"The labels are oversized, but there's nothing in them."
The bitter observation made by Audrey Millet, the author of
the Black Book of Fashion
(1) , on the reading of a label highlights that it is not so simple.
This small piece of fabric, which is found on the back of clothes, is often the only clue on which the consumer can rely to obtain information concerning the manufacture of a garment.
Where is he from ?
How to maintain it?
Does it respect the environment?
Who are the people who make it?
On the label, the answers read between the lines.
Audrey Millet recalls that the label became widespread in the 19th century because “consumers were no longer able to spot the difference between synthetic fibers and natural fibers with the naked eye”.
Today, a European directive applicable to the 27 member states of the EU governs its content.
It requires that the percentage of the different textile fibers that make up the garment be entered, as well as the size of the garment (which varies according to country and manufacturer).
On the other hand, the maintenance advice and the mention “Made” in are optional.
However, they are very often mentioned, giving instructions on washing the garment and geographical indications on the place of manufacture and/or the origin of the product.
Read alsoHow to wash your leather bag?
What reading behind the fibers mentioned?
At a glance, you can read the textile composition of a garment and the percentage of each of the fibers used.
On the other hand, the country from which they come, the way in which they were produced, or whether or not they are ecological, is not information made directly available to the consumer.
These elements can however be induced by the name of the mentioned fibers whose production and origin allow to give a second reading.
You still need to know them.
These fibers, which are detailed below, fall into three main categories: natural (cotton, linen/hemp, wool, silk), cellulose (viscose, lyocell, acrylic) and synthetic (polyester, nylon/acrylic, elastane).
Flax and hemp
Hemp is mainly grown in Europe.
Ditto for two-thirds of flax production, which thrives in central and eastern Europe, where the growing areas are naturally irrigated;
particularly in the north of France, Belgium and the Netherlands, which alone represent 80% of world production.
Contrary to popular belief, "linen is not exclusively a summer material, because it is a thermoregulatory fiber", specifies Audrey Millet.
The fabric, of a robust nature, adapts to temperature variations: it is light in summer and keeps you warm in winter.
Read alsoDeleted from its "baba cool" image, linen is the star fiber of the season
Lyocell
This artificial material, also known as Tencel, is made from eucalyptus wood pulp transformed by grinding using a non-toxic organic solvent.
Its soft, resistant and absorbent texture leads to mainly summer use.
Biodegradable, the fiber is presented today as an ecological alternative to viscose, provided that it comes from FSC-certified forests.
When this is the case, brands often mention it, but sometimes some do not make it a marketing argument.
The information therefore escapes the eye of the consumer.
Viscose
This is a soft and resistant material made from bamboo, whose manufacturing process is decried by environmentalists for its impact on the environment.
In question, the use of chemical pesticides, the soda bath (necessary for the transformation of the raw material) and a large quantity of water.
The intensive culture of bamboo implied by viscose is also singled out for its participation in deforestation.
However, not all viscoses are an ecological disaster.
A more responsible material is possible, if it comes from tree pulp from PEFC – FSE or FSC certified forests.
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A worker in the cotton fields in Bangladesh (Dhaka, January 26, 2017).
Getty
The cotton
It is a natural fiber that is easy to maintain, low allergenic, and whose production is present on five continents.
The main world producers are China, the USA, India and Pakistan (70% of production), as well as Brazil, West Africa, Uzbekistan and Turkey... of water (about 10,000 liters to produce 1 kg of cotton), cotton grown in a rain-fed and tropical environment is ideal for limiting its environmental impact (the intensive cultivation of cotton in the desert steppes of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan has shown that it had lost 9/10ths of the surface of the Aral Sea after the two rivers that fed it were diverted to irrigate the fields).
Cotton is also a major consumer of
chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
According to the ADEME (Environment and Energy Management Agency), its cultivation represents “agricultural pollution” and even a “health risk” for farmers.
Its fibers undergo polluting chemical treatments such as chlorine bleaching and heavy metal dyes.
The Agency thus presents organic cotton as a more ecological alternative that consumes around half as much water.
It is grown without GMOs or pesticides, most often with natural compost, aimed at protecting the plant from external aggressions.
Recycled cotton is also a more responsible option, but its shorter fiber deteriorates more quickly.
Brands are thus forced to mix it with new fibers in order to be able to use it with a view to sustainability.
Read alsoOrganic cotton, recycled denim… Towards finally “clean” jeans
Wool
For clothing, the wool comes from the shearing of sheep.
This is natural, easily recyclable, completely biodegradable, and has thermoregulatory properties.
Three countries concentrate most of this production: Australia, China and New Zealand, then follow Iran, England and Argentina.
But the use of wool is not unanimous: several voices have been raised to demonstrate the bad impacts of wool production on the environment and on animal welfare.
To know the conditions of breeding, it is necessary to refer to the labels.
The Woolmark certification makes it possible to identify the wool of first quality, resulting from the shearing of healthy and living animals, and gives visibility on the composition, the durability,
the solidity of the product and the quality of the dyes used.
The “wool rich blend” and “wool blend performance” labels indicate that the products contain between 50% and 99.9% virgin wool, mixed with synthetic materials.
