly fabrics, made-to-order model
Price Range: £125 – £390
Size Range: XXS – XXL + custom sizing
7. Indiebride London
Indiebride’s vintage-inspired sustainable wedding dresses are delicate and romantic yet free-spirited, offering a unique collection for the bride that wants to skip the conventional wedding gown and choose a piece that fits their individual style.
The brand’s conscious wedding dresses are handmade in London using majority natural fibers and can be altered or customized to your specifications.
Conscious Qualities: Made-to-order model, uses many natural fabrics, locally made
Price Range: £1,200 – £1,700
Size Range: 8 – 16 (UK sizes)
More Resources For Your Eco Wedding:
10 Secondhand Wedding Dress Sites for the Eco Bride
7 Ethical Lab-Grown Diamond Engagement and Wedding Rings
17 Brands with Conscious Dresses (great options for bridesmaid dresses in here!)
The post 7 Best Sustainable Wedding Dresses for Your Special Day appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
Get organized in style with the beautiful sustainable dressers, wardrobes, and armoires from these furniture companies using responsibly-sourced FSC-Certified wood or upcycled wood.
Note that this guide includes affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you choose to make a purchase through these links.
What Makes A Dresser Sustainable?
As with anything in sustainability, there are various approaches that can make something “sustainable”.
Secondhand
With over 12 million tons (or 24 billion pounds) of furniture getting wasted each year in the United States alone, it’s definitely a great idea to look used when possible!
Secondhand not only helps divert furniture from the landfill, but reduces the need to extract new materials, whether that’s metal, wood, cotton, or increasingly, petroleum for synthetic fabrics and plastic.
Here’s where to look for secondhand dressers:
- Garage sales and estate sales (check EstateSales.net!)
- Facebook Marketplace
- OfferUp
- AptDeco
Responsibly Sourced Wood
Most storage furniture, like dressers, are made from wood (or engineered wood). While wood is a natural material, deforestation is a significant driver of climate change.
So, look for domestic or certified sustainably-sourced wood when purchasing wooden furniture. The largest most common certification is FSC, which stands for Forest Stewardship Council.
Even better is if you can find furniture made from reclaimed wood! This is basically upcycled wood that is being repurposed. This reclaimed wood can come from old barns, ships, factories, warehouses, or even wine barrels.
Non-Toxic Finishes
Unfortunately, many wood finishes contain harmful petroleum- and chemical-based solvents which can emit VOCs, or volatile organic compounds. While the toxicity is most severe during application and does reduce with time, the chemicals can build up in your home, so you may feel most comfortable minimizing risk of VOCs.
Why does this matter? Well, the EPA reports that indoor air can be 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air — largely due to what we bring into our homes, from furniture to household cleaners.
Look for low-VOC finishes, water-based finishes, or natural oil finishes like linseed oil.
Where to Find Sustainably Made Dressers
I’ve done the grunt work for you and curated furniture brands with sustainable dressers, armoires, and wardrobes below!
1. Urban Natural
Highlights: Sustainably-Sourced Woods,
Price Range: $1,245 – $9,000+
For a one-stop shop for sustainable storage furniture, look no further than Urban Natural. The retailer has a stunning selection of timeless sustainable dressers (including non-toxic dressers for nurseries) made with responsibly sourced wood and several with non-toxic finishes too.
Urban Natural’s workshop partners use materials like solid oak, cherry, maple, and walnut — and many of the brands prioritize local sourcing as well.
2. Avocado
Highlights: Reclaimed or FSC-Certified Wood, GREENGUARD Gold Certified, Zero VOC Finish
Price Range: $1,939 – $3,999
Avocado’s sustainable dressers are made in Los Angeles in their own FSC-certified woodshop. Beautifully designed with a timeless mid-century modern or Scandinavian-inspired aesthetic, Avocado’s dressers are also built to last. Each dresser is made with either responsibly sourced FSC-Certified wood or reclaimed wood. Most of the company’s non-toxic bedroom furniture is also finished with a non-toxic zero-VOC finish to you can sleep easy.
3. Thuma
Highlights: Upcycled Solid Wood, GREENGUARD Gold Certified, Modular
Price Range: $1,165 – $3,495
Designed for maximum functionality and versatility, Thuma’s sustainable dressers give you endless options. Configure a couple drawers for a nightstand and add on more drawers vertically or horizontally for a full dresser that can fit any space.
The modular setup may be especially useful for families with evolving needs — you can add on more drawers if your needs grow or separate a large dresser into two smaller ones.
4. Medley
Highlights: Non-Toxic, USA Made
Price Range: $4,136
Medley’s sustainable dressers are handmade to order in California. The wide dresser pictured here comes in maple or walnut sourced domestically in the US.
The tops and sides are solid hardwood and FSC-certified, low-VOC CARB 2 compliant hardwood plywood is used in the rest of the dresser. The piece is finished with non-toxic natural beeswax.
5. MasayaCo
Highlights: FSC-Certified Reforested Wood, 1.2 Million Trees Planted
Price Range: $2,295 – $2,395
MasayaCo is committed to responsible sourcing for all of their sustainable storage furniture. Each FSC-Certified piece is made to order by skilled artisans in Nicaragua from 100% solid teak wood that comes from their own reforestation projects. Even more impressive, the company leaves 40% of these projects completely untouched to thrive on its own.
Their stunning credenzas could easily be used as dressers, too.
6. West Elm Sustainably Sourced Collection
Highlights: Non-Toxic and Responsibly-Sourced Options
Price Range: $879 – $2499
West Elm is a large retailer with options for more eco-friendly dressers. Among their selection, you can curate by filters such as GREENGUARD Gold Certified, crafted in Fair Trade Certified facilities, made from responsibly-sourced wood, and/or Contract Grade (i.e. high quality + durable).
7. Crate & Barrel FSC-Certified (Honorable Mention)
Price Range: $899 – $2,699
While Crate & Barrel does not have as many sustainability efforts as other large retailers like West Elm, the company has a vast selection of FSC-certified wood storage furniture, including dressers, chests, and full wardrobes or armoires.
You’ll find an array of woods and finishes as well, from weathered rustic natural wood to dark espresso-finished wood.
More Guides Like This:
21 Best Places to Find Sustainable Furniture
8 Gorgeous Sustainable Tables to Gather Around
Best Eco-Friendly and Non-Toxic Sofas to Relax In
The post 7 Sustainable Dressers and Armoires to Store it All Away in Style (2026) appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
7 Sustainable Dressers and Armoires to Store it All Away in Style (2026)
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