Natural Fibers vs Recycled Plastic Fabrics | Breath of Fire

Q: What materials we use

We work with three fabrics. Three. Not thirty.Brushed Organic Cotton Jersey (220g, made in Portugal) soft, slightly thick, with a peach-skin touch. Our flagship. The Sohang, Yamala and Mahan are knitted from this.Mercerized Organic Cotton Jersey (180g, made in Portugal) lighter, smoother, with a subtle natural sheen. Our new Essence Collection uses this for models like Ankaa, Nashira, Maia.Bamboo Viscose blended with Organic Cotton (made in Turkey) cool, breathable, fluid. Used for the Lilii pants and the Mizar Kimono. Bamboo regrows in three to five years, without replanting and without irrigation.Most pieces include around 8% certified elastane, enough to hold shape over years of wear, without losing breath.We use every meter of yarn we knit. What we don't sew, we save for repairs and samples. Nothing goes to waste.

Q: Three generations of women

Three generations of women.My grandmother Johanna sewed evening dresses by hand. Long, careful, beautiful work, a kind of patience that has all but disappeared.My mother, Cornelia, learned from her. In 2004, she founded Breath of Fire. The very first piece she designed, the Sohang, was created on the floor of her living room in Switzerland, with a yoga teacher friend named Christina. It is still our flagship today.Today, I ( Pernelle) run the brand. I do not redesign what works. I extend it. The Essence Collection, launched in 2025, sits beside the Evergreen line. New silhouettes, same intention.We do not design for trends. We design for the body in practice, for the moment when the breath deepens, when the posture lengthens, when you forget what you are wearing.That is the test of a piece. Forgetting it on. Returning to it.

A plastic bottle becomes a legging. A cotton flower becomes a t-shirt. Both are sold as "sustainable". On the mat, against warm skin, they do not feel the same, and they do not end the same way either.

Sustainable clothing is a big topic in fashion today, as more and more people become aware of the environmental impact of what they wear. Two families of fabrics are often presented as the responsible choice: natural fibers and recycled plastic fabrics. In this article we look honestly at the pros and cons of each, to help you choose with clarity.

Natural fibers

Natural fibers come from plants or animals: cotton, linen, hemp, wool, silk. Fibers made from plant cellulose, such as bamboo viscose, are close cousins. They are generally considered more environmentally friendly than synthetic fibers because they are biodegradable and, when grown organically, can be produced with fewer harmful chemicals.

Sohang yoga top and Sohang yoga pants in beige organic cotton — Sohang top and pants in beige, brushed organic cotton jersey.

Pros of natural fibers

Biodegradable: natural fibers break down over time and can return to the soil, instead of piling up in landfills.
Renewable: they grow back each season, while synthetic fibers come from non-renewable resources such as oil.
Durable: well-made cotton jersey, linen and wool can last for many years with proper care.
Comfortable: many people find natural fibers more pleasant to wear. They breathe, absorb moisture and feel softer on the skin.
No microplastics: when you wash them, the tiny fibers they release are not plastic.

Cons of natural fibers

More expensive: natural fibers, especially organic ones, cost more to produce, so garments made from them often cost more to buy.
Sensitive to stains: some fibers, such as wool and silk, stain more easily and are harder to clean.
Require more care: they can shrink or lose their shape if washed too hot or tumble dried. Our care guide for natural fiber yoga clothes shows how simple it can be.
Resource use: conventional cotton needs a lot of water and pesticides. Organic farming reduces the chemical part, which is why the choice of an organic fiber matters.

Recycled plastic fabrics

Recycled plastic fabrics are made from plastic bottles or other plastic waste, melted and spun into new polyester or nylon fibers. The process is often called "upcycling", because it gives discarded plastic a second life.

Pros of recycled plastic fabrics

Reduces waste: they give a use to plastic that might otherwise end up in landfills or in the ocean.
Durable: recycled polyester is strong and can last for many years.
Water-resistant: some recycled plastic fabrics repel water, which makes them useful for outdoor clothing.
Less virgin oil: they reduce the need to extract new petroleum for new synthetic fibers.

Cons of recycled plastic fabrics

Still synthetic: recycled plastic is still plastic. It is not biodegradable and can take hundreds of years to break down.
Microplastics: synthetic fabrics shed microfibers with every wash, which end up in rivers and seas.
Energy to produce: collecting, cleaning, melting and spinning plastic requires energy, so recycled fabrics also have a carbon footprint.
Hard to recycle again: once blended with elastane and dyed, a garment is rarely recycled a second time. The loop often ends after one round.
Less breathable: on the skin, especially during long or warm practice, synthetic fabrics tend to hold heat and moisture.

In conclusion

Both natural fibers and recycled plastic fabrics have their pros and cons. Natural fibers are biodegradable, renewable and breathable, but they cost more and ask for a little more care. Recycled plastic fabrics give plastic waste a second life, but they remain synthetic, shed microplastics and need energy to produce. The best choice depends on what you value and on how you will use the garment.

