From small to large we all start to engage in to living a sustainable lifestyle for a more productive life for all . Just buy a plant to start for you or another or donate , become an affiliate some where .
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Hay , interested in some awesome ways to help our world .Well here is a good documentary you can watch and enjoy knowing more great ways we can improve our environment , enjoy !
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What Are the Best Lower-Impact Fabrics and Fibres on the Market Right Now?
Lots of materials are marketed as sustainable, but what’s really green and what’s merely greenwashing? We’ve rounded up eight fabrics and fibres that live up to the hype including plant-based recycled cotton, organic linen, organic hemp, and TENCEL Lyocell; animal-derived recycled wool, and innovative fibres ECONYL, Bananatex, and CIRCULOSE.
The great fabric debate
What’s in a label? What do we look for when we’re choosing lower-impact fabrics? Whether you’re a clothes maker or a fashion lover who doesn’t love fashion’s impacts, selecting more responsibly-made fabrics is one area where our choices can have a tangible impact on the wellbeing of people, the planet, and animals.
But there is a lot of debate about which fabrics are better. Does plant-based always equal good and synthetic equal bad? What new and innovative materials are backing up their claims with evidence? And what happens when we wash or dispose of these materials? Let’s find out.
Plant-based fibres
Recycled cotton
Cotton is one of the most common fabrics in the world. This plant-based fibre is light and breathable, which makes it a wardrobe staple. But growing cotton can be problematic: conventional cotton is one of the thirstiest and most chemical-intensive crops to grow. It requires a lot of pesticides and, as a result, harms the planet and the people who grow it.
Organic cotton can be a lower-impact alternative to conventional cotton, and has been booming in recent years. In theory, it aims to minimise the environmental impact of cotton production by trying to remove harmful pesticides and other chemicals from the production process. GOTS certified cotton is often the go-to recommendation for consciously grown cotton that is gentler on the planet and the people who create it. However, organic cotton certification recently came under fire when it was discovered much of the fibre marketed as organic may not be so: according to a report by The New York Times, “at the heart of the problem is an opaque certification system rife with opportunities for fraud.”
If you’re looking for the most responsible cotton, go for recycled. Recycled or upcycled cotton is made using post-industrial and post-consumer cotton waste. According to the Textile Exchange’s Preferred Fiber and Materials Market Report 2022, recycled cotton is a lower-impact alternative to both conventional and organic cotton. It has the potential to help reduce water and energy consumption, as well as help keep cotton clothes out of landfills.
Organic hemp
It seems like hemp is everywhere at the moment. Marijuana’s “sober cousin” is extremely versatile: it’s used as a food, a building material, in cosmetics, and it has been cultivated and used for hundreds of years as a fabric.
The great thing about hemp is that it’s grown all around the world, and it requires very little water, no pesticides, and naturally fertilises the soil it grows in—making it much better for the environment than other crops. However, it’s important to be aware that hemp does not always mean organic, and many farmers still use environmentally damaging fertiliser. When going for hemp, make sure it’s organic and thoroughly study the brand you’re considering buying from.
One of the oldest fibres in the world, hemp helps keep you warm in winter, cool in summer, and gets softer the more you wash it, making it a great option for pieces that will stay in your wardrobe rotation for years to come.
Organic linen
Linen is another plant humans have been growing for centuries. Similar to hemp, it’s derived from a very versatile crop: the flax plant. Linen requires minimal water and pesticides, and even grows in poor-quality soil. Plus, every part of the plant is used, so nothing is wasted.
Because of the dense nature of the fibre, to get a pure white linen, it has to go through a heavy bleaching process. Sticking to its natural-toned hues will ensure a more environmentally-friendly garment afterlife.
Linen is strong, naturally moth resistant, and—when untreated—fully biodegradable. In addition to being good for the planet, it is also light and can withstand high temperatures, absorbing moisture without holding bacteria. What’s not to like?
TENCEL Lyocell
TENCEL Lyocell is a man-made cellulosic fibre (MMCF) created by dissolving wood pulp. The fibre is produced by Austrian company Lenzing AG. It’s been growing in popularity recently, and is said to be 50% more absorbent than cotton, and requires less energy and water to produce. Plus, the chemicals used to produce the fibre are managed in a closed-loop system. This means the solvent is recycled which reduces dangerous waste.
