Is voile vegan and sustainable? These are questions every ethical consumer asks. Here is how buying voile will impact you, the environment, animals and laborers.
Fabric, materials and textiles are things we consume often. If you’re like me, you do all the research you can to make sure you don’t hurt yourself, the planet, animals or others when shopping. As an ethical consumer myself, I am giving you all the info I’ve found on voile.
You are going to learn all about voile’s vegan and sustainability status. Additionally, the following info will include voile advantages and disadvantages for your home, whether voile is a natural fiber, biodegradable…or perhaps even destructive!
After learning if voile is vegan and sustainable you will be able to make the best choices you can the next time you shop.
This post is all about learning if voile is vegan and sustainable.
Is Voile Vegan And Sustainable?
HOME
Versatility: pros voile is soft, fine, lightweight, sheer fabric, a slightly crisp feel, see-through, has a good drape, used to make summer clothes and curtains, finely combed yarns and products such as blouses, dresses, curtains, nightgowns, lingerie
Affordability: prices may vary
Voile is…
- Versatile
ENVIRONMENT
Fiber source: natural or synthetic, voile is usually made of natural fibers if 100% cotton or a blend of cotton and linen, or voile may be semi-synthetic if cotton blends include polyester
Biodegradable: yes or no, voile may or may not be biodegradable, voile is biodegradable if organic cotton is used, it can take as little as 1 to 5 months for organic cotton to completely biodegrade, close to an apple core which takes approximately 2 months but when biodegradable fibers, such as cotton is mixed with non-biodegradable fibers like polyester the resulting yarn of such a mix is no longer biodegradable and is unsuitable for value retention in biological cycles, it may take up to 200 years for synthetic textiles such as polyester to decompose
Destruction: low to high, voile production may be relatively low if organic cotton is used or relatively high if polyester is blended, organic cotton it is grown on fields where the soil is free of all artificial pesticides or insecticides, “Up to 16% of the world’s pesticides are used in (non-organic) cotton farming every year. The chemicals degrade soil and pollute water as well as poisoning cotton pickers”, grown without harmful chemicals, doesn’t destroy ecosystems, known to improve soil quality, synthetic materials like polyester rely on petrochemical industries, meaning synthetic materials dependent on fossil fuel extraction
Voile is…
- Sustainable if organic cotton
- Unsustainable if blended with polyester
ANIMALS
Kills: none, voile production does not require any animals to be killed
Harms: none, voile production does not require any animals to be used
Indirectly kills or harms: none, no pesticides are used when producing organic cotton, which spares ecosystems and wildlife from exposure to toxic chemicals, buy organic, as pesticides undoubtably harm and kill wildlife and ecosystems by contaminating soil, water, air and plants that animals eat
Voile is…
- Vegan
- Harmful to wildlife and ecosystems
LABORERS
Health and safety: varies, overall, agriculture continues to be one of the most dangerous industries, farmworkers may be subject to dehydration, heat stroke, unprotected exposure to harmful, toxic chemicals and pesticides, unsafe machinery and clean drinking water may not always accessible
Living conditions: varies, laborers are often exploited, they may face tough working conditions including long hours in the sun and heat performing physically exhausting tasks, labor laws and rights may or may not be in place, even if worker protection exists, employer violations may go unreported, refugees and migrant workers are especially vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment, fearing consequences of job loss or deportation
Wages: varies, generally farmworkers earn meager wages, there are many cases of underpaid agricultural workers, wage theft and no overtime payment or benefits
Voile…
- May involve worker exploitation, laborer issues, human rights concerns
voile is…
For every 5 garments produced, the equivalent of 3 end up in a landfill or incinerated each year!
One reason for such wastefulness is society’s ever growing desire to acquire. Fast fashion (creating low-priced items at high volumes) is problematic for a number of reasons and promotes the attitude that clothing is nearly disposable.
