Materials

The word natural is everywhere in fashion.

Natural fabrics. Natural fibres. Natural materials.

But the more we started learning about textiles, the more we realised that the word isn’t quite as simple as it sounds.

Cotton is natural. So is linen. So is wool.

But some of the fabrics we love at EEVE are made through very different processes. TENCEL™, for example, is made from wood-based cellulose. ECOVERO™ is also derived from wood. SeaCell™ uses cellulose combined with seaweed.

So where does that leave the word “natural”?

For us, it means being a little more precise.

We choose fabrics that are as close to their natural origin as possible — with a preference for natural or naturally derived fibres and as little reliance on synthetic fibres and unnecessary additives as we can.

We are especially mindful of materials such as polyester and other petroleum-based synthetic fibres. We don’t want to add them simply because they are convenient or inexpensive. When a synthetic fibre is needed for a garment to achieve the right amount of stretch, strength or durability, we want that choice to be intentional.

There is a difference between a fibre being naturally occurring and a fabric being made from a natural raw material.

There is also a difference between being plant-based and being biodegradable. Between recycled and renewable. Between a material having a certification and the entire garment being “sustainable”.

These distinctions matter.

We don’t want to use simple words to make complicated things sound better than they are.

Instead, we want to keep learning and be honest about what we choose. Sometimes a fabric is chosen because it feels exceptionally good against the skin. Sometimes because of the way it moves. Sometimes because it combines qualities that would be difficult to achieve with one fibre alone.

And sometimes the choice is simply about finding the most thoughtful option available to us for a particular garment.

We think that is a more useful way of looking at materials.

Not good versus bad. Not natural versus unnatural. But asking better questions.

Where does this fibre come from?

How is it made?

How does it behave?

How long will the garment last?

And perhaps the most important question:

Would we want to wear it ourselves, again and again?

We don’t have all the answers.

But we think asking the questions is a good place to start.