These days you can't enter a store without seeing something labeled "green", "organic", "sustainable", or "eco". For many consumers, these terms are likely to sound more or less equivalent.

So what does it all mean? Not all earth-friendly fibers are equal, as we shall see. Here's a list of definitions that I hope will help clarify the confusing world of "green":

Organic:

• For a fiber to be labeled "organic" means it was grown without the use of pesticides or fertilizers. Once the fiber is harvested, it should be processed separately from conventional fibers, using non-toxic dyes and finishing agents. If the fiber is from an animal, that animal was treated well and not treated with synthetic hormones or insecticides. There are several certifications that an organic textile can qualify for, such as Oeko-Tex and GOTS. Certification takes money and time, so not all textiles that are organic are necessarily certified as such.

Natural:

• "Natural" simply means that the fiber comes from nature, as opposed to a synthetic fiber which is man-made. Natural fibers include cotton, wool, silk, alpaca, etc. The term "natural" does not tell us whether the fiber was produced in a sustainable way. Bear in mind that conventional cotton, the most egregious example of pesticide use and water pollution, is a "natural" fiber.

Eco-friendly or "eco":

• Eco-friendly is a general term, not an official label or an indicator of certification. Products will often be labeled as "eco-something" when they are not certified organic, but benefit the environment in some other way. I've seen some interesting "eco-yarns" that contain recycled polyester, recycled PET bottles, or reclaimed fabric scraps left over from textile mills. Recycling is a good thing — just know that a recycled polyester yarn is neither organic nor natural.

Recycled (PCW or "post-consumer waste")

• The most ubiquitous term in the green marketplace is probably "recycled". I couldn't count how many products I see that are advertised as "eco-friendly" because they are 50% recycled or less. Again, recycling is great, but it's important to read the fine print. Generally speaking, "recycled" comes in two flavors: post-industrial and post-consumer. If a paper mill picks up scraps from the floor and makes more paper out of the scraps, this counts as post-industrial recycling, even though it's really a new paper that has never had a life outside the mill. "Post-consumer", on the other hand, went home with one of us, got used, and was tossed in the recycling bin. Post-consumer recycled products have been used at least once.

Fair trade:

• "Fair trade" refers to concern for the workers and artisans who produce the materials, often in developing nations. Under the fair trade approach, manufacturers pay a higher price for the product in return for reassurance that the workers are paid a fair wage for their work. Fair trade organizations also reinvest in local communities to improve the living conditions and rights of the producers. Again, fair trade doesn't necessarily imply organic, or vice versa.

Sustainable:

• "Sustainability" often refers to a holistic approach to design that accounts for the "triple bottom line" of people, planet and profit — meaning that a sustainable enterprise should be environmentally sound, good to the people involved in it, and profitable enough to be a viable product or business. Sustainability is broader than organic practices, in that it also accounts for factors such as energy use in the factory, how manufacturing waste is dealt with, and whether the product can be recycled or composted at the end of its life. In terms of fabric, a sustainable textile can be organic, recycled, synthetic, fair trade, or a combination of these.

Confused yet? Don't worry, there isn't a "right answer" — which products you choose is really a matter of personal taste.  I hope these definitions at least help get the conversation started.

What do you think? Please add your own clarifications or examples in the comments!

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