Material Choice vs Longevity: Finding the Balance in Sustainable Fashion

Material Choice vs Longevity: Finding the Balance in Sustainable Fashion

I’ve been wrestling with a puzzle: if I’m passionate about sustainability, should I even sell clothing at all? It feels contradictory, but at the same time I know clothing creates jobs, people like buying things, and we all need clothes – all of that is something to wrestle with in another blog post. But for today, the topic of interest is: material choice versus longevity, and what that means for sustainability. 

One of the main reasons I wrote this blog post is because I bought a sample of one of my own products, didn’t follow the washing instructions (technically it was my husband that didn’t!) and so even though I’d had the top less than a month the printed design looked worn and old.  I then went into panic mode that I wasn’t offering good quality products as this was such an easy mistake to make.  A google and ChatGPT rabbit hole swiftly followed which I’ve tried to summarise in a sensible way below.

(For reference the crime my husband committed was washing a 100% organic cotton T-Shirt with water based inks at 40 degrees, and the biggest sin of all, putting it in the tumble dryer.)

Material Choices: Organic vs Conventional 

One of my brand missions is to work with suppliers committed to sustainability and provide quality materials for my customers. But using premium organic fibres and eco-friendly inks doesn’t automatically guarantee a long-lasting garment. 

Organic cotton + water-based (or vegetable) inks 

• Pros: Fewer pesticides, resulting in lower chemical runoff, better for soil and water
• Cons: Prints can fade faster and extra care required to maintain longevity

Conventional cotton or synthetic blends 

• Pros: Durable, holds colour longer, easier care
• Cons: Heavy pesticide and water use (for cotton), chemical dyes, microplastics (for synthetics), limited biodegradability

So I started to think well even the “cleanest” materials can loose their sustainability edge if the garment doesn’t last. If the print looks tatty and you want to replace it, that still adds to environmental impact.  And probably going to pee (not sure how senstive the readers are to P@%S) customers off along the way because it's easier to damage the clothing in aftercare. Am I making the right choices?

My other bug bear is that to be truly sustainable it also puts the responsibility on the consumer to make sure they are caring for and disposing of their clothing sustainably. Maybe that’s okay, and maybe there isn’t a better solution right now. I’m not sure, but it’s something I've been thinking about. 

Sustainability Metrics

From my research it seems that when evaluating clothing sustainability, there are a few key metrics to consider (thanks ChatGPT): 

Production impact | water, pesticides, energy

Use-phase impact | washing frequency, water/energy use, detergent, drying.

End-of-life | biodegradability, recyclability, landfill risk

If an organic tee shows fading after six months and a customer wants to replace it, while a conventional one lasts three years, the “impact per wear” could actually be higher for the organic option. Which again goes back to the responsibility going back to the consumer to ensure they care properly for their clothes.

Quantitative Comparison: Lifespan, Material, and Impact 

I'm just gonna come clean and say the below section was a total AI drop, soz:

Let’s look at a simplified model using published life cycle assessment data. We compare different scenarios for organic and conventional/fast-fashion tees. 

Key takeaway: longevity dramatically affects sustainability. Even high-impact production can become low-impact per wear if the garment is worn frequently and cared for properly. 

Microplastics and Skin Exposure 

Another hot topic, sustainability isn’t just about environmental footprint as synthetic fabrics can apparently also impact human health. Polyester, nylon, and acrylic shed microplastics during wear and washing. A single domestic wash can release hundreds of thousands of fibres into wastewater (Napper & Thompson, 2016). 

Emerging research suggests that friction from wearing synthetic fabrics can transfer fibres directly onto the skin, mixing with sweat and oils. Microplastics may accumulate in skin creases and hair follicles, though long-term health effects are still being studied (Medical News Today. (2024, April 19)). 

Natural fibres like organic cotton, linen, and hemp don’t release persistent plastics and are fully biodegradable. Choosing these materials reduces environmental impact and potential personal exposure which is a hidden benefit often overlooked. 

The Cost of Sustainability: Money, Access, and Fairness 

Ultra-low-cost clothing often comes at someone else’s expense. A £5 t-shirt likely means underpaid workers, poor working conditions, or unfairly compensated farmers. The low consumer price hides these human and environmental costs. 

However another reality and conundrum: price. Truly sustainable garments cost more due to factors such as organic fibres, fair labour, eco-inks, and low-waste production are not cheap. Not everyone can afford them, and I want to acknowledge that. My goal is not to make anyone feel guilty for choosing cheaper options, and I know most of us all try to do our bit in different ways. 

As a small business owner, and someone new to this industry, I certainly don’t have all the answers or doing things perfectly, but I want to make choices that to the best of my knowledge ensure everyone in the supply chain is treated fairly and with respect.  This is what I am choosing to prioritise vs. making super afforable clothing.

Consumer Care Matters 

To extend the life of eco-printed garments the key advice is

• Wash cold (≤30 °C) 
• Use gentle detergent 
• Air-dry 

Hot washes and tumble drying can drastically reduce lifespan. While some consumers prioritise organic or natural dyes even if they fade, others may unintentionally reduce sustainability by washing incorrectly and then discarding itmes early. 

Practical Takeaways for Consumers 

1. Maximise wears: the more times a garment is worn, the lower its impact per use
2. Ensure proper aftercare: cold washing, gentle detergents, and air-drying prolong life
3. Think about end of life options (this is something I hope I can help with in the future): like take-back, recycling, or composting
4. What are your personal priorities? Are you able to opt for organic, natural fibres for environmental and potential personal health benefits (compared to synthetics). 
5. Be transparent: communicate trade-offs with honesty, and encourage thoughtful

Final Thoughts 

Choosing sustainable materials is just the start. Durability, consumer care, fair supply chains, and longevity all matter. Sustainability is a combination of better materials, smarter production, longer use, and ethical responsibility. 

By focusing on wear rate, after-care education, and circularity, we can move beyond “sustainable materials” to truly sustainable garments without shaming anyone, but still holding ourselves accountable to the people and planet behind the clothes. 

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Disclaimer 

The quantitative models and calculations in this post were assisted by AI tools to help organise and estimate data from published sources. All references cited are from reputable studies, and any illustrative numbers should be interpreted as approximations for educational purposes rather than precise values. 

References / Further Reading 

1. Napper, I. E., & Thompson, R. C. (2016). Release of synthetic microplastic fibres from domestic washing machines: Effects of fabric type and washing conditions. Article Link
2. Lifecycle Analysis (LCA) of a Cotton T‑Shirt: Investigation of Sustainability Hot Spots. ResearchGate 
3. GreenStory Blog. Organic Cotton: How does it compare to other sustainable materials? GreenStory 
4. IFEU. (2022). Environmental footprints of cotton and cotton fibres. IFEU 
5. Soil Association. Cotton and Climate Change. Soil Association
6. MDPI. (2019). Factors Allowing Users to Influence the Environmental Performance of a T‑Shirt. MDPI Sustainability