Posted by Zoica on Friday, October 31, 2008 to Zoica Matei News

Since our mission is to promote “slow fashion” and sustainability through type of fabric usage and business practices, today I am going to discuss the fabric element, since it is the main component of all our designs.

Hemp is a strong, durable, absorbent, antimicrobial and mildew resistant cellulose fiber.It is an extremely fast growing crop making it a great renewable resource.Also, leaving rich nutrients in the top soil from fallen hemp leaves, the crop does not exhaust the soil. Hemp also retains color and dyes better than any other fabric.Hemp was once a more common material before the popularity of cotton eclipsed it.

Our fabrics are made from hemp that has been grown in the traditional manner, using no herbicides or pesticides. Caustic soda is used in the de-gumming process, but our suppliers use the lowest amounts of these chemicals possible and treat the resulting waste water in their water treatment facilities.

Extremely versatile in application, hemp can be combined with many different fabrics to add strength and durability, for example, to the smooth texture of silk or softness of organic cotton.

Organic Cotton, a cellulose fiber, is grown and processed without the use of toxic pesticides, fertilizers and chemicals. Organic cotton production systems not only replenish and maintain soil fertility, but also build biologically diverse agriculture.All organic cotton producers must have third party organizations verify their methods and materials meet certification standards.Conventional cotton methods use pesticides in an attempt to kill all invasive insects with chemicals; organic cotton methods create a diverse set of natural enemies which prey on insect pests, and also plant trap crops to lure away unwanted pests. After the organic cotton has been harvested, it goes through a process to remove the seeds called “ginning”. Next, the fiber is baled, ringspun into yarn and woven or knit into fabric.Our organic cotton is certified by Control Union and IMO.

Bamboo cultivation is one of the most sustainable crops in the world as it grows very quickly, and does not require the use of pesticides or herbicides. The finished goods possess functions of excellent moisture absorption and permeability, anti-bacteria, deodorizing, great softness and comfort against skin.It's biodegradable as well

Bamboo is sometimes called bamboo rayon because of the many similarities in the way it is manufactured and similarities in its feel and hand. Concerns have been raised about the safety of the chemicals used to produce bamboo fibers, and the pollution that results from their use. We are committed to purchasing from suppliers that produce their products in an ecologically responsible manner. Our bamboo supplier uses an advanced Air Floating treatment system that filters and reclaims the chemicals from the wastewater. No discharge is released before this treatment. In addition, the factory executes strict controls on exhaust emission and all the data have met the government environmental protection standards as well as the Oeko-tex Standard 100.

Our soy is especially sustainable because of the way it is produced: it is made from the remains of cold-press extraction for soybean oil. The resulting protein cakes are then converted into fibers, and the chaff that is left over is used for animal feed. Soy does not require any toxic chemicals or bleach during processing. The soybeans used to make the fabric have not been genetically modified, and again no herbicides or pesticides are needed for this crop. Soy is very absorbent, is smooth and soft to the touch, has anti-bacterial properties, and protects against ultraviolet radiation. However, soy cannot withstand high temperatures.Our cotton/soy blends increase quick-drying and comfort as well as increase luster and draping.

Traditionally, linen is made from the fibers of the flax plant. Linen is also made from cotton or hemp. We carry both flax linen and hemp linen. The traditional method of processing flax linen in Europe, where it originated, was to take the tough flax stalks and leave them in a pile in the cool moist autumn air to start to break down into strands, the process called dew retting, which could then be combed into fiber. Our organic flax linen is processed by putting the stems in a large cement pool, misting with water and covering it. The stems are rotated and misted every few days. This simulates the humid conditions of the traditional method, and facilitates the de-gumming process. Organic hemp is treated in the same manner.The soil, seeds, pest control management and other environmental aspects of our organic linen and hemp production are all inspected by the international certifying organization, Ecocert International.

Linen is a strong, highly absorbent, and an antibacterial cellulose fiber.Some desirable fabric characteristics are: its smooth hand with high durability, its static and lint resistance and its ability to get softer and finer the more is washed.

Lyocell, like rayon, is a fiber made from wood, a sustainable and renewable resource, but uses a solvent spun process in production rather than being ‘cooked’.Tencel is a brand name for the generic group of fibers called Lyocell. The Lyocell process involves dissolving wood pulp with a solvent, allowing water to evaporate to form cellulose solution and then spinning remaining solution into fibers.The water generated during evaporation is reused for the washing process and almost all solvent (more than 99.6%) is recovered to be used again.This nearly closed-loop process creates minimal emissions that are treated before disposal.Lyocell fibers are biodegradable, wrinkle resistant, soft, strong and absorbent.It lends breathability and sheen to our hemp/wool/Lyocell blends.

Silk is a natural, biodegradable and renewable fiber.Conventional silk fibers are produced through silk farming, also known as sericulture.Silk moth larvae are fed mulberry leaves until their next stage of metamorphosis is complete and they have created a silk cocoon.While soaking in hot water, the fibers are de-gummed to create the smooth hand of the raw protein fiber.The silk cocoons are then wound onto a reel and the resulting fibers provide a soft hand, insulation and breathability to any silk fabric/blend.

Wool, like silk, is a natural, renewable and biodegradable protein fiber.Our fibers are obtained from shorn sheep in Australia.Following shearing, wool fibers must be washed (scoured) to remove the grease (unrefined lanolin), vegetable matter, and any other impurities.Wool fabric is wrinkle resistant, durable, retains shape well, soil resistant and flame resistant.In addition, because wool is a natural insulator when it’s cool and naturally breathable when it’s warm, wool fabrics help regulate your temperature and are comfortable to wear in all seasons.

We use low impact Fiber Reactive, cold water dyes on our products. These are synthetic dyes which are non-toxic and require only soda ash and salt to fix the dye to the fabric. It bonds quickly to the fabric leaving low residue in the wastewater. Other benefits are the low dye to fabric ratio, low water consumption required, and vibrant color-fast hues. By contrast natural dyes require toxic heavy metal mordents, a large ratio of dyestuff to fabric, a larger quantity of water, and are less color-fast. Fabrics that have been semi bleached, the manufacturer uses hydrogen peroxide rather than chlorine bleach or optic brighteners.

Our garments are made here, in USA in state of the art facility in South Carolina.

Our goal is to keep the manufacturing here, helping the growth of our own communities.

 Permalink       0 Comments       RSS feeds       Subscribe to Email Updates