Eco-Friendly Clothing tips

Eco-friendly Clothing Tips from overstock.com:

-Choose organic clothing. Organic clothing materials, including organic cotton, are grown without pesticides, herbicides or artificial fertilizers.

-Look for bamboo and hemp pieces. These fibers require much less water and other resources to grow.

-Buy clothing with natural dyes. Chemical dyes release toxins into the air during production, and the clothes dyed with them can irritate sensitive skin.

-Wash your clothes only when necessary. When you put on an outfit and only wear it around the house for a few hours, it probably doesn't need to be washed yet. Before you throw anything in the hamper, think about whether or not you could get another wear out of it. If you can, hang it back up in your closet.

-Install energy-efficient appliances. Upgrade your washer and dryer to Energy Star models.

-Air-dry your clothes when you can. Use even less power by air-drying your clothes outside on a clothesline. When the sun is out, this gives your clothes a fresh scent. If your clothes stiffen while hanging on the line, mix one capful of clear fabric softener with one cup of clean water in a spray bottle and shake to combine. Then spray the mixture on the clothes and shake them out. This method is also best when washing delicate bamboo items or other green clothing pieces.

-Sell or donate gently worn clothing.

-Recycle worn-out clothing. Old T-shirts make excellent dust cloths, and old jeans can be cut up to make a quilt.

-Buy or make eco-friendly accessories.