Fabrics from sustainably produced fibres
At HAVEP, we place a high priority on sustainable fabrics. There are 2 kinds of sustainable fabrics: fabrics made from sustainable raw materials and recycle-friendly fabrics. In the case of fabrics made from sustainable resources, the production process has far less of a negative impact on the environment than that of conventional fabrics. Organic cotton and Tencel® / Lyocell are good examples of this, both of which are available from HAVEP.
Sustainable raw materials
Of course, all raw materials production for clothing has by definition an environmental impact. Synthetic fabrics such as nylon, polyester and acrylic are made from crude oil, a non-recyclable raw material. The production of cotton and other natural-fibre fabrics requires a lot of water and arable land. There are ways, however, of significantly reducing the ecological footprint of the production of such materials. And that is what we mean by fabrics made from sustainably produced fibres.
Organic cotton
The production of cotton typically consumes a lot of water and land. However, it also requires large amounts of pesticides. In fact, the cotton industry is responsible for around 20% of the global use of pesticides. Organic cotton therefore offers a good alternative to ordinary cotton. Because organic cotton employs natural pest-control techniques vs. chemical solutions. Damaging insects are, for example, repelled with a mixture of garlic and so-called ‘pheromone traps’. And to avoid soil degradation – another problem associated with cotton production – organic cotton farms employ crop rotation with grain and legume crops to maintain a healthy top soil. Organic cotton, in other words, looks and feels the same as ordinary cotton but has a much lower impact on the environment.
Tencel® / lyocell
While organic cotton is still better for the environment than ordinary cotton, it still requires a lot of water and arable land. The production of lyocell, however, better known by its commercial name, Tencel®, requires considerably less land, water and energy. Which adds up to a significant saving for our environment. Tencel® / Lyocell is made from wood pulp derived from sustainable agriculture. The trees are not irrigated and only a minimal amount of fertiliser is used. The yield per hectare is much larger than that of cotton. Tencel® / Lyocell is also 98% biodegradable and uses much less chemicals during production.
The benefits of Tencel® / Lyocell
The fibres of Tencel® / Lyocell fabric are smooth, which results in a delightfully soft feel against the skin. On top of that, it is very strong (just as strong as polyester) and keeps you cool in summer and warm in winter. The material is also very absorbent and breathable. So if you sweat a lot while working, Tencel® / Lyocell will wick the sweat away from your skin, preventing the growth of bacteria and keeping you feeling – and smelling – fresher.
Using Tencel® / lyocell
Our recently released multi-standard line, the HAVEP® Multi Shield meets the requirements of 7 environmental and safety standards. And because the range uses Tencel® / Lyocell, the resulting workwear is much lighter and more comfortable than traditional multi-standard workwear. Durable, sustainable and incredibly strong: you can have it all with HAVEP® Multi Shield.