Many who lead an otherwise environmentally-friendly lifestyle sometimes forget about their clothing. The truth is that over half the content of any landfill is textiles: old clothing and household items like sheets.

Outerwear

It's not that easy to find green outwear. A quick glance online or in a store will illustrate that synthetics are currently the choice of outerwear manufacturers. Descriptive words like "shiny", "ripstop" and "water repellant" all suggest synthetic material. 

Synthetic fabric is made from polymers. The dirty truth is that polymers are petroleum by-products. The more familiar names for these fabrics are nylon, polyester and Teflon.  

Research is just beginning on the production of polymers from plants. At this stage, however, most synthetic materials are still made from petroleum.

People like it because it's lightweight, waterproof and lasts a long time. Unfortunately, this is because these synthetic fibers are not easily biodegradable. In fact, a polyester jacket could sit in a landfill unchanged for over 200 years.

On the other hand, wool is a great choice for outwear. Wool jackets are warm, water repellant, easily obtained by natural means and will decompose when their usefulness is over. 

Another reason to choose a green fiber is that natural fibers breathe. Your skin will be much more comfortable in clothing that allows air to circulate.

Companies are even making casual shoes of wool so your outerwear choices could be completely green.

Clothing

It is even more important that the layer of clothing closest to your body is not made from an unbreathable, petroleum byproduct. Everything touching your skin should be a natural, breathable fiber with nothing toxic in it.

Cotton used to be the go-to fabric for those interested in natural clothing. Unless it specifically states "organic cotton", however, the material is bad for both your skin and the environment.

Much of today's cotton is grown in countries that don't have America's stricter pesticide laws. In fact, the use of pesticides in cotton fields is so prevalent that both the land and the cotton growers have absorbed dangerously high levels of it. In the land, it means pollution for anything grown in it or passing through it. For the growers, it means chronic disease for both them and their families.

To make matters even worse, cotton is then heavily bleached because most consumers expect cotton to be dazzling white. In actuality, natural cotton is an off-white color.

Unless an item you're considering states that the cotton is organic and unbleached you should avoid it for new, more sustainable fabrics. 

Manufacturers are turning towards greener clothing. Hemp and bamboo are both easily grown and produce strong, yet soft, biodegradable fabric. 

Another green fabric isn't new at all but it's having a comeback. Linen is made from the flax plant and has been widely used throughout history. 

The reason for linen's continued popularity is that it's a soft, yet sturdy fiber with a beautiful sheen. Its absorbency makes it a perfect candidate for layers next to the skin and its beautiful sheen makes it a great choice for dress shirts and outerwear. 

Bedding

Most linen is grown organically in the fields of Northern Europe.

The same qualities that make linen great for clothing also make it the perfect bedding. It tends to keep the sleeper cool and is antibacterial. Those plagued with breakouts will start having fewer ones if they switch to linen pillowcases. The natural weave of linen cloth makes it absorbent and the sleeper's movements across the cloth will help the linen exfoliate facial skin.

Before soap and water became the standard way to bathe, a linen cloth rubbed briskly over the body and face was the cleaning method most used by ancient civilizations. It has also been widely used for bandage material.

Switching to green clothing is the next logical step in becoming a greener person. It will be good for you as well as the environment.