According to the article, while clothing made from artificial fibers takes more energy to produce than from natural ones, it takes way less energy to maintain it. It can be washed in cooler water than cotton, and it air-dries very quickly with no ironing needed. Polyester can also be recycled over and over. Type in "polyester" in Treehugger.com, and you'll find all sorts of products that are made from recycled polyester.

Despite its supposed environmental benefits, being doomed to wear icky polyester the rest of our lives would in fact signify the end of the world, unless scientists are able to further develop the material so it doesn't make us feel kind of cheap and either too hot when it's hot and too cold when it's cold. So, we took comfort in reading this Grist article that debates the polyester vs. cotton issue. (It might be a little outdated, but it's the best we could find regarding this issue.) And as always, Treehugger has great advice for greening your wardrobe.

Photo of hemp tank top from Swirlspace.

By SFist Leanne