Eco-Dictionary

Sustainability 

Sustainability is a series of methods, systems, and materials that preserve resources for later generations, based on the three pillars of economy, society, and environment. NEEMIC believes in the possibility of celebrating fashion without damaging the earth and makes sustainability one of its core values. We implement sustainability policies in sourcing (using mostly leftover or organically produced materials), production (local and fair) and other operations. 

 

Organic 

Organic is a general method of farming where natural processes are maintained and pollution through chemical fertilizers and pesticides is avoided. Compared to conventional farming, organic practices have a lower carbon footprint, save water, increase biodiversity and preserve landscapes. There are many labels that certify specific standards. In the textile industry, the “Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)” is a leading label that guarantees responsible farming and processing. 

 

Up-cycling

Up-cycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials or better quality products. Up-cycling in fashion means that discarded clothes are reclaimed, recut and redesigned, which reduces textile waste. NEEMIC occasionally uses up-cycling techniques and generally sources unused rest materials from high-end fabric production. 

 

Natural Dyes

Natural Dyes are dyes derived mostly from plants like berries, roots, bark, leaves, and sometimes even from Cochineal or Octopus. While synthetic dyes make more colours and properties available, this industry still releases millions of tons of untreated effluents into our rivers. NEEMICs organic ramie pieces are made with traditional herbal dyeing techniques from Anhui Province in China.   

 

Cotton 

Cotton farming uses 24% of all pesticides (25 million t) and 11% of fertilizers globally. This creates pollution, resource depletion and global warming. Cotton is also a huge consumer of fresh water (20’000l per kg) and responsible for the disappearance of the Aral sea. Organic Cotton is grown without the use of chemical pesticides and by using natural fertilizers; it has lower greenhouse gas emissions and is not genetically engineered.

 

Bamboo Fabric

Bamboo can be considered one of the most eco-friendly materials on the market. It grows very fast (1m/d) with much lower fertilizer needs than most other fibres. It naturally produces its own pest repellent and therefore requires almost no pesticide. It is rarely irrigated and can grow where other crops can’t; lastly, the mostly manual harvest needs very little energy. However, there is a debate whether the processing of bamboo into fabric is really sustainable, because during the transformation process solvents have to be used. 

 

Ramie

Ramie, also called China grass, is a bast fibre. It’s use dates back to 5000–3300 BC when it was utilized to wrap mummies. It is one of the strongest natural fibres and holds shapes very well. The extraction and cleaning process is time consuming, as is the weaving due to the brittle quality and low elasticity. Therefore, it is a fairly exclusive fabric in fashion. 

 

GOTS

GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) is a leading global standard for textiles made from organic fibres. It defines high-level environmental criteria along the entire textiles supply chain and requires compliance with social criteria as well. For more information, visit www.global-standard.org.

 

Flax / Linen 

Flax is the plant from which linen fibre is obtained. Conventionally grown linen also uses pesticides and fertilizers, but much less than cotton. NEEMIC sources predominantly linen with GOTS organic certification. 

 

Hemp

Hemp fibre has been used for thousands of years. It is strong, with a similar texture to linen. Hemp absorbs more greenhouse gases than its production releases and uses only about a fifth of the water cotton uses. Together with its chemical free harvesting and production process makes it very environmentally friendly.

 

Sweat Shop

A Sweat Shop is a factory where workers produce clothes under bad working conditions. They are often exposed to harmful materials, dangerous situations, extreme temperatures, abusive conditions, extended overtime hours, low wages and child labour. All NEEMIC designs are produced in Beijing with a small group of local trusted tailors, who are long-term business partners and working independent.

 

Wool

Wool is a natural fibre obtained from animals. Apart from sheep wool, special wools are obtained from other animals: cashmere from the cashmere goat, mohair from the angora goat, angora from the angora rabbit, and alpaca from a South American camel, to name a few. Wool is renewable and biodegradable or easily recyclable. Most wool-producing animal graze on pastures that require no chemical and energy inputs, although the dying and finishing of the fibre often does. An important criteria of organic wool production is that the animal density is not higher than the land can support. Most of the organic wool comes from New Zealand and Australia. 

 

Fashion Revolution Day

The Fashion Revolution Day Movement was founded after the big Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh where the garment factory building collapsed and over 1000 people died. On the first fashion revolution day on April 24, people were motivated to wear their clothes inside out to change the way people look at clothes. For more information, visit www.fashionrevolution.org.

 

Natural fibres

Natural textile fibres include plant and animal fibres. Producing natural fibres uses far less energy than synthetic fabrics such as polyester, acrylic or nylon. They are biodegradable, while the wastes of synthetic fabrics are pollutants when released to the environment. They also have generally much lower CO2 emissions, although natural fibres can also contribute to global warming when farmed with artificial fertilizers. Some natural fabrics may contain small quantities of synthetic fibres for certain properties. NEEMIC uses no synthetic fabric in its designs and gives preference to organic sources.  

 

Silk 

Silk is produced from the cocoons of pupating silk moth larvae, and rarely from of other insects. Its use as a high-value fibre dates back at least 4500 years. Silk moth larvae feed exclusively on the leaves of mulberry trees. The environmental impact of mulberry/silk farms is relatively low, although non-organic silk may be produced using some chemical fertilizers and pesticides.