Eco-Friendly Fabric Alternatives for Soft, Stretchy & Sculpting Loungewear

Loungewear is our ultimate comfort clothing. It’s our self-care practice. It’s the reason why we make no plans on Sundays; so we can pull on our loungiest of loungewear and spend the day feeling cute and cosy. The only way to make loungewear even better? To sew it yourself using sustainable & eco-friendly fabrics.

Since the launch of SKIMS, we’ve seen an uptick in sustainable clothing brands getting in touch about fabric recommendations to create similar collections. This calls for loungewear fabric that’s body-hugging, curve-loving, and has plenty of stretch for unparalleled comfort. Luckily, we’ve got plenty of options that tick all these boxes while minimising the impact of your comfy clothing on the planet.

Whether you’re a clothing brand looking to create SKIMS-inspired loungewear or an independent sewist with a craving for comfort, we’ve got sustainable alternatives to synthetic fabrics to help you create the perfect pieces.

Kim K, step aside. We’re about to get comfy up in here, okurrr?

Swap Cotton Jersey for Organic Cotton Jersey

Super soft Cotton Jersey fabric is used for sewing t-shirts (both loose-fitting or figure-hugging), underwear, bodysuits and vests. You’ll see this fabric all over the SKIMS material lists as a loungewear sewing staple.

While we love Cotton Jersey fabric, you can do better by upgrading to an Organic Cotton Jersey, giving your loungewear brand (or personal wardrobe) a clear leg-up over your competitors. Let’s take a peek at why organic is the way to go:

1. Organic Jersey Cotton fabric is made using fewer chemicals than conventionally grown cotton – chemicals that are known to migrate onto your skin and can have potentially harmful health effects.
   
2. All of our Organic Cotton Jersey fabrics are GOTS certified. This is one of our fave eco credentials, and it signals that no synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and GMOs were used when producing this sustainable fabric. They also ensure fair wages and safe working conditions, and have no time for slavery or child labour. You go, GOTS!
3. Our Organic Cotton Jerseys are sanforised. This means the fabric is pre-washed during manufacturing, leading to less shrinkage later on. This is ideal if you prefer sewing without a pre-wash (or occasionally forget to), and reduces the chance of shrinkage later in its life cycle. For small loungewear brands, that’s a big perk in terms of customer satisfaction.

Loungewear and Organic Cotton Jersey fabrics are like strawberries and cream. There’s no better match! If a soft, stretchy, breathable fabric is on your loungewear sewing shopping list, browse our collection Organic Cotton Jersey fabrics to get started.

Swap Your Nylon for Econyl

Looking for sustainable alternatives to synthetic fabrics? An easy way to make your loungewear more eco-friendly is to switch up Nylon (which is an all-too-regular, all-too-plastic feature of loungewear) for Econyl lycra fabric.

This is our go-to when choosing sustainable fabrics for body-hugging loungewear. It’s stretchy, supportive, and clings to your curves in all the right places, making it ideal for gym wear, lingerie, and shapewear. It’s also a top pick for swimming costumes and bikinis, creating multi-task wardrobes that go from homewear to holiday wardrobe seamlessly.

Check out what sustainable Econyl lycra brings to the table:

1. Econyl is made from regenerated nylon fibres. These fibres would otherwise be destined for the landfill, where they’d break down into tricky microplastics that are becoming a real problem for our planet. By choosing Econyl, you help create a more circular and less wasteful system.
2. It’s made with a whole lot less water than virgin materials. This gives it an estimated 90% lower impact on our planet’s global warming.
3. You can squat and lunge without worry thanks to this sustainable loungewear fabric’s excellent coverage. As a brand, you can market your Econly gym leggings as squat-proof, which is a big marketing win.
4. In-built UV protection? Yes, please. Stay safe from harmful UV rays and maintain younger-looking skin in loungewear that’s not solely made for staying indoors.
5. A hefty 70% stretch makes for super comfy tops, bottoms, and everything in between.

Take a peek at our rainbow of Econyl fabrics and opt for a SKIMS-inspired nude or bring a pop of colour to your loungewear collection.

Bamboo and Tencel Jersey Fabrics

She might have chosen Nylon, but Kimmy got it so right with Bamboo and Tencel. These are two sustainable loungewear fabrics with similar properties, including being plastic-free, renewable, oh-so-soft.

What else can you expect from Bamboo and Tencel jersey? Let’s take a peek:

1. Both are naturally moisture-wicking, meaning they pick moisture up and move it away from your skin (unlike some of the not-so-nice plastic fabrics that love to trap moisture for clammy pits). This makes for a comfier, less sweaty loungewear wardrobe.
2. Antibacterial properties keep your clothing fresher for longer. Worried about smells after a workout? You won’t be when you’re kitted out in Bamboo and Tencel loungewear.
3. Stay warm when it’s nippy outside and cool when it’s hot. These fabrics just love to breathe, and we love them for that.

Recreate SKIMS bodycon dresses, tight tops, bodysuits, and undies with these two sustainable fabrics for body-hugging loungewear.

Sustainable Loungewear Fabric Picks to Rival SKIMS

Loungewear that looks good shouldn’t cost the earth. At Good Fabric, we’re on a mission to give more sewists and clothing brands access to eco-friendly fabrics (including sustainable loungewear fabrics) that tick all the right eco boxes and look as on-trend as your favourite Kardashian.

Everything we do, use and source as sewists has an impact on the planet. While there’s no such thing as a 100% sustainable, no-impact fabric, these sustainable alternatives to synthetic fabrics are as close as it gets.

If you’re starting your own sustainable clothing brand for ethical basics and loungewear, and you’d love a helping hand when sourcing your fabrics, we’d love to be your go-to team. Not only do we supply the wholesale fabrics you can view on our website, but we can also source more options for you from our global fabric manufacturing network – and all of it’s sustainable.

Want to hear more? Drop us a message.

You can also find lots of helpful tips in our guide to Sourcing Sustainable Fabrics for Small Brands.