Sustainability

As a company, Sew Heart Soul believes in the absolute necessity of changing the ways in which we consume resources and create products in order to reduce our footprint upon this earth. To the best of our ability, we want to help sewists create a me-made wardrobe of their dreams that is environmentally friendly and conscious. You'll find that for our exclusive fabric prints, we have chosen substrates that are the MOST environmentally conscious and sustainably produced available. We have elected to be a store that operates on a pre-dominantly pre-order basis so that we are not over-producing and instead catering purely to our customer's interests. In terms of the challenges of shipping in a sustainable way, we use compostable mailer bags to send you our goodies. 


Changing our consumption practices and behaviours is an ever-evolving journey. Being sustainable is at the heart of our business and we know there is always room for improvement, so we're open to your feedback and suggestions on how we can provide even more sustainable options and products for our customers.

 

Below, you'll find details on our Fabric Substrates to ensure you are confident in your choices when purchasing one of our exclusive prints.

 


Fabric Substrates Information

Lenzing Ecovero Rayon Challis 120gsm and
Lenzing Ecovero Elastane 240gsm
 

As compared with generic viscose, the production of LENZING™ ECOVERO™ has a substantially smaller environmental footprint*. A cellulosic fibre that is produced from wood pulp, Lenzing Ecovero is renowned for its sustainable approach to textile manufacturing. The non-profit environmental protection organisation Canopy has consistently ranked Lenzing among the top viscose producers worldwide for our sustainable wood and pulp sourcing practices. LENZING™ ECOVERO™ fibres have also been certified with the EU Ecolabel for textile products (license no. AT/016/001), a label of environmental excellence and is awarded to products and services meeting high environmental standards throughout their life-cycle: from raw material extraction, to production, distribution and disposal. Furthermore, being cellulosic, LENZING™ ECOVERO™ fibres are biodegradable in soil, freshwater and marine environments, as well as compostable in home applications and industrial facilities. 

Wood – our natural and renewable raw material, wood and pulp, comes from certified and controlled sources derived from sustainably managed forests. 

Water – up to 50% lower water impact. In addition to maintaining a highly efficient usage rate, we clean up the water we use before returning it to nature.  

Air – up to 50% lower CO2 emissions to air, helping to combat climate change. 


Our Ecovero Rayon Challis is soft and drapey with a tight weave. It’s true character emerges after the first wash and you’ll find it is perfect for patterns that require flowy, drapey fabric. 
 

Our Ecovero Elastane offers a generous amount of stretch and intense colour vibrancy. Perfect for uses in dresses, skirts, tops, leggings that require stretch and soft drape. Keep in mind though, that when creating a garment with printed knit fabrics that you do not wish to overstretch it as you will distort the print. Ensure you cut your fabric with enough ease to retain the integrity of the print. 
 
 

Carvico Vita PL - Luxe Xtra-Life Lycra

A high performance, sustainable techno-fabric made of polyester and elastane. It is made of 100% recycled polyester from pre and post-consumer materials and extra life. Vita PL is ideal for the creation of swimwear items which are expected to be resistant to chlorine, suntan creams and oils and for long lasting sportswear. 

Composed of 78% Recycled Polyester and 22% Elastane, Carvico Vita PL
fabric is:
 

- ultrachlorine resistant 
- resistant to sun cream and oils 
- UPF 50+ 
- offers compression and shape retention 
- pilling resistant 
- two-way stretch 
- vibrant colours and excellent coverage when stretched 

Carvico Vita PL is a truly luxurious fabric that is perfect for all your swimwear and activewear and one of the most environmentally friendly stretch fabrics available on the market. 

 

Organic Cotton Jersey 

This is a soft jersey that is created without elastane and has a minimal one way stretch achieved through the knitting process. This fabric is perfect for use in t-shirts, children’s wear, headbands, lingerie or just any clothing that requires a knit fabric with minimal stretch but nice drape. 

 

This fabric is 100% GOTS organic cotton. The GOTS certification requires a manufacturer to meet strict codes of production that adhere to environmental and sustainable practices, as outlined in the Global Organic Textiles Standards. You can read more about these here:  
https://ota.com/advocacy/organic-standards/fiber-and-textiles/global-organic-textile-standard-gots