Designer Fabric or Plastic: What are You Wearing Today?

Petroleum or old water bottles – which would you prefer on your body?

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Recent independent research shows that up to 90% of mainstream women’s clothing contains polyester or fleece – both being synthetic fibres formed upon a chemical reaction between an acid and alcohol. By definition, polyester is a type of plastic originally derived from coal, air, water and petroleum. As a clothing fabric, it is cheap, quick, and easy, and so most commercially-sold clothes are now made of this man-made material.

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Unfortunately, since polyester is largely petroleum-based, environmentally-friendly manufacturers are now thinking of new ways to create polyester using a more sustainable method. Therefore, the latest development in the clothing manufacturing world is the use of recycled plastic. In America, one of the state-wide recycling associations recently had a fashion show called “From Plastic to Fantastic”, where some of the clothes that were displayed and modelled were made from recycled plastic bottles.

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It seems rather scary that your newest top could be made from the lemonade bottle you drank from three months ago. Of course, that may be a far-fetched idea; recycled plastic does have to go through a series of processes before reaching the shelf of your favourite clothing store. However, the fact is – the very fibres that make up a Calvin Klein suit could very well have once been the remains of a Chinese take-away container.

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Feeling a bit apprehensive now? Not to worry. If you don’t relish wearing a cross-combination of petroleum, acid and recycled Coke bottles on your body, there is good news. There are still stores that sell completely natural fashion products. There is still fabric available that is entirely derived from quality pure silk, pure cotton, and pure wool. The benefits of having your clothing made from natural fibre are:

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d’Italia, a designer fabric store located in Malvern (Melbourne, Australia), imports Italian silk and French lace directly from Europe. The fabric comes from the same European fashion houses which supply to the biggest names in haute couture.

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d’Italia prides itself in providing completely natural fabric. The main trademark of d’Italia is its wedding dress material. The pure silk satin and chiffon and French silk trims are unmatched in natural quality and uniqueness. A major plus-point is the dressmaker referral system that the shop offers. Some of Australia’s best dressmakers (especially in the wedding arena) are affiliates of d’Italia, and reservations can be made through the store for tailoring and fitting appointments.