It's great that green is finally becoming the new black and getting its due.  However, the designers may not be up on what eco-friendly means.  Blue jeans I discovered, are not good for the environment and even organic cotton has its drawbacks.   ans...

This article was posted on LIME that made me think about all the jeans in my closet and a forum posting I read about cottons also made me question my favorite tee.  Being eco-friendly isn't just about recycling materials, but how do these materials and fabrics effect the planet.  I have some issues with this article.

I completely agree with Vicki, so much of this supposed 'Green' fashion is just a marketing gimmick. There is really only one material I have seen coming into the public domain that I think is ACTUALLY a greener more eco friendly alternative, this material is jute.

Now jute clothes are not very popular yet in my country (UK) but jute bags (www.midpac.co.uk/shop/jute-bags/) are everywhere and allot of them are moving away from simple totes into more fashionable items. I prefer jute because of some of the facts about its production and sustainability. Jute is a natural fibre (a vegetable fibre composed of cellulose), like all natural fibres, jute is totally biodegradable. When discarded, jute decomposes putting valuable nutrients back into the soil. As the jute stem is cut during harvesting a major portion of the root remains within the soil. This, in due course, decomposes and disappears into the soil. Through this process of bio-degradation it enriches the soil by way of providing natural manure for other subsequent crops to be grown there. Some general facts about the jute industry:

• Jute industry supports an estimated 5 million people in the poorest regions on earth.
• One hectare of Jute plants consumes over 15 tonnes of CO2, several times higher than trees.
• Jute is environmentally friendly - non pollutant.

I think if we could get large manufacturers into the idea of using this material then designers would soon start using it and the choice available to the end consumer would be greatly improved.

Sources: www.jute.org www.midpac.co.uk www.nirjaft.res.in www.nmce.com