A running list of the words that show up across the site. If a term here conflicts with how you use it, the page entry takes precedence on its own page.
- GOTS
- Global Organic Textile Standard. A certification covering organic fibre content and processing restrictions. Look for 'GOTS certified' (full product) versus 'made with GOTS' (lower threshold).
- Blended fibre
- A fabric mixing two or more fibre types (e.g. cotton–polyester). Blends are harder to recycle because the streams must be separated; pure-fibre or mono-material garments are generally easier to re-process.
- Mono-material
- A garment made from a single fibre type (e.g. 100% wool). Simpler to recycle than a blend, because there is no separation step. A useful signal when you are buying for end-of-life, not just wear.
- Capsule wardrobe
- A small set of interchangeable pieces, usually in a shared palette, chosen so most items pair with most others. The point is fewer, better pieces rather than a fixed count.
- Organic cotton
- Cotton grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilisers, under a recognised standard (GOTS or equivalent). Lower-input than conventional cotton, though it still uses water — 'organic' is not the same as 'low-impact' overall.
- Bluesign
- A standard for chemical input and resource use in textile production. A bluesign-approved fabric means the mill met limits on harmful substances and tracked water and energy use.
- Fair Trade
- A certification focused on labour conditions and farmer/worker terms, not fibre content. Relevant for cotton and other commodity fibres where the supply chain is long.
- Regenerative
- Farming that aims to leave land in better condition than it started — soil carbon, water retention, biodiversity. A newer and loosely regulated claim; we look for the specific practice, not just the word.
- Pilling
- Small balls of fibre that form on a fabric surface from friction. More common on lofty yarns (wool, brushed cotton) and on blends with short staples; often cosmetic, not structural, and usually manageable.
- Composition tag
- The fibre-content label required in most markets. The first fibre listed is the majority; reading it tells you care needs and recycling difficulty before you buy.
- LCA
- Life Cycle Assessment. A method that tallies a product's environmental impact from raw material to disposal. We cite LCAs when a brand publishes one; otherwise we rely on the fibre and manufacturing facts we can verify.
- Circular
- A model where a product is designed to be reused, repaired or recycled rather than discarded. Take-back and repair programs are the common implementations.
- Fast fashion
- High-volume, low-cost, trend-driven production with short wear life. The contrast case for a buy-less, buy-better wardrobe — not a category we recommend.
- Take-back
- A brand or retailer program that accepts used items (its own or any) for resale or recycling. Patagonia Worn Wear and Eileen Fisher Renew are common examples.