Natural clothing is in great demand and is being sold in many clothing stores

No, natural clothing is not your skin of your birthday suit but rather the use of natural plant material to make clothing.   As persons become more and more environmentally aware, there is a developing market for clothing made from natural fibers.  These clothes are often marketed to persons who are sensitive to environmental issues and who may have particularly sensitive skin or who wish to experience the comfort and ease of wearing clothes made from plants such as cotton, hemp, bamboo, soya bean and linen.

Eco-clothing is considered friendly to the environment and it is made of natural fibers and usually requires little or no use of pesticides when cultivated. The production process also focuses on using low levels of or no chemicals use. These clothing use no synthetic material.

Hemp medicinal herb is used to make clothes

A favourite natural fabric is hemp. This fabric is lightweight, strong, said to have antibacterial properties and is long-lasting. There is a stigma attached to the use of hemp for clothing by some persons. However, as they associate it with the ganja plant. Hemp does come from the ganja plant but not from the type that is used for recreational smoking.  This negative association has led to restrictions in some areas on the cultivation of hemp for commercial reasons. While hemp clothing has been around for awhile, clothing made from bamboo is a growing trend. These clothes are said to be crease resistant, very soft, comfortable and cool.

Production cost of natural clothing

Eco-clothing is often marketed to persons who can afford them. The great care taken in the production process often means that production takes place on a smaller scale than that of synthetic clothing. The result is usually a higher production cost which is passed on to the consumer. Persons interested in Eco-clothing are often willing to pay for any additional costs as it allows them to live out their belief of protecting the environment and also to experience the many benefits of wearing Eco-clothing.

Clearly, not all persons will be able to afford eco-clothing. There is a lot to be said, however, for the great features that eco-clothing brings to the wearers such a comfort and natural protection from ultraviolet rays. We can expect to hear a lot more about clothes made from new fabrics such as bamboo and soya been protein. Who knows, maybe very soon going 'au natural' will take on new meaning.

Written by Ann Marie Rodriques

Peace Water Services

The Jamaican Star

Saturday, October 15, 2011

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Banana leaves clothing

This might sound hilarious, but they are a few people in Jamaica who love natural clothes as well and so make their clothes from the dried banana leaves.  Some people are not really fascinated about the idea, but for those who wear it, it is just a natural clothing feeling.

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