FIBRE FOCUS: Nylon - is it a sustainable material? | Accentuate Life and Style.
Its something I repeat over again, knowledge is power when making the shift to a more conscious closet. So, in the Fibre Focus series my aim is to help you understand the fibres noted on clothes labels so you can make informed choices when purchasing new garments.
Nylon (Polyamide)
First up I’m going to focus on Nylon, also known as Polyamide. The fabric that initially stirs up memories of shiny, sweat inducing jackets from the 1980s. What you may not realise is that Nylon is still widely used in clothes, mostly blended with other fibres. Brands also like to confuse us by writing alternative names for some fibres on clothing labels. I looked at a pricey Arket jumper recently and noticed it was made from 60% wool and 40% Polyamide. Only after some research did I realise that the jumper was in fact a Nylon blend fabric.
So when it comes to sustainable style, what do you need to know about this versatile, lightweight fibre?
Let’s start with some background. Nylon was created in the late 1920s in the US by DuPont. The first commercial use of Nylon was in nylon bristled toothbrushes in 1938. It was then widely used for parachutes by the military during WWII before gaining further popularity post-war due to the shortage of natural fabrics for women’s clothing and stockings.
Natural or Synthetic
Nylon is a synthetic fibre - meaning man-made - and (fun fact!) one of the first fibres to be created purely in a laboratory.
What it is and how it’s produced.
Nylon is essentually a type of plastic, produced from crude oil. The process uses heat to melt the plastic into fibres which results in the release of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that has a significant contribution to global warming. Large amounts of water are also used in production to cool the fibres after the heating process. In summary, the production process not only involves a high lever of energy, it also uses precious natural resources.
Do the fibres biodegrade ?
No, Nylon is not biodegradable. Every item made from Nylon will outlive us on earth by hundreds of years. In addition, teeny weeny particles known as Microfibres break away from Nylon fabric during washing and contributes to the 190,000 tons (!) of textile Microplastic fibres going into the oceans each year.
Nylon and the fashion industry
Nylon is a really strong, lightweight and stretchy material and was initially produced as a cheaper alternative to silk. It’s best known for being used to make tights due to its strength. However, more recently it is added to other fabrics that need to be durable and require stretch. Over the years, we have come to realise that Nylon is not overly affective at wicking moisture away. Anyone remember those colourful, shiny 1980s jackets that would have people looking all clammy within half an hour of wear? Or has realised that wearing tights makes them super hot or prone to a bit of a erm.. ahem.. yeast infection? So it’s a poor choice of material for physical activity or for anyone who’d prefer a bit of breathability!
So, let’s summarise:
In a nutshell - if you’re trying to create a sustainable closet, then Nylon is not your friend! Being a form of plastic, it is difficult to dispose of and does not have an eco production process. With Nylon blend fabrics being popular, when buying new items it is worth checking if there is a % of Nylon or Polyamide included. On a positive note, as Nylon is a plastic it can be recycled many times, and brands are increasingly creative so keep an eye out for garments made from recycled Nylon. Alternatively, why not look at pre-loved options rather than buying from new ?