Green Options

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Gossypium is an independent online shop based in the UK that makes clothing, bedding, and accessories that are fair trade and environmentally friendly. Their Ethical and Eco Practices page is a model for any textile business. Luckily for crafters, they also offer some of their fabrics by the yard.

Their organic cotton fabrics are fair trade certified, and printed using water based ink. They have two different kinds of fabric: a woven shirting weight fabric that’s 240 cm wide, and an interlock fabric sold in 160 cm width. The interlock is the prints, which are all kiddo friendly: bugs, farm, puppies, and the jungle print shown here. The woven fabrics are a denim stripe, three checks, and a natural, recommended for bedding, curtains, and clothing.

OK, so the penguins in top hats are a little cheesy, but I’m always pleased to find organic cotton PRINTS. There’s a wealth of solids out there, but few prints. And since it was over 100 degrees for more days than EVER last month in Austin, I’ll take cool thoughts where I can get them. (In case you like the penguins, though, it’s a 54 inch wide organic cotton jersey knit.)

Penguins aren’t all that Wildrose Farm Organics has to offer, though. They have a range of fabrics available in either blanket form or by the yard, since their primary business is making clothing and rugs from organic and sustainable textiles.

Isn’t it nice to learn about a company that so admirably exceeds the goal of sales?

Tenfold Organic Textiles bills themselves as “specialists in providing naturally dyed organic cotton products.” In addition to towels and women and men’s clothing, they also sell their organic fabrics by the yard. Tenfold Organic Textiles was founded in January 2006 to provide organic fabric to consumers, manufacturers, and retailers.

Their fabric is a 200 thread count plain weave cotton, which they recommend for quilts, clothing, and bedding. Currently the only fabric colors available are solids: madder red, pom orange, myra yellow, kasam olive, ash pink, bark brown, soot black, and sun white.

Hanky Panky is taking its ultra comfortable line eco-chic. Now, their lace trimmed undies (that can convert any thong phobic into a fan) come in all organic supima cotton. Fabulously stylish and shockingly comfy, it’s nice to have one of my favorite lines taking some of their products organic. I’ll hope for the day that all companies take the hint and go ‘all in,’ but for now, I’ll stock up on this organic line (available at Neiman’s) to [...]

So far in the Fabulous Fabrics series, I’ve been looking at offerings from independent designers as well as specialty online shops. We’ve seen organic cotton, recycled fleece, hemp, and other fabrics that try to step more lightly on our common home.

That’s great for people reading this blog and other green crafting blogs, but large scale change is going to require many, many crafters demanding organic and other earth-friendly products. If all the products are sequestered in little green boutiques, that’s going to be a slow process. What about the crafters who aren’t reading this blog? Do they know these products exist? Have any of these products gone mainstream? I went on a hunt through some of the biggest mainstream fabric shops’ websites to find out.

Kelly posted last week about natural alternatives to icky synthetic fiber felt. I’d like to offer another green twist on a crafting staple: EcoSpun felt from Hart’s Fabric.

EcoSpun felt is made from post-consumer recycled PET plastic bottles. It’s sold in a 72″ width for $5.99 a yard with a minimum order of one yard.

PET, in case you were wondering, is polyethylene terephthalate. PET is the plastic used to make #1 bottles.

I am so impressed with the folks at Kee-Ka! They sell adorable organic cotton clothing and accessories for babies/toddlers/pets with simple graphics (sweet pea, pumpkin and lion are my personal favorites). All metal closures are nickel free and they utilize fair trade manufacturing standards.

But what makes this company truly stand out is the packaging! See, when you purchase a Kee-Ka item it comes housed in this nifty little brown box crafted of recycled paper that is ready to be mailed in three simple steps. No digging for wrapping paper, no searching for tape, no “This looks like my kid wrapped it” thoughts. Nada.

For many, access to a good LYS (local yarn shop) is practically nonexistent. The closest place to get yarn, any yarn (not including eco-friendly options) comes in a big box.

Luckily, one brand that is commonly found in said box stores is Lion Brand and even more luckier is that Lion Brand now has an organic cotton yarn. Hallelujah!

Lion Brand Organic Cotton is free from herbicides, pesticides and other agro-chemicals. It comes in [...]

The name of the website is Organic Cotton, the company behind it is Fabrics Ltd. in Mid Wales. Either way, this is an amazing find. Their collection of organic cotton fabrics blew me away. Solids, plaids, and stripes. Unbleached calico. Four colors of denim. Sateen. Jersey. And my favorite, a blue on white ocean print!

If anyone should be put in charge of the craft supply store of our collective dreams, I nominate these people. Surely we can convince them to expand from fabrics into notions and other supplies if we’re persistent.

Why am I such a fan, even though I haven’t ordered anything (yet)?

Amenity designs bedding, pillows, wall art prints and nursery decor. Luckily for us, they also offer four of their fabrics in running yardage, printed on a blend of organic cotton and hemp. All of their fabrics are “printed by hand with non-toxic, water-based, eco-friendly dyes.”

Amenity’s fabric designs are based on nature, with names like “river” and “cove.” Don’t think about cute little leaf prints, though, except in their nursery collection. As you can see from the pillows above, made up in their “trail” fabric, we’re talking about some seriously bold and funky design.