But another component of such a quick turnaround on clothing is because it’s just not lasting long enough. Snags, stains, warping and shrinkage render items unusable and unacceptable for the donation pile. Avoid such problems by buying better quality, more durable, long lasting materials. Timeless wardrobe favorites that last for years and years are more sustainable and reduce the need for replacements.
Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck full of textiles burns or goes to landfills…
Keep minimalism in mind and buy less, borrow and buy items second hand. Thrift shops offer many inexpensive, unique finds that have already proven to stand the test of time!
voile is sustainable if organic cotton and unsustainable if polyester.
Materials from animals are natural fibers and biodegradable unless heavily treated with chemicals. However, they are not at all eco-friendly or sustainable due to the overwhelming strain on natural resources; the water needed, food needed and land usage that must happen for such abundant amounts of animals to live.
Animal agriculture is not good for the environment, human health and of course, the animals themselves. Thus, animal derived, non-vegan materials are not only cruel and inhumane but environmentally unsustainable.
That’s not to say that all vegan materials are sustainable. There are many vegan yet unsustainable fabrics, materials and textiles. Most of us don’t realize that washing one synthetic garment releases about 2,000 plastic microfibers which then enter the ocean and food chain…or that 30% of rayon and viscose used in fashion comes from endangered and ancient forests. So because a fabric is vegan it does not necessarily mean that it is sustainable, eco-friendly and so on.
Natural fibers like cotton are actually really harmful IF they are not organic. How? Cotton seeds are often GMOs that require pesticides, which are extremely toxic! In fact, up to 16% of the world’s pesticides go to non-organic, GMO cotton farming every year. The chemicals degrade soil and pollute water as well as poison cotton pickers.
Wow! …So it’s time to start using sustainable fabrics, materials and textiles.
Read more about ‘What Makes Fabric Sustainable Or Unsustainable?’
voile is vegan.
Cows, sheep, alpacas, goats, ducks and foxes are animals commonly subject to exploitation for their skins, hair or feathers. In fact, BILLIONS of them die every single year simply in the name of fashion.
Before buying a pair of shoes, a sweater, a purse, check the materials. Common and unfortunately popular animal-derived materials include:
These materials often come from places like India and China where there can be NO animal welfare laws or enforcement. But if the item does come from a more developed area of the world, such as the United States or Europe, that animal was likely a victim of factory farming. In such overcrowded farms there is confinement, disease and animals sometimes live their entire lives indoors, never seeing the light of day.
Dressing and decorating vegan is easier than ever with this: Vegan Fabrics, Materials and Textiles List
voile is a product that may or may not have labor issues.
Did you know that the single largest employer in the world is agriculture? Whether agriculture involves crops or animals, the labor behind each and every product made from cotton, leather, wool, etc. cannot go unrecognized.
Sadly, many labor concerns exist around the world in both developed and developing countries. We must be vigilant to ensure what we buy is not contributing to industries that are unfair to their valuable workers.
Some known problems include workplace health and safety, sweatshops and child labor, gender inequality, inadequate pay, wage theft and exploitation. Workers can even experience harassment, humiliation and violence. Unfair employers often fail to provide laborers with access to shade, drinking water, restrooms and breaks. Consequently, laborers can face nausea, dizziness, heat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke -the leading cause of farmworker death!
Such mistreatment is like modern day slavery. Workers are often afraid to report issues because they fear it will result in losing their jobs or deportation.
Fair trade organizations fight to ensure better social, environmental and economic standards.
We can improve people’s lives simply by being mindful to buy items that are certified fair trade.
This post was all about whether voile is vegan and sustainable.
Sources:
Sew Guide: Fabric glossary
Textile School: Textile fabric types
PETA: Vegan Fabrics: Organic Cotton
Cotton, the fabric of our lives, what is voile?
The Spruce: Types of fabric A to Z: What are you wearing?
Ellen MacArthur Foundation, A new textiles economy: Redesigning fashion’s future
Grandview Research: Synthetic Leather Market Worth $40.9 Billion By 2027 | CAGR: 4.4%