There’s another version of the fabric, called Refibra, made from upcycled cotton scraps. The cotton scraps are transformed into cotton pulp, which is then added to conventional dissolving wood pulp.
TENCEL has moisture-wicking and anti-bacterial properties, making it a perfect activewear alternative to pesky polyester.
Animal-derived materials
Recycled wool
Wool is a durable animal-derived fibre known for its longevity, warmth, and comfort. In its original form, wool is a resource-intensive material to produce and has associated ethical concerns.
Recycled wool, like that traditionally processed in Italy by Manteco, reduces the environmental and ethical impacts significantly and, with so much of the fibre already in circulation, is becoming a desired recyclable option.
It’s also diverse and easy to blend with other fibres such as fleece. The industry is beginning to see less demand for virgin wool with the higher value placed on discarded garments or offcuts in the manufacturing process.
Futuristic and innovative fabrics
ECONYL
Another recycled material to consider is ECONYL. This yarn, created by Italian firm Aquafil, is derived from recycled synthetic waste such as industrial plastic, waste fabric, and fishing nets from the ocean. Despite being derived from recycled materials, ECONYL yarn is said to be of the same quality as virgin nylon yarn.
The manufacture of ECONYL uses less water and generates less waste than the manufacture of conventional nylon yarn. In the manufacture of ECONYL, waste is collected, cleaned, and shredded, and then depolymerised to extract a raw material called caprolactam. The caprolactam is then repolymerised and transformed into ECONYL yarn.
A clear downside of ECONYL is—like other synthetics—it emits microfibres. While this means it’s not the best choice for clothing that is frequently machine washed, it can be a practical and lower-impact option for shoes or clothing that is rarely washed or generally handwashed like activewear, swimwear, and outerwear. Pick yourself up a Guppy Bag for when you must machine wash.
Bananatex
Read more at
https://goodonyou.eco/most-sustainable-fabrics/
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Meditation is a must we feel if your into everything around our world to keep your self more concentrated on a subject , goal , etc hopefully sustainability in all that maters best for us and the world or just getting closer to know your self and inner peace . Its a deeper concentration state of peace and beyond . It helps for that state we all hope to live in . Its sought of that kind of place you can feel and see your true self . Its out of the norm for many in this busy world to keep such peaceful focus unless you are a monk or flower child of such nature . By meditating you can feel that place of focus and get your self closer to living in that place in our world . So it should definitely be a part of each of our lives especially if you live or work in a busy style environment . We can all some times get caught up in so many things are drive our selves mad . So by using meditation you can help balance your self more . So here is one video to get you or some one started . There are many so you may have to search a few to find your type of feeling lf peace .. Enjoy !
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Youtube is great for tons of help with everything almost . Here is some cool little hacks to help build your garden indoors .
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The Good Trade
https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/ethical-and-sustainable-sweaters
Cozy Up In These 12 Sustainable Sweaters For Fall & Winter 2019
It’s Sweater Weather!
Goodbye nights on the boardwalk, 9pm sunsets, and effortless tank tops—and hello to crisp nights, pumpkin spice everything, and most of all, cozy sweaters. While we’ll miss summer, there’s something simply comforting and enticing about fall. Plus, it gives each of us a chance to revamp and refine our wardrobes to be more mindful and intentional, blending form, function, and fair trade.
Transition to autumn with these 12 ethical and sustainable sweaters from brands who are putting people over profit. Each of these are made ethically with safe working conditions, fair wages, and absolutely no child labor. So cozy up with our top fall picks this year.
1. Outerknown
Ethics | Fair Labor Association & Bluesign certified manufacturing, some Fair Trade Certified products, sustainable practices
Size Range | XS–L
Our Pick | Water-Less Mock Neck
Price | $128
Started by World Champion surfer Kelly Slater and designer John Moore, Outerknown brings together people and planet with one mission: sustainable clothing that lasts. Today, they offer apparel for both men and women, including all of our fall favorites like sweaters, henleys, and sweatshirts. Crafted with organic cotton and diffusion dyeing processes, their sweaters need 90% less water during production. Pair with a beanie and high-waisted pants, and you’ve got yourself the perfect fall outfit.
