nOT EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT FABRICS THAT THEIR CLOTHES ARE MADE OUT OF AND WE ALL SHOULD. It’s important to know what you decide to put on your skin and what it does to the environment should you be done with wearing your items.

Ramie

Ramie is a strong plant fiber, similar to linen. It’s also commonly known as China grass or rhea and is one of the oldest fibres cultivated for textiles. It’s also one of the strongest natural plant-fibers. Naturally white in color and with silk-like luster, it’s similar to linen.

History of ramie

Ramie has been used since prehistoric times in China, India and Indonesia. It was used in ancient Egypt and known in Europe during the Middle Ages. The usage of ramie increased in the mid-1980s due to a renewed interest in natural fibers.

What’s Ramie like?

Stiff and brittle but softens with wash and age. The garments we use are stonewashed to make it really comfortable to wear.
Strength increases when wet
Anti-bacterial and mold resistant
Withstands high temperatures
Increases silkiness after wash
Releases moisture quickly

Cotton

Cotton’s the most popular fibre in the world. It’s soft and fluffy to the touch and is usually off-white colour. Derived from the Arabic word “Kutan” , cotton has been grown for more than 6000 years. First found woven in cloth around 3000BC in Pakistan, it was brought to Europe in about 800 AD by Arabic merchants, and by 1500 was known throughout the world.

Manufactoring

Unfortunately there’s significant ecological and social impact caused by large-scale intensive production and it’s a great concern in the industry. The high demand of cotton encourages large-scale intensive production, requires a high usage of toxic chemicals and huge water consumption.

Sustainable options

Organic and color cotton are some sustainable options that have been promoted to replace conventional cotton. Making them involves using much less synthetic agricultural chemicals and water.

The cotton I use has been certified Oeko-tex standard 100. Fabrics with this certification have passed a test and are allowed to carry a certification label that guarantees to the consumers that the product does not contain harmful substances at levels that can be dangerous to the human body.

What is cotton like?

It’s lightweight but durable
Breathable and wearable all year round
Absorbs and releases moisture very quickly
Doesn’t gather static electricity

Rayon viscose

Rayon was the first manufactured semi synthetic fibre. It blends well with other fibres to create fabrics that feel soft and silky. There are many varieties of rayon, each differing slightly in both the manufacturing process and properties of the finished product.

History

Invented in France during the 1890s, rayon was created to be an affordable imitaion of silk, wool, cotton and linen. It was originally called viscose, which is still used in Europe and that we use too. The term rayon viscose was adopted by the North American textile industry in 1924.

Characteristics

Smooth and soft
Silky and lustrous
Highly breathable
Absorbs moisture quickly

Fabrics I use