Organic Clothes are Eco-Fabulous but What About Wrinkles?

Organic clothes made from natural fiber are good for you and better for the planet.  However, some eco-friendly clothes wrinkle more than others, which can be an issue.  If you’re someone who prefers to be primped and pressed, EcoChics Earthwear recommends you consider the fabric and thread-count before you go shopping.  Certain fabric weaves are less likely to wrinkle such as knits for cellulose fibers like cotton, hemp, and bamboo.  Silk –natural or not, is a notorious wrinkler but Ahimsa silk has been shown to be more wrinkle-resistant. Ahimsa silk is also called, “Peace Silk” because the silk worms are allowed to live and not destroyed the way they are for conventional silk production.  If you purchase an Ahimsa silk garment, you’ll be smooth and feel satisfied, knowing you’ve done your part to help the silk worms.  Wool fibers also wrinkle less because of their natural elasticity but your wool skirt can still be pretty creased by the end of the day.  A general rule to follow is to look for tightly woven wool fabric, like Worsted wools.  The tighter the weave, the less susceptible woolen fabric is to wrinkling, with loosely-woven wools being the most wrinkled after wear. No matter what the natural fiber, remember that the higher the thread-count, the less likely the material is to crease and wrinkle. 

If you have purchased eco-friendly fashion, which you love, but are wrestling with wrinkles, consider alternative ways to launder your clothes. One of the best ways to ensure natural clothing stays soft and smooth is to dry it outside on a line instead of using a traditional tumble-dryer.  The breeze blowing through the fabric will dry the clothes quicker and keep the natural fibers flexible, which is what makes them soft.  Certain organic clothes, like bamboo, actually require line-drying or flat drying. Tumble dryers will cause bamboo clothes to lose their shape all together and shrink - alot.  Organic cotton clothes also benefit from drying flat. However, if you can't wait to wear your favorite EcoChics Earthwear, EcoPeace Tunic and threw it in the dryer, take it out as soon as it's done to wear, hang, or fold. If organic clothes are left in a wrinkled pile, they’ll look like it. If you’ve chosen your natural fabrics carefully and dried them properly but they still have wrinkles, then steam should do the trick.  A steam iron will provide heat and moisture to the garment to relax the fibers and remove the wrinkles.  You can also hang some clothes overnight, like woolens, which will naturally pull out wrinkles. 

For more tips on keeping your eco-friendly fashion fabulous and wrinkle-free, email the EcoChics at ecochics@jessicaclay.com .