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BANG FOR THE BITE
More than 80% of soy crops are GMO and most pieces are pricey, but the texture and the fact that it's made from a waste byproduct is hard to beat.
COCKTAIL FACT
Henry Ford - who upholstered some of his 40s car models in 25% soy - often sported a soy fiber suit at media events.
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home › tip library › Soy Clothing
Wanna wear your love for soy on your sleeve?
The Bite
Now you can, with new soy clothing lines. Soy fibers can be spun into fabric that's anything but squishy like tofu, for apparel that's silk-like and sustainable.The Benefits
- Waste not. Soy cloth uses the byproducts production.
- Durable and strong - soy fiber's breaking strength is about 3 that of wool's.
- Easy to care for (no dry cleaning necessary).
- Close to wool in its warmth retention.
Personally Speaking
Kay loves her Of The Earth soy skirt, especially the novelty of eating a soy burger while wearing it.Wanna Try?
- Of The Earth
Natto Skirt - simple ankle-length skirt ($52). - Linda
Loudermilk Crater Skirt - not that we could ever afford it, but this
high-fashion number's totally dreamy ($638). - Anna
Cohen Drape Dress - little and black with a sultry cowl-neck ($276). - Undesigned
Jersey - reversible low-neck top ($155). - Lucy
Soy Jersey Hoodie - pair with a soy t-shirt for a sporty look ($50). - Of The Earth
Supersoya V-Neck - men's v-neck in cayenne red ($35). - 2(x)ist
Crew Neck - guys can wear as a layering piece ($28). - Under the Canopy
- carried at Whole Foods, their line includes flowy soy dresses (prices vary).
Apr 03,2007
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All editorial suggestions in this tip are the result of testing and a preference for the tip topic. No advertiser has paid to have its company referenced in the tip. For more information, please read our Editorial Policy.
Fascinated by Fabrics
Growing up in the polyester 70s and the rayon 80s and the oversized cotton plaids 90s, fabrics came in 3 flavors. Occasionally, silk entered the mix, annoying in its need for drycleaning and inability to shun stains, or itchy wool that never seemed able to move with grace from the cold outdoors to heated interiors...
So I have to admit to a fascination with all these alternative fabrics cropping up these days. From soy to bamboo to lyocell to organic version of your favorite cottons... clothes shopping has never been so varied. Sure, they are eco, but beyond that - they are also beautiful, soft, textured and fabulous.
Check 'em out.
-Heather... off to put on my bamboo jammies...
So I have to admit to a fascination with all these alternative fabrics cropping up these days. From soy to bamboo to lyocell to organic version of your favorite cottons... clothes shopping has never been so varied. Sure, they are eco, but beyond that - they are also beautiful, soft, textured and fabulous.
Check 'em out.
-Heather... off to put on my bamboo jammies...
Biter Comments...
Thanks for the great tips. For all of the knitters out there, some great soy yarns now exist. Here's a link I recently found for a soy-wool blend sock yarn: http://www.soysilk.com/tofutsies.html enjoy!
While these fabrics are very pretty, don't forget that soy production is one of the number one causes for rainforest destruction in the Amazon. Its hard to find out where each manufacturer's soy comes from so be weary. Soy may be better than beef to eat (because it takes less energy to make) and use less pesticides than normal cotton, but it may not necessarily be better than organic cotton and fabrics made out of recycled material.
We're working on sourcing fabric for a t-shirt line we're producing. We've hired a consultant, and she told us the chemicals they use to process the soy is harsh. I agree, you're much better off with organic cotton than soy or bamboo.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE my bamboo jammies- they are simply the most comfy things ever! perfect for lounging and bedtime! just had to give a shout out to the bamboo jammies....
Heads-up for all the veggies out there:
Tofutsies yarn isn't vegetarian!
It has dead animals in it! Namely, the skeletons of dead crabs and shrimps.
Why, dear god/goddess, why?
Also, another great reason to eat soy and not beef or any other animal is that eating soy does not kill an animal! :-D
Cheers,
Bettina
Hmmm - some mis-information out there.
Soy for ANIMAL FEED is causing the destruction of the rain forest.
Soy clothing is a by-product of the soymilk and tofu industry, not the animal feed industry. Wanna stop rain forest destruction? Stop eating meat.
Bamboo fabric requires harsher chemicals than soy. Both use a closed-circle, though, that is, the chemicals are not dumped after each use, they're re-used indefinitely.
Organic cotton uses a *ridiculous* amount of water and land and human resources. So even bamboo tops organic cotton.
Here's a source the Bite missed, for soy, bamboo and hemp (blended with organic cotton for strength):
www.htnaturals.com
I just read this in a Wikipedia entry:
In 1931, Ford hired the chemists Robert Boyer and Frank Calvert in a quest for artificial silk. They succeeded in making a textile fiber of spun soy protein fibers, hardened or tanned in a formaldehyde bath which was given the name Azlon by the Federal Trade Commission.... [Soybeans and Soybean Products, Vol.II, edited by K. H. Markley, 1951]Hardened in a formaldehyde bath? Doesn't sound very eco-friendly to me.
That's not how soy fabric is made today. Today's soy is *not* Azlon!
The soy hulls (or bamboo fibers, it's true for both) are extruded with enzymes that break the fiber into a pulp, which can then be pulled into thread. The enzyme soup is a closed loop, that is, reused indefinitely.
Soy is made from the cake that is the byproduct of food production. In other words, soy fabric closes the loop on soy, as the byproduct would otherwise be waste.
I have been wondering about the chemicals used in growing/processing the new materials. It is still not clear. I'd like to see IdealBite shine address these questions.
Today we all must do our part to help sustain the environment. Who knew that what you wear could help! The creator of Beau Soleil has taken this eco-friendly craze to a new level with her chic dress line which has recently been picked up by Intermix and Shopbop. The website is www.shopbeausoleil.com so check it out! You will love it! All of her dresses are made from organic cottons, bamboo, etc, and exquisitely finished with vintage studs and recycled leather! FABULOUS!
Check out Consumerreports.org and type in Bamboo towels in the search. This may enlighten many people. We are unfortunatelt at a time it is a must to really know your products, especially when it comes to saving the environment! Everyone, please research and know the truth before you feed into whatever marketing they've come up with. Be a truly conscience comsumer. Thank you,
very interesting just as catherines plus sizes
PHOTO ALBUMS
Posted by: Debra Jones | April 03, 2007 at 06:21 AM