Cotton, Linen, Rayon & More: Which Fabric Is The Most Environmentally Friendly?

With climate change at the forefront of our minds, a lot of brands are working to create more sustainable and environmentally friendly clothing, including one famous brand (we won’t name) that claims their cotton underwear is Australian grown. 

While they’re not necessarily telling mistruths about the source of their cotton, they leave out the fact that the cotton is then shipped to Indonesia to be made into underwear. But they’re not alone; many brands are alluding to the fact that they are a more sustainable option compared to other brands, but really – how sustainable and environmentally friendly is cotton? 

Science journalist for Cosmos, Ellen Phiddian breaks down how cotton is made, why it may not be as environmentally friendly as we might have thought and how a cotton crop in South Australia is impacting the Murray Darling Basin River. 

We also find out which types of material have the least environmental impact and how we can become more environmentally conscious when picking out our clothes. 

Tune into the full episode of Huh? Science Explained below… 

Huh? Science Explained is here, the twice-weekly podcast brought to you byLiSTNRand Cosmos.