THE BIODEGRADABILITY OF INDIVIDUAL FABRICS
COTTON
This is one of the easiest fabrics to decompose, especially if it’s 100% cotton. In the right compost, the material should be gone in a week to five months.
LINEN
This very fine material can decompose in as little as two weeks when it’s completely pure. You can speed up the process by cutting the fabric into small pieces.
WOOL
Depending on the blend, it may take between 1 and 5 years to decompose.
BAMBOO
Its popularity is on the rise and it’s much like wool in that it takes a year and sometimes longer to biodegrade.
HEMP
Because hemp is derived from plants and does not require excessive processing, it is highly biodegradable.
SILK
Silk is made from the cocoons of silkworms and is also very biodegradable.
Other fabrics like jute, abaca fibers, cork or products made of seeds, shells, nuts, and wood are all compostable.