Pretty Little Green Things

For those of you who are more partial to solid colors, subtle patterns or just want a variety of fiber choices, one of the best retail organic fabric companies I’ve come across is Near Sea Naturals.  They have an amazing variety of organic cotton, wool, hemp, blended fibers and peace silks in lots of beautiful colors.

As an interior designer, I am particularly fond of silk, for its luster and hand.  However I’ve always been under the impression that as long as you’re using a natural fiber, you’ve made a more or less green choice.  But as with so many eco options, it’s never quite that simple.  Yes, it’s a natural fiber, biodegradable and made from renewable resources, but there’s so much more to it than that.  Treehugger has a great article describing whether silk is green or not in a very easy to understand way.  As you’ll learn, peace, Tussah or fair-trade silks are a much better choice than standard silk.  And fortunately Near Sea Naturals has a great selection so you can feel good about your chic choices.

Here’s a picture of Near Sea Naturals’ peace silk.  Gorgeous!

Near Sea Naturals’ website has a TON of fabric options so I don’t think it’s possible to choose wrong.  As you’re shopping, keep in mind that many of their fabrics are lightweight and woven for clothing or throw pillows.  There are, however, plenty of options for upholstery and light usage and it usually says in the description what you can use the fabric for.  Images on their website are fairly good, but if you’re trying to match something specific or working on a design scheme, you can always buy a swatch to see the fabric close up.  The only downside I’ve found is that you’re not guaranteed that a certain fabric will stay in stock or that they’ll be able to order more.  So make sure to order soon and order all of the yardage you need!  And don’t forget to order organic notions, batting and ribbon to go with your beautiful organic fabric.

Here are just a few of my favorites.

Here are just a few of Near Sea Naturals’ solids in cotton, silk wool and blends.  They have a beautiful color selection.

Photos from Near Sea Naturals

For those of you who are more partial to solid colors, subtle patterns or just want a variety of fiber choices, one of the best retail organic fabric companies I’ve come across is Near Sea Naturals.  They have an amazing variety of organic cotton, wool, hemp, blended fibers and peace silks in lots of beautiful colors.

As an interior designer, I am particularly fond of silk, for its luster and hand.  However I’ve always been under the impression that as long as you’re using a natural fiber, you’ve made a more or less green choice.  But as with so many eco options, it’s never quite that simple.  Yes, it’s a natural fiber, biodegradable and made from renewable resources, but there’s so much more to it than that.  Treehugger has a great article describing whether silk is green or not in a very easy to understand way.  As you’ll learn, peace, Tussah or fair-trade silks are a much better choice than standard silk.  And fortunately Near Sea Naturals has a great selection so you can feel good about your chic choices.

Here’s a picture of Near Sea Naturals’ peace silk.  Gorgeous!

Near Sea Naturals’ website has a TON of fabric options so I don’t think it’s possible to choose wrong.  As you’re shopping, keep in mind that many of their fabrics are lightweight and woven for clothing or throw pillows.  There are, however, plenty of options for upholstery and light usage and it usually says in the description what you can use the fabric for.  Images on their website are fairly good, but if you’re trying to match something specific or working on a design scheme, you can always buy a swatch to see the fabric close up.  The only downside I’ve found is that you’re not guaranteed that a certain fabric will stay in stock or that they’ll be able to order more.  So make sure to order soon and order all of the yardage you need!  And don’t forget to order organic notions, batting and ribbon to go with your beautiful organic fabric.

Here are just a few of my favorites.

Here are just a few of Near Sea Naturals’ solids in cotton, silk wool and blends.  They have a beautiful color selection.

Photos from Near Sea Naturals