SHOP OUTERKNOWN SWEATERS
2. Reformation
Ethics | Made in USA, uses sustainable fabrics, purchases carbon offsets, pays living wages, plus size line
Size Range | XS–XL
Our Pick | Kaia Sweater
Price | $228
American-made yet world-renowned, Reformation is a leader in the ethical and sustainable space. Their eco-friendly methods and Fair Trade team seamlessly transform responsibly sourced materials like lyocell, TENCEL, linen, and recycled cashmere into feminine styles. Over the years, they’ve also grown to be more size-inclusive so whether you’re a petite 5’1” or a DD cup, they have pieces for you. Consider our closet reformed.
SHOP REFORMATION SWEATERS
3.
Seasalt
Ethics | Members of the Ethical Trading Initiative, designs accessible clothing, plastic-free packaging, gives back
Size Range | Up to US 24
Our Pick | Reel Jumper
Price | £65
Seasalt takes social responsibility seriously—they have an entire sustainability team around it. This UK-based brand puts as much thought into their ethical production policies as they do for their designs, and it shows. Seasalt regularly gives back, pays fair wages and ensures safe working conditions, and utilizes eco-friendly packaging whenever possible. With dozens of colorful jumpers, cozy knits, and chic cardigans for both men and women, you’ll be cuddled up as ever this fall.
SHOP SEASALT SWEATERS
4. ABLE
Ethics | Fairly made by female artisans, fair labor practices, B Corp
Size Range | XS–XL
Our Pick | Sol Sweater
Price | $148
Very few brands are as transparent or women-focused as ABLE. This social enterprise team is made up of more than 96% women and they regularly publish their wages for all to see. With fair trade practices, they provide opportunities for women in countries like Ethiopia to break the cycle of poverty and become financially independent. Their Sol Sweater is both relaxed and refined, ideal for work, play, or home. To ABLE, empowering women is about more than just a tagline—and we agree.
SHOP ABLE SWEATERS
5. Everlane
Ethics | Ethical production process, radical transparency
Size Range | XXS–XL
Our Pick | The Texture Cotton Cable Crew
Price | $88
All of our shopping choices as consumers should be as easy—or at least that’s the motto behind Everlane, a radically transparent apparel and lifestyle brand. They offer both men’s and women’s apparel, shoes, and accessories, all made ethically in factories that have regulated partnerships with the Everlane team. Plus, they offer insights into their pricing model versus other more traditional options, so you know exactly what you pay for. And with fair trade and sustainable sweaters starting at just $50, you can tailor a fall capsule wardrobe all your friends will envy.
SHOP EVERLANE SWEATERS
7. And Comfort
Ethics | Uses natural fabrics, plastic-free production, fair wage & small batch production
Size Range | 0X–4X
Our Pick | The Fika Sweater
Price | $178
And Comfort is the new way to shop: no more tacky patterns, ill-fitting pieces, or synthetic polyester fabrics. Instead, And Comfort offers clothes that work anytime, anywhere for sizes 10–28. That dress you need for a meeting and then a dinner date? A skirt that functions for both work and play? With more than 18 months of product testing and design, they’ve got you covered. We love their Fika wool cashmere sweater for being soft, thick, and holding its shape. We’ve never been more excited for those autumn nights.
SHOP AND COMFORT SWEATERS
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Here is a man who has invented a great gadget for all of us to live better , who has been jailed and such . Much respect to those like him that mean no harm and live to create good change and stand strong to complete their positive ventures ..
How to Create a Sustainable Lifestyle:
Three Essential Steps for Sustainable Living
The Golden Rule
Creating a sustainable lifestyle takes a lifelong commitment – to learning, experimenting, exploring, committing to increasingly sustainable practices and, above all, loving. Because beyond all of the frightening news; beyond the frustrating politics; beyond the failed international agreements, there is one question – how do you want to live your life? With fear – or with love? The fear route feels defeated and helpless and frustrating. The love route, on the other hand, feels grounded, purposeful and hopeful.