A mention "pure wool" or "100% wool" on a label indicates how to wash a garment, but does not guarantee the quality of the wool.
Organic wool responds to an eco-responsible framework and guarantees animal well-being and is defined by different labels: GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), Oeko-tex, Organica or kbT.
Finally, the mention "recycled wool" indicates that we are in the presence of an eco-responsible material, but does not guarantee its quality.
9% virgin wool, mixed with synthetic materials.
A mention "pure wool" or "100% wool" on a label indicates how to wash a garment, but does not guarantee the quality of the wool.
Organic wool responds to an eco-responsible framework and guarantees animal well-being and is defined by different labels: GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), Oeko-tex, Organica or kbT.
Finally, the mention "recycled wool" indicates that we are in the presence of an eco-responsible material, but does not guarantee its quality.
9% virgin wool, mixed with synthetic materials.
A mention "pure wool" or "100% wool" on a label indicates how to wash a garment, but does not guarantee the quality of the wool.
Organic wool responds to an eco-responsible framework and guarantees animal well-being and is defined by different labels: GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), Oeko-tex, Organica or kbT.
Finally, the mention "recycled wool" indicates that we are in the presence of an eco-responsible material, but does not guarantee its quality.
GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), Oeko-tex, Organica or kbT.
Finally, the mention "recycled wool" indicates that we are in the presence of an eco-responsible material, but does not guarantee its quality.
GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), Oeko-tex, Organica or kbT.
Finally, the mention "recycled wool" indicates that we are in the presence of an eco-responsible material, but does not guarantee its quality.
Polyester
Derived from petroleum, this synthetic fiber discovered in the 1940s represents 70% of the synthetic textile fibers used each year.
Inexpensive to manufacture, it is recognized for its resistance and its elastic property, and is originally used in sportswear.
Widespread today, it is responsible for a large part of the pollution of the oceans, due to the plastic microparticles it releases with each of its washes.
The Ellen McArthur Foundation described in 2015 a leak of 500,000 tonnes per year of these tiny fibers, out of a production of 53 million tonnes of textiles.
There is a recycled version (PET) of polyester, considered a greener alternative, but not without criticism.
It is made from an already existing material,
Elastane
Often hidden in our jeans, elastane gives elasticity and comfort to clothing.
It is sometimes found under the name "Spandex" or even "Lycra".
It involves the same disadvantages as polyester, also being a petroleum derivative.
Acrylic and nylon
Both derived from petroleum, they emit toxic gases during their production, in addition to the same disadvantages as other materials made from black gold.
Acrylic is not recyclable while nylon is.
Read alsoWhen elegance rhymes with durability
What does the inscription "Made in" hide?
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An employee in a French textile workshop during the coronavirus period.
(Annecy, April 30, 2020.) Getty
Originally, this mention was not a legal obligation.
The practice originated in Britain in the 19th century for protectionist purposes.
Since then, the name "Made in", which has remained optional in the context of clothing labeling, imposes a strict regulatory framework for companies that decide to use it.
On the subject of production countries, Audrey Millet strongly advises against Burma and Thailand, which have replaced China in the countries that pay their employees the least.
And in the refrain "China has improved", the author recalls the scandal of the Uyghurs which always splashes the Chinese textile sector.
However, not all Chinese companies are affected, as some have real know-how that does not exist elsewhere.
VS'
Regarding the mention "Made in France", brands can rely on it if the garment was made in France, but not necessarily in its entirety.
“The “Made in France” or “Fabriqué en France” is a statement attesting that the product in question is of French manufacture.
Goods are considered as originating in the country where the last substantial transformation takes place or representing an important stage of manufacture”, stipulates the Direction of legal and administrative information.
Thus, a garment made abroad and whose only packaging was carried out in France cannot claim this mention.
Ditto for parts to which simple finishes would have been made in France.
And good to know: a garment made on French territory from
Read alsoWhy 100% made in France jeans do not exist (yet)
A vague name
Difficult to apprehend and understand for the consumer, these rules do not help the consumer to see things very clearly.
Especially when the garment is made from components from several countries.
Thus, a yarn can come from Italy, cashmere from Mongolia, and everything be assembled in China.
The only mention of a country is therefore partial information, to be taken with hindsight.
It can possibly give indications on the carbon footprint of a garment, or on the way in which it was produced according to the laws in force in the country.
Rym Trabelsi, co-founder of the Clear Fashion application, encourages the consumer to "question the sales consultant and go to the brand's website" to obtain more information on the source of the garment.
The traps
The author Audrey Millet invites you to be wary of certain "illusory" terms such as "Design in France" which may appear on certain labels of French brands.
"It's clearly an attempt at greenwashing since it will create confusion between production and creation," she explains.
Other traps: the labels created by the brands which come to lodge in large on the price labels or on the labels of composition.
Often called "conscious" or "green", these certifications only respect the rules that companies want to set themselves.
"Customers are not fooled, many of them think that this is only a way to increase prices," adds Rym Trabelsi.
To consume these products in all conscience, it is therefore necessary in priority to be informed of the commitments contained in the labels of the brands.
(1) The Black Book of Fashion: Creation, production, manipulation
by Audrey Millet, published on March 18, 2021, Ed.
The Peregrines, 280 pages, 20€