Elle Newman

I want to start looking now at the clothing I want to design for my company. I thought the best place to start was what the clothing would be made of, as people receiving Chemotherapy Radiotherapy has extremely sensitive skin so have to be careful with what fabrics they put on their bodies.  I have done some research and have found the fabrics that I think is going to be best to use.

Bamboo 

I had never heard of Bamboo being used in fabric before, in the last few years, it has become popular for people to use Bamboo products as plastic substitutes such as Bamboo toothbrushes or face pads. Bamboo has many different benefits to not only the person wearing it but to the environment also. In comparison to Cotton Bamboo needs a lot less water to grow, Bamboo only needs rain water compared to cotton that requires a lot more. Bamboo also grows naturally and does not need pesticides or fertilizers. As well as it’s many environmental benefits Bamboo also has a number of good benefits to the person wearing it that would really benefit someone who is going through Cancer. Bamboo is super soft, moisture managing, thermo- controlled and has good UV protection. Bamboo is also antibacterial, anti-fungal and odour resistance meaning the fabric will help fight bacteria that could infect scars or infections which would decrease the time it would take if someone’s scar getting infected. I think this the best fabric for me to predominantly use, not only is it perfect for the problems people with cancer experience but it is also good for the environment with is something I also want my company to strive for.

Organic Cotton

Organic Cotton is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment. Cotton is good for people going through cancer as it is a naturally breathable fabric. Cotton can also be processed in many different ways, depending on how the fabric was handled, the Cotton could be soft, wrinkly, thin, thick etc. Meaning you could use cotton to create a lot of different feels of fabric. I will use Cotton also in my designs, but I will only use Organic Cotton as I want the environmental impact to be as low as possible.

Rayon 

Rayon is a natural based material that is made from cellulose from wood pulp or cotton. Rayon is low cost and can be used to imitate the look and texture of other natural fibres such as cotton, linen and silk. Rayon is a very breathable fabric it also drapes well as this it could be used as an alternative to silk. However, Rayon is harmful to the environment to make as it uses strong chemicals. I will use Rayon as a fabric option until I can find a more sustainable alternative.

Silk 

Silk is a natural protein fibre and comes from the cocoon of mulberry silkworm larvae. Silk is a highly renewable resource with less impact on the environment that many other fabrics. However, silk comes from silkworms which means it’s not a PETA approved the material, which is something very important to me. I will have silk as an option until I can find a vegan option.