WHAT?S on the back of that shirt you?re wearing?

It used to matter a lot what the label on one?s garment says. For fashion-conscious folk, such tags are more than just a commercial brand. It was a statement of one?s place in the social and fashion ladder, a hint of how big one?s bank account is, how high the style quotient and education level, how far back the family pedigree goes, and so on. So much information gleaned from such a tiny scrap of cloth.

These days, it still does matter what your clothing label says. But no longer as a way of determining or judging one?s social and economic bracket.

Labels, of late, bespeak political correctness, social responsibility and yes, level of environmental awareness and concern. Aside from the required information on the garment ? manufacturer?s name, washing instructions, size, etc. ? the concept of sustainable fashion and political correctness has introduced a slew of initially unfamiliar terms like ?organic cotton,? ?fair trade denim? and ?PET (polyethylene terephthalate),? leaving even the most fashion savvy among us downright confused.

One may ask, for instance, how one white cotton shirt can differ from another made of ?organic cotton.? Or how a particular pair of pants, more than another, helps promote fair trade, encourages good labor practices and empowers a rural community.

These days, one can now measure the social and environmental impact of the clothes we wear in much the same way that we check the nutritional content of the cereal bar or bag of chips we buy: Simply, check the label.

So what does the label on your shirt or dress say? Let?s run through those unfamiliar terms and demystify them. Do they really affect our health, wealth and well-being, and that of the earth? What exactly is green couture?

?Fair trade clothing? is stamped on garments, as well as other goods whose producers receive fair prices for their products. Which means better wages for workers and greater improvement in their communities.

?Organic cotton? indicates that the cotton used in the fabric was biologically produced with low-impact dye. This means the entire purifying and spinning process was water-based and did not result in pollution.

?Organically grown cotton? is used specifically to mean that the cultivation of the cotton plant did not involve conventional chemical fertilizers, but rather made use of beneficial insects and biological and cultural practices to control pests and build strong soil. This is important to note as research has shown that it takes about 1/3 lb. of pesticides and fertilizers to produce enough cotton to make just one t-shirt.

?Natural fibers? such as jute, kenaf, linen, ramie, wool, Alpaca, silk, and hemp typically require less pesticide and chemical use than conventionally grown cotton. Hemp is a particularly good choice of natural fiber from an environmental standpoint because hemp ?grows like a weed.? It also produces strong fibers, has antibacterial and antifungal properties, grows quickly, enriches the soil, and doesn?t require fertilizers, pesticides or much water to grow ? an ideal alternative for limiting both greenhouse gases and toxic chemicals.

?Regenerated fabrics? are made from fibers derived from regenerated and renewable natural sources, namely plant cellulose or plant or animal proteins. Regenerated fabrics are all biodegradable and require less pesticide than conventional cotton. Bamboo, for instance, is created from rapidly renewable plants that do not require pesticides or fertilizers to grow and that take larger amounts of carbon dioxide out of the air than other plants because of its rapid growth rate.

?Synthetic fabrics? refer to polyesters, nylons, and acrylics, and are made from petrochemicals. The production of petrochemicals results in nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas more dangerous than carbon dioxide in contributing to climate change.

It?s also useful to know and understand ?Refashion and recycouture.? The earth-friendliest form of sustainable fashion uses fabric from garments that are in the post consumer chain. From wardrobe swaps, yard sales, rummage sales and thrift shops, these garments and household linens are torn apart, mixed and matched, then resewn into fabulous new items. Because of their unique combinations, these are often one-of-a-kind pieces that distinguish the fashion conscious individual.

The refashion concept has been around for years. From depression stylists to war shortage seamstresses, using fabrics for new purposes has been part of the creative person?s repertoire. The most common form of fabric re-use was the quilt.

Many people may believe that choosing one?s wardrobe based on how earth-friendly the material and process involved, is well-intentioned. Still, they don?t sound very practical in the long term.

So why not consider shifting clothes-consciousness in stages? It is not necessary to go overboard and transform one?s entire closet into the model ?earth friendly? wardrobe overnight. You can begin with a conscious effort to choose the ethical route when shopping. When you need to replace a garment, replace it with organic. If you are replacing clothing that is still wearable, donate it to a local thrift store, a homeless shelter, a nearby Caritas collection center or one of the two top networks whose in-house foundations promptly repack them into relief goods for calamity victims. Many people need decent clothing even if they?re conventionally grown and manufactured. Recycling is an important, eco-friendly principle. When shopping for new apparel, forget the chain store malls and check out local and online organic clothing stores.

So in deciding which side of the fence to park, it may be wise to heed the words of one of fashion?s most dominant forces, French designer Coco Chanel who said, ?Fashion is not something that exists only in dresses. Fashion is in the sky, in the street; fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.?

With pollution rising, global warming producing weird weather changes, and environmental health hazards threatening us at every corner, perhaps our only viable solution is to embrace green. Let?s not just plot our survival; let?s start wearing it. ?

6 Ways to Dress Green

1. Check the label for Fair Trade Certification, the use of low-impact dyes, or organically-grown fabrics.

2. Find clothes that are unbleached or bleached with hydrogen peroxide only.

3. No wrinkle-free treatments.

4. Shop at vintage or second-hand stores.

5. Make your own clothes out of sustainable fabrics; recycle old clothes into new, or reuse them as kitchen towels or rags.

6. Go for clothes that do not require dry cleaning.