Comments on: Milk Silk: Eco-Friendly or Not?

By: Got milk…clothing? Milk silk revisited | Green Grechen Eco-Friendly Fashion and Shopping Online

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:08:44 +0000

[...] not going to get into the whole “argument” again (read my first anti-milk-silk post here), but I just have to say that I’m disappointed (again) that the “journalist” [...]

By: Kate

Kate — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:09:07 +0000

There are just so many different factors that go into how ‘sustainable’ anything is. You’re right, the factory where it’s made, the field where it’s grown, the people who all fit into the large life cycle of a product are all making up a complex web of plusses and minuses, and it’s near impossible to unravel the puzzle. But what’s important is that we’re having these conversations, and thinking deeply and talking publicly about eco fashion. I like to imagine a world where we really care about the things that we buy, and wear, and understand where they come from…and make that part of our identity……….

That said…milk fiber? It’s an easier equation than most. Thumbs down here!

By: Eev

Eev — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:10:18 +0000

This whole milk silk thing indeed sounds like a total eco-disaster. I definitely hope regular consumers won’t buy this green wash!

You can actually make 100% synthetic “silk” called soy silk (from the low-grade food industry’s left-over soy that is fed to the cows) and get far greater yield of fibre per acre than first feeding the soy to the cows and then processing the milk. However, I’m not sure how soy silk competes in eco-friendliness compared to organic cotton or organic hemp… Soy is quite demanding crop, but so is cotton…

Since I’m also vegan (because of animal rights – no exploitation or making profit with animals whatsoever, no matter how “organic” or how “well treated” the animals are) I would never wear this milk silk. I hope this fabric doesn’t become more popular, which wouldn’t be surprising however. The dairy industry’s geniuses are very creative when it comes to sticking milk into every imaginable thing to get marginally better profit, even though the whole dairy industry is so utterly uneffective and expensive to begin with, that at least in Finland the production of dairy rests completely on government subsidies…

It made me wonder, if someone is extremely allergic to milk (casein) are they able to wear fabrics made of it? It just made me curious, since my friend is allergic to peanuts, and she gets rash even if peanut paste touches her skin.

By: Blogroll: Recycling, chocolate, affordable organic clothes, etc | Green + Chic

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 06:50:08 +0000

[...] Milk Silk: Eco Friendly or Not I know, I couldn’t believe they actually made fabric from milk either! We know how Grechen with Green Grechen feels about it, but what do you think? Personally, I think I will pass! [...]

By: grechen

grechen — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 12:58:45 +0000

@kay – i will freely admit that my being vegan makes milk fabric particularly bad in my opinion, but my being vegan has nothing to do with the FACT that the cattle/dairy industry is a bigger contributor to greenhouse gases than cars, and is largely responsible for the continued destruction of the rainforest. i don’t see how producing fabric from a product of an industry that clearly CONTRIBUTES to serious ecological problems can be eco-friendly. that is my main argument, and i think i made that clear in the article. i inserted my personal opinion only at the end.

i would love for you (or someone) to tell me how my main argument is weak and unsupported – and please, point me to research and facts sustaining that milk is an eco-friendly fabric. that is what i’m waiting for…someone to back THAT argument up.

By: Kay

Kay — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 03:14:29 +0000

Personally, I think you’re letting your opinion as a vegan influence the facts of this article. Your arguments are weak and unsupported. If you have a problem with it -because- you are vegan, then make the article about that, but don’t tag it on the end and pretend the rest of the article is valid. But that’s just my opinion.

By: Carla

Carla — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 05:49:53 +0000

I am not vegan, but I don't consume dairy products and I think milk clothing is gross. YUCK, I cannot imagine wearing anything made from that. Carla’s last blog post..Green and Chic Products: Skinny Skinny

By: grechen

grechen — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:46:48 +0000

@stancie: interesting point about advertising $$ and the other milk article (i didn’t see that one). i understand that calcium is good for weight loss (among other things), but there are way better sources of calcium than milk.

@amy: there is definitely a lot of “room” for discussion around what makes a designer or fabric eco-friendly, and i do think that doing something positive, no matter how small, is better than nothing…but i really don’t see much positive about using milk for fabric. and when a designer, blogger, whoever, makes a claim about something being eco-friendly, they need to BACK IT UP with facts…tell me WHY. i don’t think it’s too much to ask…we all do it. that is what disappoints me the most i think. with influence comes responsibility.

By: Amy D

Amy D — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:08:41 +0000

I am always in arguments with people about what is eco-fabric, what makes a designer eco in the first place and aren’t some designers who don’t claim themselves to be eco, more eco than others?
(Sick of seeing the word eco yet?)

Like you mentioned in your article, many factors contribute to a green or sustainable designer.
-Did they make it in the U.S. for a smaller carbon footprint?
-Did they use fabrics made in the U.S.?
-Was the organic cotton from untainted soil?
-Did they give back to the community?
-Did they rescue fabrics from the landfill?

the list goes on.
Up to us to use our own best judgement based on our principles as to what fits our world as green.
But clothes made of milk?
Makes my stomach curdle….

Amy D’s last blog post..Global Warming Is Bad for You, Says EPA

By: Stancie

Stancie — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 01:39:27 +0000

When I saw the article on EcoStiletto about milk fabric, first thing I thought was…gross, second thing I thought was that I should email and find out what they were thinking….milk as eco-friendly?!? Seriously??? Third thing I thought was that they must be getting big advertising dollars from a milk company since they featured another odd “milk” article on 3/9 about how milk fights fat. WHAAT? (My understanding is that dairy will indeed pack on the pounds, but alas that’s another topic ).

As a non-milk drinker (in fact, I think its disgusting) I would personally never wear it. (I’m not a vegan, but I don’t eat beef or drink milk.) I had these very same thoughts and hopefully your keen observation will give others pause before jumping on the “eco-friendly milk fabric bandwagon”. I have the same apprehension about bamboo, but milk fabric seems like BIG-TIME greenwashing…likely a worse environmental offender than conventional cotton or bamboo.

Thanks for posting this Grechen! Great of you to point this out and make people think

Stancie’s last blog post..Be Back Soon…