On the question of whether tights are durable, we don't have to think long. Before you know it, there is a ladder in your tights and you can buy a new one again. The synthetic fabric - made from petroleum - is also anything but sustainable. But what if you still like to wear tights under that cool dress or skirt? Are there any sustainable tights? We looked into it for you.
What exactly are tights made of?
Such a stretchy and transparent garment as tights cannot be made of natural material. But what are tights made of? Most tights consist mainly of nylon (aka polyamide) with a small percentage of elastane (aka lycra or spandex). Convenient because both materials are stretchy, but unfortunately they are petroleum-based synthetics. Plastic, in other words. That elastane, while a fine, is not a durable material, we have previously written in this article. Nylon production is usually even more environmentally damaging. Nylon, like elastane, requires a lot of energy and all kinds of chemicals are used to make the yarn smooth, strong and elastic.
Sustainable tights: do they even exist?
The production of tights is thus anything but environmentally friendly, and because tights often break after just a few wearings (hello ladder!), they are also quickly discarded. Because of the synthetic material, tights are not biodegradable and microplastics are released during wear and especially during washing. Those microplastics thus end up in our water, in nature and eventually on our plates and in our bodies. Not really a shiny story. So the most sustainable thing would be to not wear tights at all, but we understand that there are few stylish alternatives under that beautiful gala dress. That's why it's time to look for sustainable tights as well as tips on how to last as long as possible.
Tights made of recycled yarn
What if, like deposit bottles, could recycle? At least then tights would no longer be a disposable product. Sounds good, but in practice it turns out to be not so easy because tights consist of at least two different materials that are intertwined. The materials can be recycled separately, but not (yet) the combination. Fortunately, it is already possible to make tights from other recycled materials, such as old fishing nets. A pair of tights made from recycled yarn is a lot less harmful to the environment than one made from new yarn. More sustainable tights made of recycled yarn can be found, for example, at Lanius, Seasalt Cornwall, Aarre and Swedish Stockings. At the latter, you can even hand in old tights (of any brand). These are processed into tables, for example. Not quite circular yet, but a step in the right direction.
Choosing sustainable tights, yes there are more eco-friendly brands. Whichever tights you choose: treat them with care so they last a long time.
Tights made of natural materials
Making tights entirely from natural material is unfortunately not possible. This is because we want the fabric to fit nicely and have sufficient stretch. A flexible and strong material, such as elastane, is indispensable. But it is possible to make tights partly from natural or semi-natural materials, such as cotton, wool or Tencel. These types of tights are then slightly thicker and tend more towards tights.
The difference between tights and tights
You can tell the difference between thin tights and tights by the denier number (often called ‘den’), which indicates the thickness of the yarn. Less than 20 denier is thin and transparent, 30-50 denier is firmer and less translucent, and from 60 denier onwards you are actually talking about tights: opaque, warmer and firmer. The lower the denier, the faster a pair of tights basically ladders, because the yarn is thinner. But note that the thickness does not always say anything about the quality of the yarn, so it is still wise to choose a good brand.
Are tights more durable than tights?
Tights tend to last longer than thin tights, but they also require more material. So whether tights or tights are more durable depends mainly on the material and how long they last. Thin tights are only made of synthetic material. There are also tights made of synthetic material (so not so durable), but there are also tights that - apart from a small percentage of elastane for stretch - are mostly made of cotton. If you want to know exactly how different clothing materials affect the environment, have a read of this article. We can tell you in advance here that tights made mostly of organic cotton are a more sustainable choice. Examples of brands with tights with a large proportion of organic cotton are: Hess Natur, Living Crafts, Bonnie Doon and Seasalt Cornwall.
Tips so your durable tights last longer
Whatever tights (or tights) you choose, make sure they last as long as possible. We know this can be a challenge with tights, so we have a few handy tips for you. Coming up:
- Buy the right size: for tights, this is often one to two sizes larger than your normal size. Tights that are too small are under extra stress and break more quickly. A shame! Are your tights too big and sagging? Then wear a second pair of pants over them.
- Put the tights on carefully. Make sure you have no sharp nails or jewellery on. Roll one leg all the way up, carefully insert your foot and slowly roll the tights out to your knee. Do the same with the other leg and then gently pull the tights over your thighs and hips.
- Boots are not ideal for tights. Ideally, wear a pair of socks over your tights.
- Only wash your tights if you really need to. Perhaps airing is enough. If it is really time for a wash, wash by hand or at 30 degrees in the washing machine. Put the tights in a laundry bag, such as the Guppyfriend: with this, not only are your tights protected, but it also captures microplastics released during washing at the same time. Win-win!
- Do not use fabric softener, as this damages elastane.
- Make sure there are no garments with sharp parts, such as zips, in the washing machine.
- Dry tights on the wash rack and not in the dryer.
- Do you still have a ladder in your tights? Then put a little clear nail polish on the ends of the ladder to prevent it from tearing further.
This is the best way to dispose of broken tights
We hope our tips will help you enjoy your tights for longer, but sooner or later you will have to say goodbye to them. So what do you do with them? You can throw old tights in the textile bin. They cannot be made into new tights, but they can, for instance, be used as stuffing for cushions, sofas or insulation material. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that this will actually happen. Want to make sure your tights do not end up in a landfill? Then reuse your old tights yourself. Cut out elastic bands, for example, or use the tights to store onions, potatoes or flower bulbs by making buttons and hanging them up.
More sustainable tips from thegreenlist.nl
- In the glitter dress category: Are sequins glitter or horror?
- Did you know that plastic also comes off your fleece jumper? Read more about fleece.
- Wondering how sustainable vegan leather is? Read all about plant-based leather in this article.
Sources: Durability.nl, The Guardian, COSH!, One World, Swedish Stockings, Conscious Fashion Collective. Photo credits: main image: left: Nastya Korenkova (Pexels), right: Rankzl (Pexels), woman with tights and boots: Alena Evseenko (Pexels), feet with tights: Manki Kim (Unsplash).
