Xiamen Unitex Trade Co., Ltd. is a professional underwear sourcing & supply-chain management company based in Xiamen, Fujian Province, in the Xiamen–Quanzhou–Jinjiang knitwear cluster of south-east China. Founded by Will Lin, who has worked in the apparel trade since 2004, the company has been exporting since 2009 and was incorporated in Xiamen in 2013. It runs its own liaison office in Jinjiang and works with a network of BSCI & OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified partner factories to serve retailers and brands across Europe, the US and Australia.
Nowadays, with the global advocacy for protecting the environment, sustainable fabric is emerging in endlessly, and everyone may be confused, just like you will never find your favorite comfortable breathable underwear for men and best women’s brief underwear.
What sustainable fashion really means, combining different aspects including ethical business practices, supply chain transparency, minimum impact policies, giving back programs, and the sustainable materials that make up your wardrobe.
When it comes to pollution, the fashion industry is one of the biggest polluters in the world. The materials that make up fabric directly impact and contribute to consumption, micro plastics pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, soil degradation, rainforest destruction, and landfills.
If you think that fabric is the beginning of protecting the environment, then today we will learn about the sustainable fabric used by some brands.
Sustainable Natural and Plant-based Fabric
01. Organic Cotton
Organic cotton is one of the most natural fabric. It is grown without pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, and it is processed without chemicals. From an ecological standpoint, organic cotton farming uses 62% less energy and 88% less water than conventional cotton. The associated certification certifies that the cotton was grown and processed without any chemicals, ensuring that the final garment is chemical-free.
Organic clothing brands use this fabric in almost all types of clothing: organic underwear, organic mattress protectors, organic maternity clothing, organic baby clothing, and more.
Certifications: USDA-Certified Organic, Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Organic Content Standard (OCS), Better Cotton Standard, Fair Trade, Bluesign, Oeko-Tex 100.
02. Recycled Cotton
Recycled cotton is produced from post-industrial or post-consumer waste. Used by many slow fashion brands, this means your favorite cotton underwear or sustainable jeans are made from industrial waste or other recycled cotton clothing.
Certifications: Global Recycle Standard (GRS), Recycled Content Standard (RCS), Oeko-Tex 100.
03. Organic Hemp
Hemp is one of the most environmentally friendly natural fabric. It has high yields, is good for soil growth, and requires far less water than cotton. It is considered a negative carbon feedstock, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Because it has so many benefits (like natural sun protection and antibacterials) and is more difficult to grow, hemp tends to be slightly more expensive than other sustainable organic fabric.
Certifications: USDA-Certified Organic, Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Organic Content Standard (OCS), Oeko-Tex 100, Bluesign.
04. Organic Linen
Flax is almost identical to hemp in terms of sustainability. The fabric is super light and breathable, the only difference is that the linen is extracted from the flax plant. Its growth requires very little fertilizer, pesticides and irrigation. Unlike hemp, however, flax isn’t very productive.
However, linen is still relatively popular, and textiles ranging from linen clothing to linen bed sheets are meant to be the most popular fabric.
Certifications: USDA-Certified Organic, Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Organic Content Standard (OCS), Oeko-Tex 100, Bluesign.
05. Organic Bamboo (Bamboo Hemp)
When harvesting bamboo, it can be done without killing the plant itself. This means that bamboo can renew very quickly and is one of the fastest growing plants on the planet. Like hemp, bamboo consumes more carbon dioxide than some trees. And it doesn’t require a lot of investment, and it can survive close to the rain.
Organic bamboo can be one of the most sustainable fabrics out there, but that doesn’t mean it’s always been. Depending on how it is processed, it may involve chemically intensive processes with harmful effects. Machining attention is a more environmentally friendly way, but only a small part of the market.
Certifications: Forest Stewardship Council, USDA-Certified Organic, Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Organic Content Standard (OCS), Fair Trade, Oeko-Tex 100, Bluesign.
06. Cork Fabric
The cork cloth has left the wooden board and the bottle from the stereotype and is close to our clothes. This material has become a popular material for vegan bags and shoes. Cork is harvested from cork oak trees by scraping off the bark.
When a cork oak regrows its bark, it consumes more carbon dioxide than most types of trees. So cork plantations can actually act as carbon sinks. Once the cork is picked, it can be left to dry in the sun and transformed into a fashionable product with just water.
Sustainable Synthetic Fabric
01. ECONYL
ECONYL is a regenerated nylon, using new nylon fabrics synthesized from marine plastics, discarded fishing nets, and discarded fabrics. While it feels identical to nylon, the fabric is made using a closed-loop system that doesn’t require as much water.
Certifications: Global Recycle Standard, Recycled Content Standard (RCS), Oeko-Tex 100.
02. RPET
Recycled polyester also known as RPET, single-use plastic is clearly wreaking havoc on our environment, and many brands have figured out ways to give landfill bags, bottles and textiles a second life.
Recycled polyester is versatile and can take on many different feel and functions. Recycled polyester can be used to create light, stretchy sports, as well as thick and fluffy sustainable products. Sustainable fashion brands like Patagonia, prAna and Reformation have been using it for years.
Certifications: Global Recycle Standard, Recycled Content Standard (RCS), Oeko-Tex 100.
Our hope is that by sharing our clothing ingredients, we can help everyone make more positive choices about how they want to dress and how they impact the planet.
Most of us know that global warming is damage for the planet, and the global fashion industry produces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and a lot of waste. For everyone who cares about the natural environment, the focus is on reducing emissions.
Unitex underwear supplier has you covered because we are passionate about sustainable and affordable fashion underwear. Let’s be part of the change the world needs together!
· Xiamen Unitex Trade Co., Ltd. — OEM & ODM underwear sourcing partner