Everyday more people are deciding to have a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle.

This is why we are getting more used to put attention to recycling and to the quality of food and air. There is another aspect that can’t be underestimated: the clothing one.

Chemicals dyes, solvents and heavy metals are the trademark of the majority of the clothes we can find every day in shops.

This means that potentially we intoxicate our body every time we wear a garment, with dramatic effects both for our health and the environment we live in.

There is a solution to this problem and it is apparently simpler than it seems: it is sufficient using natural colors, like we do here at Rifò, in order to make the fashion industry more sustainable.

Damages caused by chemical dyes used in the fashion world

Fashion industry using chemicals dyes and damaging substances for our health is nothing new.

They have been talking about it for many years. GreenPeace released several studies about this question and the issue has even reached the European Commission.

But, what are these dangerous chemicals? And why are they being used?

Starting from metals to solvents: the damaging substances list is very long. Any example?

• Phthalates
• Formaldehyde
• Chemicals dyes
• Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs)
• Perfluorinated compounds
• Nickel
• Chlorophenols Pcp and Tpc
• Pesticides

These are difficult names that indicate a series of chemicals absolutely dangerous for our health and the whole environment.

The reasons for their use are several, starting from the coloring of the fabric to the attempt of making it softer, waterproof or stain-resistant.

But, what researchers have revealed is that these substances are released by the fabric and absorbed by our skin, bringing along allergies and dermatitis, overloading the liver and causing serious health diseases.

These effects are multiplied in children because they have a more sensible skin compared to the adults one.

To this picture that is anything but rosy, we have to add all the environmental damages that follow.

Every year the textile industry uses 9 trillion of water, using more than 8.000 different chemicals overall.

These substances often aren’t properly filtered during the processing phases of the fabric, ending inevitably in aquifers and waterways.

So it is fundamental to be able to substitute chemicals with natural substances that don’t cause health problems in people and that also have a positive impact on our environment.

Advantages of natural colors

During the years big fashion brands have tried to find an answer to increasing issues caused by the use of chemicals.

The solution has arrived from natural colorants and from the upcycling of fabrics previously colored, a process that we use here at Rifò to create our upcycled fashion garments both from cotton and cashmere.

As it is well-known, the city of Prato boasts a secular tradition for the recycling of rags, thanks to ragmen, specialized artisans that are called in Tuscan dialect “cenciaioli”.

It is here that was born the zero-impact yarn, that is an upcycled fabric that hasn’t been subjected to any kind of chemical process or coloration.

The process that leads to upcycled fabrics is as simple as effective.

It begins with the collection of rags and used clothes.

After, cotton or cashmere fabrics are divided based on the color and they are subjected to a particular working process that make the rags go back to being already colored fibers but with the same quality of original ones.

This brings along several benefits both to our health and to the environmental impact of the process:

• We save many liters of water (almost 75000 liters saved for every second!)
• We recycle textile waste that this way don’t become refuses.
• We considerably reduce the use of chemicals used during the production
• We limit the fuel consumption, as the production is at km 0

Wearing upcycled and naturally colored clothing will guarantee you to keep on your skin a soft and light fabric, created with 0 environmental impact and that will never cause you health problems, dermatitis or allergies.

Main colors of Rifò

Thanks to the particular productive process of upcycled fabrics, here at Rifò we can guarantee garments with several colors that we mix together to create many other chromatic varieties.

Here are the main colors of our items of clothing:

• light and dark grey
• blue
• brown
• bordeaux
• black
• green
• beige

And soon we will introduce also:

• yellow
• blue jeans
• pink

Conclusions

Today we have discovered together an important problem that concerns the creation of fabrics addressed to clothing: the issue of using chemicals colorants and dangerous substances.

In the light of all these facts and the data we have analyzed together, it is clear that using a sustainable clothing created without the addition of chemicals dangerous for our heath and the environment is the solution for everyone.

Here at Rifò we think that it is extremely important to create high-quality products, keeping an eye on the problem for the environmental impact and our health. We really that a sustainable and circular fashion is possible.

Are the respect for the environment and our health important themes for you too?

Then choose to dress up with upcycled clothing by Rifò!