"If civilization has risen from the Stone Age, it can rise again from the Wastepaper Age."
- Jacques Barzun

Sustainable living is no longer an environmentalist pipe dream and excessive squandering of our resources is something all of us as humans can no longer afford. Living green may sound difficult at first, but it really is attainable with a little effort. One way to begin your environmentally conscious life is by shopping for eco friendly apparel.

There are several ways that clothing can be environmentally friendly. First, they can be produced using organic, renewable, or recycled fibers. These terms may be new to you, so I'll give some simple definitions:

Organic Clothing

True organic clothing is made out of organic fibers, frequently cotton. This means that the cotton was grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides, and other harmful chemicals. However, the garment still may be dyed with inorganic substances.

Renewable Clothing

Renewable clothing is made out of highly renewable and durable materials such as hemp and bamboo. These plants require far less resources to grow than cotton and leave a lesser environmental footprint.

Recycled Fibers

Clothing made out of recycled fibers use polyester or acryllic that has been made out of recycled plastic. These garments bring new life to those old soda bottles!

More and more stores are starting to offer environmentally friendly clothing, and the price for an organic cotton shirt is typically not much higer than that of one made of regular cotton.  But be warned, many shirts that claim they are made of organic cotton are typically not %100 percent organic.  Make sure to check the label!!

The easiest way to ensure that you are getting %100 organic clothing is to shop online at specialty outlets.  A lot of these will also sell hemp, bamboo, and recycled apparel.

One final way to have an eco friendly wardrobe is by purchasing previously worn clothing. This clothing may not be organic, renewable, or recycled, but it is definitely a form of post consumer recycling. You are giving these garments a new life, and keeping them out of landfills and incenerators.

Thrift shops and vintage stores will be the place to visit.