Creating your own clothing is on-trend and eco-friendly. For example, when you pick up a ball of Aran yarn, you’re knitting with pure lambswool from a sustainable source. But the world of plant fibres opens up a whole new realm of possibilities for sewing, knitting or weaving, allowing you to create fabulous – and green – results.
Bamboo
You probably won’t be surprised to see bamboo on the list. Its silk is now used for everything from tea towels to baby grows. Soft, strong and durable bamboo fabrics are also antibacterial, anti-allergenic and biodegradable. Best of all, bamboo is fast-growing and doesn’t require plenty of water or pesticides to thrive.
Pineapple
Surprisingly, one of our favourite tropical fruits, the pineapple, can also be used to make ‘leather’ for shoes and fibres for household goods and clothing. Coarse bastos and silky liniwan fibres are produced from the pineapple plant’s waste products, showcasing the innovative use of this plant in a sustainable fashion.
Banana
The banana plant, a fruit bowl favourite, is also a source of strong yet silk-like fibres. Bananatex, obtained from the plant’s stalk, is finely textured, breathable, renewable, and biodegradable. These properties make it a standout among plant-based fibres, offering a sustainable and comfortable clothing option.
Ramie
You might not have heard of the China Plant or China Grass, but ramie has been grown for its fibres for over 6,000 years. Used as a sustainable alternative to silk, the ramie plant is related to the nettle and needs very little water and no pesticides to thrive. This highly resistant plant is easy to dye and can be treated similarly to Aran yarn to create cool, light clothing that provides excellent insulation.
Flax
If your go-to summer fabric is cool and beautiful linen, you’re wearing flax fibres. Flax is another heritage plant that grows a sustainable and durable fibre in around 100 days. Dry spun flax produces a coarser material, similar to Aran yarn, while wet spun flax creates fine yarns for clothing. With its small carbon footprint, flax is another fantastic plant-grown fibre with multiple uses.
