Everything about a sustainable and eco-friendly hat
The fashion industry has a dirty reputation – from fast fashion to sweatshops, we’ve all seen the headlines. While headwear is a stylish accessory, it’s also an extension of your identity – it is, after all, the first thing we notice on someone. That said, not all headwear is created equally, and when it comes to sustainability, the differences are stark.
Luckily, there are options out there that you can wear all while respecting the environment. To help you make an informed and eco-conscious choice, we’ll explore 2 critical components to making an eco-friendly hat: the raw materials and its certifications to ensure a sustainable supply chain.
At a Glance
Materials
A typical hat contains 4 main elements: the crown, the decoration, the visor and the closure, each made with different materials. Let’s dive into the pros and cons of all the options out there.
Crown
The main body of the cap is referred to as the crown, which is made of fabric panels stitched together. Just like our caps, the majority of headwear has 5 or 6 panels – you can identify them by looking at the seams. The shape and amount of panels will undeniably affect the fit of the cap. As for the fabric itself, the most popular are cotton and polyester, and sometimes even a blend of both.
For a more casual everyday look, a cotton cap should do the trick, with the added benefit of being a natural fibre.
On the other hand, polyester is a synthetic material made from petroleum and known to cause microplastics, especially when washing. Even with these environmental downsides, this is still the material of choice for activewear due to its lightness and moisture-wicking properties, just like our PRFO cap.
At the end of the day, the choice is yours to make based on your utility and values – simply check the cap’s inner label to see what fabric is used.
Decoration
This is probably the most eye-catching element of a cap because it allows for more creativity. To a designer, a blank cap is a canvas, an opportunity to communicate a message, whether it be using the brand’s logo, or going a step further with a unique design. That said, how this art is added to the cap is very important for long-term use. In general, you’ll find 4 types of decorations: embroidery, print, glued and sewn-on elements.
Embroidery and sewn-on elements such as leather patches or labels are the most durable, because they were put in place using a needle and thread weaved within the fabric. If done properly, these decoration methods tend to last the entirety of the cap’s lifecycle. These are the same foolproof methods we use for our caps, backed up with our lifetime warranty.
As for printed designs or patches that are tacked on with heated adhesives, these will be the first to crack or peel off, especially in high temperature washings.
Visor
The visor, also known as the brim, peak or bill, is the part that shields your face from the sun. Unknown to many, it’s usually made with plastic, which is then covered with the same fabric as the rest of the cap. While some caps are made with natural fabrics such as cotton, the plastic visor itself causes an issue: at the end of the cap’s life cycle, the cotton will naturally decompose, leaving behind the plastic visor. Some will be tempted to replace it with cardboard, but this opens the door to other issues: lack of flexibility, resulting in a cracked visor, and inability to wash without ruining it.
At Whelk, we studied this problem and found an innovative solution called the Blutech biodegradable visor. This novelty offers the same flexibility as traditional plastic visors, however will naturally decompose at the end of its lifecycle. How so? The surrounding bacteria in the landfill will eat the visor and transform it into natural elements (water, gas and soil). The best part is that the visor won’t decompose during its use, because the concentration of bacteria is not high enough. That means it can be washed in the washing machine or even left in your closet for years without breaking down – it’s the best of both worlds.
Some athletic brands will offer lightweight headwear by using synthetic fabrics with a foam visor. It’s great for travelling due to its compressibility and weight, however, similar to the plastic visor, these materials are harmful for the environment.
Rear Closure
The majority of caps have a rear closure, allowing them to fit most folks. The closure of a cap is usually the biggest hint on the quality of the headwear. On the low end, you’ll usually have a velcro closure which does the job, but nothing more. On the other side of the spectrum, we have snaps from the classic snapback, as well as buckles. They’ll each give off different styles and have their pros and cons. For example, we chose a durable metal buckle for our dad hats, but went for a lightweight plastic buckle for our PRFO sports cap.
Certifications
With so many misleading claims caused by greenwashing, the best way to identify a product’s labelling authenticity is via 3rd party certifications. Although there’s a boatload more of certifications out there, we made sure to cover the essentials below divided in 3 separate categories: textile safety, working conditions and corporate responsibility.
Textile Safety
OEKO-TEX standard 100
It is common practice for suppliers to treat the fabric to make it more compelling, from wrinkle-free to fabric softeners, some of which will wash away after only a few cycles, only to contaminate the sewage water. This opens the door to a slew of concerns – some will cut corners and use cheap toxic chemicals that can cause health issues simply by wearing the item, even after washing it. To solve this issue, OEKO-TEX standard 100 has become the benchmark in textile safety by affirming that the tagged material is safe for consumers and the planet after extensive lab testing. At Whelk, both our caps and beanies are made with OEKO-TEX standard 100 certified fabrics.
Global Recycled Standard (GRS)
The GRS sets the standard for what can be labelled as recycled in the textile industry. In fact, GRS requires at least 50% of the content to be recycled in order to be eligible for the certification. It also allows you to track and verify the recycled contents in the supply chain, enabling consumers to make informed decisions. The GRS is managed by the Textile Exchange, a non-profit organisation committed to environmental responsibility.
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
Working Conditions
Fairtrade
Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP)
WRAP, although lesser known, is another certification with the objective of promoting safe and ethical manufacturing, specifically in the fashion, footwear and sewn products industry. These types of certifications are a breath of fresh air to confirm the ethicality of a brand’s overseas supply chain. We’ve also committed to ethical manufacturing by opting for WRAP certified manufacturers for our Blutech headwear.
Corporate Responsibility
Climate Neutral
Impact certifications can be tricky because any ill-intentioned brand wanting to appear greener can jump on the bandwagon with these certifications. When it comes to carbon offsetting, it’s a question of pulling out your credit card to purchase the necessary credits to neutralise your company’s carbon footprint. That means you could be the most pollutive company on the planet, and as long as you have deep pockets, you can pursue business as usual, all while claiming to be carbon neutral.
That said, there’s still some glory in doing it, if you do it the right way – which is to evaluate your current impact, aim to reduce your carbon footprint with best practices, and then offset whatever remains. That’s exactly what the Change Climate Project is doing with its Climate Neutral Certification as they accompany you on your journey to zero. At the end of the day, any product or service will inevitably produce waste. The question is, how can you minimise it and upcycle the remaining?
1% for the Planet
Another impact certification that can unfortunately be mistaken as greenwashing is revenue based donations. The best way to find out is by looking at the brand as a whole – Does it have other certifications? Are its products durable and sustainable? If the answer is yes, then it’s most likely donating with good intentions. That’s exactly the approach we’ve adopted with our 1% for the Planet membership certification.
B Corp
It wouldn’t be a complete overview of certifications without the mention of B Lab. This non-profit organisation awards the B Corp certification to companies that commit to high standards of 3 pillars: Social and environmental, public transparency and legal accountability. This certification is considered as the gold standard due to its painstakingly rigorous assessment method.