At its essence, it is the route of living by the Golden Rule, a central tenet across all major religions:
In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
~ Christianity (Matthew 1452)
What is hurtful to yourself do not to your fellow man. That is the whole of the Torah and the remainder is but commentary.
~ Judaism (Moses 6)Do unto all men as you would wish to have done unto you; and reject for others what you would reject for yourselves.
~ Islam (Moses 6)Hurt not others with that which pains yourself.
~ Buddhism (Moses 7)Tzu-Kung asked: “Is there one principle upon which one’s whole life may proceed?” the Master replied, “Is not Reciprocity such a principle? – what you do not yourself desire, do not put before others.”
~ Confucianism (Moses 7)This is the sum of all true righteousness – Treat others, as though wouldst thyself be treated. Do nothing to they neighbor, which hereafter thou wouldst not have they neighbor do to thee.
~ Hinduism (Moses 7)
Our Impact
It is such a simple principle – and yet if it is extended to include all living beings (an essential component of sustainability), it requires a complete shift in how we live our lives. Because we do unto others all day long – through the clothes we buy, the energy we use, the food we eat, even the toothpaste we brush our teeth with. Every choice we make impacts others – through its creation, its distribution, its use and its disposal. And most likely we’ll never know – or even see – who we are impacting. But they are out there, nonetheless, suffering – or thriving – based on our choices.
Because we live in such a global, profit-at-all-costs world, the number impacted is astounding – hard to grasp really. One detailed life cycle analysis of aluminum cans, for example, documents the steps required to manufacture, sell and dispose of an aluminum can and the resulting impacts:
- Extraction: bauxite ore, the primary raw material source for aluminum production, is extracted from open pit mines primarily in Brazil, Guinea, Jamaica, Guyana and Australia.
- Transportation: bauxite is shipped to multiple countries to complete processing.
- Processing: processing bauxite ore into aluminum cans requires several energy-intensive steps including alumina refining, smelting, ingot casting, can sheet fabrication, can making and can‐filling. Recycled aluminum is also incorporated into the final product, the processing of which has its own (reduced) impacts (the recycled content of a beverage can in the U.S. in 2007 was 67.8%).
- Packaging and Distribution: aluminum cans are packaged and transported to individual stores and from there to homes and businesses.
- End of Life: While some cans are transported to recycling centers and re-processed (about half in the U.S.), far too many still end up in landfills.
At every stage in the life cycle of this product, humans and other animals and plants are negatively impacted – through destruction of habitat; exposure to land, air and water pollutants and, for humans, potentially low wages and unsafe working conditions.
In all, the production of an aluminum can requires over 60 different types of raw or processed materials and creates over 75 different types of pollutants. The material inputs and manufacturing equipment also have their own life cycle impacts.
Manufacturing an aluminum can causes increased global warming, acidification, eutrophication, low level smog, and ozone layer depletion.
Story of Stuff author, Annie Leonard adds:
[“A single-use, single-serving aluminum can”] is one of the most energy-intensive, CO2-producing, waste-generating products on the planet. . .Aluminum smelting requires more energy than any other metal processing on earth. . .[and produces] perfluorocarbons (PFCs) – these are the most noxious of greenhouse gases, trapping thousands of times more heat than carbon dioxide. . .It’s estimated that more than a trillion aluminum cans have been trashed in landfills since 1972.” (Leonard 64-67)
And that’s just an aluminum can.
So choosing a life of love requires a lot of work – a lot of rethinking – a lot of soul searching. The question we have to answer in every choice we make is: how loving do we really want to be? And how inclusive do we want to be in our love? Living, of course, involves impacting others – all of life impacts others. But is our impact unnecessarily harmful – or is it based on a conscious choice which minimizes harm done and maximizes benefits?
Looking back at the Golden Rule, we all want our homes protected, our neighborhoods unpolluted, a plentiful supply of safe drinking water and food – and knowing that our future is secure. And we want others to make choices that ensure we have these things. The loving approach to life, then, is to offer that same level of care back to others.
Read more at :http://www.globalstewards.org/sustainable-lifestyle.htm
Inside the Slovakian Ecocapsule That Takes Tiny House Living Off the Grid
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