the negative effects of synthetic materials
Synthetic materials have become increasingly prevalent in the clothing industry, particularly fast fashion.
However, these synthetic materials are harmful in many ways & completely unnecessary given the vast array of natural fiber options which can be used to create higher quality fabrics.
In this article we’ll break down a few of the many downsides to synthetic materials, and hopefully inspire you to create with higher quality, natural options for your brand.
HEALTH
Synthetic fabrics are typically composed of petrochemicals derived from crude oil & natural gas.
These petrochemicals are known to be toxic to human health, causing skin irritation, allergies, and absorption into the body causing internal micro-plastic buildup.
The production process of these materials also involve other harmful & toxic substances such as formaldehyde which can also be absorbed by the skin & internally.
Most people don’t understand what they are really wearing or the damage it is doing to their health.
ENVIRONMENT
Synthetic fabrics are non-biodegradable, they can take hundreds of years to decompose, contributing to landfill waste & environmental toxins which end up in our food & water supply, as well as marine life ecosystems.
Synthetic fabrics also have a massive carbon footprint, derived from fossil fuels combined with the dyeing and processing of these materials contributes largely to climate change, due to the release of toxins into the air & water.
To create synthetic fabric also requires significant energy, which increases dependance on non-renewable resources, furthering the impact on environmental concerns.
QUALITY
Synthetic materials offer much lower durability & longevity, they are highly prone to wear and tear, which promotes fast fashion & throwaway culture, as opposed to high quality, long lasting garments.
Be aware, this is something your customer will notice, and could result in diminished repeat orders. Nobody likes to spend hard earned money on clothing which disintegrates in a few months.
NEGATIVE BRAND PERCEPTION
It isn’t only our health & environment which synthetic fabrics negatively affect, but also your brand image.
Now more than ever, consumers are starting to care greatly about the negative effects which these materials carry.
For obvious reasons, natural & sustainable fabrics offer a brand image of high quality & ethics, while synthetic fabrics carry an image of cheap, unethical & undesirable.
For these reasons, we always recommend choosing natural, high quality fabrics when possible and only introducing small blend amounts of synthetic materials such as spandex for purposes such as adding stretch to a fabric.
ETHICS
These types of materials are often produced in sweatshops which have poor labour conditions for human workers.
The poor labour conditions for human workers in the fashion industry has been well known & documented for a long time, this only adds to the problem rather than solutions.
Disclaimer : this is not business advice, only reiteration of our research & experience working with clothing brands. Use information at your own discretion.
