FASHION. A topic I hold close to my heart. I am very much captivated by the classic designs of Valentino, the genius ideas of the great Karl Lagerfeld and the highly pricey yet stunning Hermes collection.

But there is definitely more to fashion than its labels. Famous brands aside, designers worldwide are becoming more environment ??? friendly. The fashion world is fast catching up with the environmental fever, where the environment-conscious are opting for organic fashion.

Organic fashion is generally defined as clothes which are made of organically-produced materials, making it less detrimental to the environment. The process of producing organic materials ensures that the soil fertility is maintained and reduces the use of hazardous pesticides and fertilisers.

The fashion industry is a dirty business. Literally. The conventional clothes we wear are made from synthetic materials such as nylon and polyester that are made from petrochemicals. Scientifically proven to be damaging to the earth and its surroundings, these petrochemicals significantly contribute to global warming because it is non-biodegradable.

The manufacturing process of nylon itself releases nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that is 310 times stronger than carbon dioxide. Imagine the effect it has on global warming!

Pesticides are also vastly used in cotton production. Since it is not an agricultural food crop, cotton is heavily sprayed with pesticides which are not only toxic, but potentially carcinogenic. As a result, they not only affect the ecosystem but frequent exposure to pesticides is the main culprit in illnesses amongst cotton farmers.

And what about chemicals used to give us the rainbow of colours in our clothes? Beautifully carcinogenic best describes it. The chic attire we wear to work or that wear-to-perfection jeans we comfortably put on are dyed or bleached using toxic chemicals; chemicals which, if left untreated, would flow into the water system.

On the other hand, organically-produced fabrics are made with respect to the environment, the producers of these materials as well as the manufacturers. No chemicals are involved in this assembly line thus it does not pose any risk to farmers and manufacturers. Apart from that, farmers do not have to spend a hefty amount of money to buy chemicals, effectively eliminating its use on the farm.

As rare a topic as it is, a number of well-known brands have come up with environment-friendly clothes. Banana Republic has an eco-collection where clothes are made from a variety of sustainable fabrics including organic linen. Levi???s, the world-famous denim producer, launched their eco collection in 2005, where the jeans are made with 99 per cent organic cotton and one per cent lycra. Even designers like Stella McCartney, Oscar de la Renta and Proenza Schouler have begun to incorporate the organic or eco-friendliness concept into their designs.

Going organic in the name of fashion is not yet trendy in Malaysia as it is not a topic that would interest Malaysian fashionistas, let alone be discussed at your favourite kopitiam. Moreover, organic clothes are not easily available in Malaysia, yet.

Nonetheless, it is pivotal to raise the awareness of every Malaysians on this subject. For the uninitiated, we could at least be in the know of the existence and benefits of organic clothes. Although pricier than conventional clothes, purchasing environment-friendly clothes item can at least help us sleep soundly at night with the full knowledge that we are contributing our bit in protecting the environment. And did I mention that you can still look great, minus the environment-destroying factor?

Marcella Gider is the assistant conference manager with Sarawak Development Institute. 3rd Voice is a regular feature initiated by Azam and Sarawak Development Institute. Feedback can be sent to paulina@azam.org.my

Note: Sarawak Development Institute will be co-hosting a conference on Organic Asia: The Way Forward in October 2008. Please visit www.organic-asia.blogspot.com for more information and updates.