LaROK sustainable?

I was surfing around Nordstrom's website and did a search for "Made in the USA" and a few really cute pieces by LaROK popped up like this "Playa" top. I read a little further and not only is it made domestically, it's also a Cotton/Tencel® lyocell/polyester blend. Tencel is a new age fiber made from natural cellulose fiber by a European company, Lenzing. It was designed for people with sensitive skin and to have many desirable properties such as breatability, great moisture absorption, strength and durability. Plus, its environmentally-friendly production process, which was awarded the European ECO Award, combined with the purity of the fiber make it very ecofriendly. Lyocell is made from wood pulp and is considered an environmentally friendly alternative to cotton.

Here is another LaROK dress, this one a Micromodal/spandex blend also made in the US. Micromodal fiber is made from beech wood, a natural raw material. It has many of the qualities of cotton, but it's friendlier on the environment and is more durable after repeated cleanings. I've noticed Modal and micromodal in many cloths, if you read the labels, you may find that some of your favorite brands are using it more and more. I recently went to Anthropology and there was a good amount of modal shirts, a few bamboo sweaters and other sustainable options.

LaROK doesn't claim to be thinking sustainably, their website doesn't even list the types of materials or where the cloths are made, but it is refreshing to see some of these alternative start to seep into more mainstream brands. Keep your eyes on the labels, some brands you thought weren't doing much just might be using these new sustainable fabrics.