Where we stand at Breath of Fire

For a raincoat, recycled polyester can make sense. For yoga, where the body opens, warms up and breathes for an hour or more, we chose natural fibers. Since 2009 we have worked only with organic cotton and bamboo viscose, with a small share of elastane for stretch. We explain this choice in detail in why we only use organic cotton and bamboo viscose, and the comfort side in the benefits of natural fibers in yoga clothing.

Ankaa straight leg yoga pants in khaki with Maia tank top in mercerized organic cotton — Ankaa pants in khaki and Maia tank top, mercerized organic cotton jersey.

Discover our fabrics on the our fabrics page, or browse the women's collection and the men's collection.

Frequently asked questions

Is recycled polyester better than organic cotton?

Not in every way. Recycled polyester reuses plastic waste, but it is still plastic: it sheds microfibers and does not biodegrade. Organic cotton is renewable, biodegradable and free of synthetic pesticides. For clothing worn close to the skin during practice, we prefer organic cotton.

Do natural fibers shed microplastics?

No. All fabrics release some fibers when washed, but cotton, linen or viscose fibers are not plastic and can break down in nature. The small share of elastane in a stretch jersey is synthetic, which is one more reason to wash gently and less often.

How can I make any garment more sustainable?

Wear it often and for a long time. Wash at low temperature, air dry, repair small holes. The most sustainable garment is the one you already own and love.

Choose what can return to the earth.

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What you wear matters. The texture against skin. The breath that moves freely. Pieces that soften with the years.

Our clothes are certified organic cotton, knitted and sewn in Portugal in small batches since 2009. Natural fibers. Slow craft. Clothing for those who pay attention to what touches the body.

Near Porto, in Portugal, two small family businesses work side by side for us. The first, in one village, knits our organic cotton from scratch and dyes it to our specifications. The second, in the next village, cuts and sews. We have been visiting both every year since 2009. We know the people by name. We share meals when we visit. They have watched our collections grow alongside their own children.

During the Covid years, when organic cotton and bamboo became briefly impossible to source in Portugal, we found a second family workshop in Turkey — also ethical, also certified, also personal. About 5% of what we make passes through their hands today. The Mizar Kimono and a few Lilac pieces from past collections come from there.

Most yoga brands buy fabric from a market — pre-made rolls, ready to cut. We don't. Every meter of jersey we use is knitted from scratch to our specifications. That is why the Sohang feels the way it does. That is why a five-year-old pair softens instead of wearing thin.

A slower way of making clothes. Sometimes inconvenient. Always worth it.

Sustainability for us is not a marketing department. It is a series of small, sometimes annoying choices we have made since 2009.

We chose certified organic cotton when it was 40% more expensive than conventional or plastic fabrics. We still pay that premium today. We grow without external capital which means we cannot afford to overstock, so we don't. We use every meter of yarn we order, even when it means smaller runs and longer waits. We are 100% self funded and all the money is placed in ethical funds in a local bank.

We focus on evergreen pieces, the Sohang, the Amrit, the Amba instead of seasonal collections. Some of these designs are over a decade old and still our bestsellers. A garment worn for ten years on a body is the most sustainable thing a fashion brand can make.

Our fabrics are dyed with processes gentle enough for a baby's skin. We package in either recycled or biodegradable bags. We ship from our small warehouse in Cully (Switzerland) or our partner in Germany, never overseas.

We don't tick every box. We are not perfect. But these are the choices we make, and we make them visible.

We work with three fabrics. Three. Not thirty.

Brushed Organic Cotton Jersey (220g, made in Portugal) soft, slightly thick, with a peach-skin touch. Our flagship. The Sohang, Yamala and Mahan are knitted from this.

Mercerized Organic Cotton Jersey (180g, made in Portugal) lighter, smoother, with a subtle natural sheen. Our new Essence Collection uses this for models like Ankaa, Nashira, Maia.

Bamboo Viscose blended with Organic Cotton (made in Turkey) cool, breathable, fluid. Used for the Lilii pants and the Mizar Kimono. Bamboo regrows in three to five years, without replanting and without irrigation.

Most pieces include around 8% certified elastane, enough to hold shape over years of wear, without losing breath.

We use every meter of yarn we knit. What we don't sew, we save for repairs and samples. Nothing goes to waste.

Three generations of women.

My grandmother Johanna sewed evening dresses by hand. Long, careful, beautiful work, a kind of patience that has all but disappeared.

My mother, Cornelia, learned from her. In 2004, she founded Breath of Fire. The very first piece she designed, the Sohang, was created on the floor of her living room in Switzerland, with a yoga teacher friend named Christina. It is still our flagship today.

Today, I ( Pernelle) run the brand. I do not redesign what works. I extend it. The Essence Collection, launched in 2025, sits beside the Evergreen line. New silhouettes, same intention.

We do not design for trends. We design for the body in practice, for the moment when the breath deepens, when the posture lengthens, when you forget what you are wearing.

That is the test of a piece. Forgetting it on. Returning to it.

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Natural Fibers vs Recycled Plastic: Honest Pros and Cons