The Importance of Biodegradable Textiles as Eco-Friendly Fabric

If we strive for anything in 2025, let it be towards sustainability. While considering the importance of going green we should strive for materials to be as sustainable as possible. Sustainable fabrics are biodegradable textiles made from natural materials that can decompose without harming the environment when discarded.

Fast fashion clothing, which accounts for much of the clothes we are wearing in the 21^st century are not biodegradable. They end up as waste in landfills. And sadly, the clothing industry is manufacturing mainly unsustainable clothing because clothing isn’t made as well as it once was, and they don’t last like they used to. Also, fast fashion relies on trends – and once a trend is over, the clothing is discarded and replaced with the latest trend.

According to a recent article by sustainable business fashion expert Claire Goldsworthy on LinkedIn, “We’re living in a throwaway culture – and it’s taking a toll. When synthetic materials like polyester, nylon, spandex, and acetate end up in landfills, they don’t biodegrade. And every time these clothes are washed, they release microplastics into our waterways, contributing to marine pollution.”

The article’s title, Ultra-fast fashion is ultra-bad, and it is creating 92 million tonnes of waste a year and counting, is enough to make people wake up to this reality.

For more information on textile sustainability in fashion, read our complete guide to Circularity in Textiles in the UK Fashion Industry.

Why Biodegradable Fabric is Important

Biodegradable fabrics are sustainable. As they naturally decompose when discarded, they are environmentally friendly – they reduce pollution levels. Businesses manufacturing this type of fabric are doing the world a favour: they are producing material that enables consumers to focus more on sustainability.

Of course, even biodegradable fabric isn’t necessarily eco-friendly fabric. We can still raise questions regarding animal welfare relating to natural materials like leather, and human rights issues (Are the people working in factories well-looked after? Do they earn a living wage? Do they work in a healthy environment?).

Even fabrics that are not biodegradable, such as recyclable materials like Recycled Polyester (rPET), can still be relatively sustainable. But biodegradable material is another level to recycled polyester; it’s ethically sustainable when one considers fashion waste and it’s an important part of sustainability in the fashion industry.

Advantages of Biodegradable Fabric

·      Low Impact on the Environment

Most biodegradable fabrics are made from natural fibres. This ensures it will naturally decompose and not harm the environment.

·      Sustainable

The clothing made from these yarns is usually sustainable manufactured, made using less energy and water.

·      Not Toxic

This type of fabric is free from toxic chemicals, as the sustainable manufacturing process doesn’t use these chemicals. This way, they are not only environmentally friendly, but are also safer for people to wear, as no additives are included that could cause allergies or harm. As a result, they don’t cause skin irritation or sensitivity.

·      Better Quality

As the clothing fabrics are made from natural materials, they are of better quality and are more long-lasting.

·      More Comfortable

Clothing made from natural textiles like cotton and hemp are more comfortable to wear, as they are made from soft, breathable fibres. They are often moisture-wicking, so they remove moisture from the body, which regulates one’s body temperature.

Disadvantages of Biodegradable Clothing

It’s important to note that not all biodegradable clothes are ‘good’. Remember the following:

·      More Expensive

It costs more to purchase biodegradable clothes, as natural materials cost more than synthetic ones.

·      Quality

Not all biodegradable clothes are hard-wearing. Wool and cotton certainly are, but linen, for instance, can be less durable.

·      Takes Longer to Decompose

While they may decompose naturally, some biodegradable plant-based natural textiles take longer to decompose than others.

Biodegradable Fashion Fabrics

Below is a list of the most biodegradable fabrics being used in the fashion industry right now:

Organic Cotton

Although manufacturing cotton fabric requires more water than manufacturing many other natural fabrics, it decomposes quickly. If it is completely organic, it doesn’t contain any chemicals from pesticides, synthetic fertilisers and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). If the textile is made using natural dyes, it can even be compostable!

Hemp

Hemp is commonly produced sustainably, despite its bad reputation because of its association with marijuana. Workers cut and strip the fibre from the plant by hand and then weave it into threads. Most hemp is sustainably grown using very little water and without using chemicals (no pesticides are necessary as the yarns contain natural defences against insects). When manufactured, the fabric is strong and hard-wearing. The longer it is used, the softer the fabric becomes, which makes it very easy to biodegrade.

Lyocell & TENCEL™

Fibre for these fabrics is usually produced from regenerated cellulose, made from wood pulp. As a result, the yarns are completely biodegradable. Lyocell is commonly made from wood pulp from sustainable eucalyptus and beech trees. It’s particularly long-lasting. TENCEL™ is produced from bamboo pulp using a closed-loop method, which doesn’t chemically alter the cellulose structure, so the textiles are chemical-free. The material is lightweight, smooth, comfortable and doesn’t crease.

Less Sustainable Biodegradable Fashion Fabric

Organic Linen

Although organic linen does biodegrade in soil, and it’s produced without using pesticides and other chemicals, it is different to linen, which is produced using chemicals and doesn’t biodegrade easily. Only 1% of linen is organic linen.

Silk

This natural material may be biodegradable, but is often associated with ethical issues, as silkworms and moths are not ethically treated, and it’s also not vegan-friendly. But it is considered by many as biodegradable, strong and resilient. It’s also hypoallergenic, luxurious, antimicrobial, antifungal and extremely comfortable.

Wool

Wool, including Merino wool, is biodegradable and promotes soil health by releasing nutrients back into the earth. To be 100% biodegradable, wool has to be grown organically and not produced with harsh chemicals. However, as wool is derived from sheep, animal welfare groups have issues with wool. Also, this fibre requires vast amounts of land for the sheep to graze in. On the plus side, wool doesn’t contain microplastics; it can be produced organically and decomposes in the soil.

Which Fabrics are Made to Biodegrade Fast?

Some biodegradable fabrics take longer to decompose than others. Here’s a list of how long different materials take:

·      Organic Linen – 14 days

·      Lyocel and TENSEL – 55 days

·      Hemp – 3 months

·      Bamboo – 4 to 6 months

·      Organic Cotton – 4 to 6 months

·      Silk – 1 to 4 years

·      Wool – 1 – 5 years

More Fascinating Facts about Sustainable Fabrics

maake focuses on sustainability when it comes to fabric printing and as a result, we have compiled several informative blogs on the subject. Here a few for you to peruse:

·      The Problem With Fast Fashion

·      Sustainable Innovation for Design Businesses 2025

·      Circularity in the UK Textile Industry

·      How to Combat Textile Waste

·      What is Recycled Polyester?

You can also gain inspiration from our Social Responsibility Initiatives here.