Labelling

This is essential to enable customers to make informed choices. It also enables the easy identification of components in products to enable recycling. Currently there are no standards labels but among the best are Oeko100, SKAL, Swan, Euro flower and the soil association.

Landfill

Also known as a dump in USA or a tip in the UK, is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment. Historically, landfills have been one of the most common methods of organised waste management (along with incineration) and remain so in many places around the world. (wik)

Landfill Directive

(Defra) European legislation to reduce possible negative environmental effects from landfilling of waste by introducing uniform standards throughout the EU, in particular by setting targets for the reduction in the amount of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfill”.

Landfill gas

Municipal solid waste contains significant portions of organic materials that produce a variety of gaseous products when dumped, compacted, and covered in landfills. Anaerobic bacteria thrives in the oxygen-free environment, resulting in the decomposition of the organic materials and the production of primarily carbon dioxide and methane. Landfill gas consists of 50-60% methane and 35-40% carbon dioxide (www.energ.co.uk)

Latex

Liquid rubber. Used for backing carpets.

Laundery

Laundering textiles and clothes 80% of the environmental impact of textiles occurs in laundering. This includes the energy the water usage and the production, use and disposal of the detergents themselves, which include toxic additives such as optical brighteners, (kate Fletcher) (www.seventhgen.com )

Leasing

See product of service

Leather

Apart from ethics of animal treatment, leather is a biodegradable by-product of the meat industry. It would be wasteful not to use it. Currently processing usually uses Chromium which is a heavy metal, is carcenegenic, and leeches into the soil.

Leather and suede dyes

Leather dying usually involves the use of spirit or alcohol based dyes where alcohol quickly gets absorbed into moistened leather, carrying the pigment deep into the surface. Analine is also used, which is an ingredient in dyes, although colourless itself.**

HELP needed here.

Leather alternatives.

Charmone shoes use high-quality Italian microfibres that are constructed exactly like leather, making them breathable, lightweight and colourfast. Not to mention water-resistant! <www.charmoneshoes.com> 7.5.07 [online] This is a vegetarian rather than environmental choice, because microfibres are made from nonrenewables. If they are part of a closed loop recycling lifecycle, then their use would be environmentally acceptable. Another example of a more eco friendly leather alternative is the company Ecoganik who use leather look fabric made from PET.

Lenzing

Large development and manufacture of manmade fibres and fabrics. Including the following brand names, Viscose, Tenneco, lyocell.

Life cycle assessment

Looks at everything that goes into making a product, materials, processes, energy use and the effects of the product during use, and then its ‘end-of-life’... (ideally at this point there would be up-cycling)

Lifetimes

An investigation by Dr Kate Fletcher of fast and slow fashion.

Linear System

Singular use of materials, which are manufactured, used and then thrown away.

Linen

A bast fabric and thread that is made from Flax. The seeds make linseed oil which has many uses including the hardwearing, stylish and eco friendly material linoleum. the seeds arre suitable for cattle feed and used in health foods, the bark makes chipboard.

Lipase

Used in laundry products to remove fat and oil stains.

Localisation

Local production to create jobs and prevent excess transportation. Appropriate use of local materials and resources (e.g. as with some cotton production, not using water to grow crops at the expense of food production or salination of water courses) Localisation also maintains and develops skills. See bioregionalism

Lycra

Fabric made by dupont, from a synthetic rubber, elastic, makes
stretchy fabrics. (technotextiles) Uses CFC’s in production, which deplete the
ozone layer.

Lye

Also known as Caustic soda and sodium hydroxide

Lyocell

Regenerated cellulose fibre made from wood pulp which produces fabric with a soft drape. (ridgewell) obtained by an organic solvent spinning process (www.technical-textiles.net) The solvent spinning technique is both simpler and more environmentally sound, since it uses a non-toxic solvent chemical that is recycled in the manufacturing process. (www.science.enotes.com) Is biodegradable. Also Known as Tencel.