 M.A. and I have several disagreements when it comes to his wardrobe but one is the biggest. It's called fleece. Ever since I know him, his fleece-fetishism has really bothered me. Because fleece is ugly, unflattering and not eco at all. At least, that's what I reckoned with my limited knowledge of how this material is produced.
With the arrival of a batch of washable diapers made out of fleece, I might have to reconsider my prejudice. The nappies are soft and breathable, protect baby's clothes against heavy wetting and after washing them, they dry much faster than their bamboo cousins. If even eco-minded nappy companies use fleece in their products, maybe it is not as bad as I thought?
In fact, fleece is commonly praised for its durability which makes it a darling fabric for many designers. That is to say, designers in the outdoor industry where fleece is popular for its high performance qualities such as great insulation, lightweightness and comfort. Fleece is originally made out of non-renewable petroleum derivatives which doesn't add to its green score. Luckily, more and more companies make fleece out of plastic bottles (PET), like Switcher, or recycle old fleece. Made as an alternative to wool, it is the ideal solution to keep vegans warm.
All of this sounds pretty good, but it doesn't make me a fleece fan overnight. Quite the contrary, I really need more time to adjust to the idea of my two men walking (or crawling) around in fleece. I am just more of a natural type of girl, loving the bamboos, silks and cashmeres of this world. Although I have to admit that it is great to learn that even eco designers like Lara Miller uses fleece in her collections, even when it is only to puff her sleeves.
The other day, we spotted a beautiful knit in town. Stylish, in a sturdy brown, made out of organic cotton.
'I have enough sweaters' M.A. answered when I proposed to buy it.
'Yeah, but they are all fleece!' I exclaimed. 'They just don't look as good!'.
'Maybe………., but they're functional'.
Image: Lara Miller
Kim's blogpost was first published on her blog on ecofashionworld.
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