TS014-Sustainability in Textile Industry

Sustainability in Textile Industry

Parimal Alwekar

Department of Textile Technology

DKTE Engineering College ,Icchalkaranji, India

Abstract

In recent time sustainability is leading to textile fashion products. The sustainability is a business and a method of manufacturing that do not destroy natural resources not only by textile industry but also into every sector on our planet sustainability has reached. The sustainability textiles are that, which are not harming the environment also the people working at the workplace and recycle without having chemicals. Textile industry effects on global warming which increases many crises in environment. It increases CO2 from industry into the environment in which affects the all living things. Sustainability is frequently illustrated through the ideas of reduce, reuse and recycle. Our textile industry mostly focusing on sustainable products, so they can meet social and environmental aspects. For getting advantage textile industry must be aware of current trends of the market. In this report the main fibers which are sustainable for the environment are introduced like organic cotton, Bamboo fiber, Pineapple fiber, Jute, Hemp fiber, Ramie fiber, soya fiber, wool fibers are explained briefly with their usages of this fibers by famous designers and many top brands. The high fashion and quality product can be made by these products to guarantee the environmental and social standards.

Introduction

From thousands of years humans are using natural fibers obtained from both animals and plants sources from these different industries are making useful products and having different type of applications. The synthetic fibers have made lots of changes they need chemicals to make those fibers because of increasing demand synthetic fibers, natural are growing in less demand but synthetic are not suitable for environment hence new researches and technologist to find new innovation way of growth, development cultivation and use of natural fibers in sustainable way. The environment awareness among customers resisted the use of synthetic fibers and forced the textile companies to use again ecological natural fiber. So, to minimize the use of synthetic fiber Cotton is a giant of natural fibers and has a big market share in textile products, but its cultivation involves the extensive use of pesticides, growth fertilizers, chemicals and consumption of large amount of water that gives rise to environmental and economic distress. Other than cotton there are natural fibers like hemp, flax, organic cotton and bamboo that can be used instead of cotton that are resource efficient.

Keyword: Sustainability, Textiles, Composites, Conclusion.

Sustainability:

The most suitable definition of sustainability recommended by the word commission on Environment and Development is 'meet the needs of present without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their needs and desires'. Sustainability is working on four features like economy, culture, environment and society. We have to save our planet in future to overcome and solve these issues we need complete and efficient management.

Role of sustainability in textile industry:

It plays a vital role in textile processing and in all steps. in recent time sustainability is leading to fashionable products. As today requirement is to produce goods that are ecofriendly and have ability to serve the customer as well as environment and also support the economy of the company. Let we take an example, a cotton T-shirt. we can see no of steps involved making this T-shirt. First the growth of cotton with harmful pesticides and chemicals for growing and further steps involves these types of harmful aspects which will impact on earth or environment. In recent time sustainability is leading to fashionable textile products hence we can produce organic cotton which does not require harmful pesticides.

Textiles

Some sustainable textile includes:

• Organic cotton
• Bamboo
• Hemp
• Soya fiber
• Wool
• Pineapple Fiber
• Banana Fiber
• Milk protein

Organic Cotton

The conventional cotton is very environmental unfriendly. It requires lots of chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers while growing it causes pollution to the environment and also for the human health it is harmful. Hence now a day Organic cotton is grown without use of chemical, pesticides and without making much more harmful to environment. It is much more environment friendly.

Growth of Organic Cotton

Advantages of organic cotton:

• Creates healthy environment and boost up towards sustainability.
• Elimination of risk of using harmful chemicals
• Organic cotton also ensures our food security and health care by providing contamination free food

Bamboo

It is very fast-growing woody plant. It helps to improve quality of soil. It is very sustainable. It is regenerated cellulosic fiber. It can be made by mechanically and chemically. In chemical method high or strong solvent are used, it is not considered as sustainable way to create fabric

Bamboo grows naturally without growing any herbicides, pesticides and irrigation. It grows with natural rainfall. There is no need of plantation of bamboo because it grows from stalks cut off and buried in the ground and this starts growing and it starts grow.

Mechanical Method

Woody part is crushed and treated with natural enzymes to break down the bamboo in to soggy substance and material is spun out by combed yarn it is very rough like linen

Chemical Method

In chemical method sodium hydroxide is used then crushed. Dipped into the caustic soda and converted into cellulose material.

Applications

• Bedsheets, Garments
• Also, in countries when cyclone and earthquake hits commonly
• Used in paper industries
• Shoes, hats, bags, rafts, tiles and also as a fire wood
• It is highly durable, stable and tough and has substantial tensile strength.
• It has antibacterial nature, so it is used in bandages, masks, nurse wears and sanitary napkins. Keeps your odor free and feeling and smelling fresh.
• UV proof, antibiotic and bacteriostatic curtains, television covers, and wallpapers. It is naturally treated with UPF 40 protection to cut out 97.5% of harmful UV rays. Perfect for travelling cover ups and outdoor activities. Protect yourself from skin cancer.
• It is breathable and thermoregulating means we stay comfortable whatever the weather keeps you cool in summer and warm in winter
• It is more absorbent than cotton helps to weak moisture away from the skin
• It is biodegradable a greener material that will simply return to Earth.

Hemp

Pesticides or insecticides are not needed when growing hemp and hemp actually improves the condition of the soil that it is grown in. It is grown in.  It is also drought resistant and can be grown in most climates. The fabric can be made from the hemp plant without using toxic chemicals and it can be processed locally, reducing the cost and pollution associated with transport.

Applications

• Hemp is used to make centuries to make rope, canvas and paper. Also used in clothing, home furnishing textile and floor coverings.
• In China, hemp is degummed for processing on flax or cotton machinery.
• Blending with cotton, linen, silk and wool gives hemp of soft feel.
• Hemp fibers are used mainly in the special paper industry.

Soya

Soya cloth is made from a byproduct that occurs during the food manufacturing of the soya bean. The fabric is soft, drapes well, and is comfortable

Look for soya cloth that is certified organic. The material is free of petrochemicals. It is most sustainable plant in the world, being completely biodegradable.

Application

• Soya is soft and light weight that similar to cashmere, machine washable and wrinkle resistant.
• Additionally, it is an ideal textile for sport wear, as it is breathable, has anti -bacterial and UV resistant properties and contains amino acids that are good for the skin and body.
• It can be easily blended with other fibers, bringing it unique characteristics.
• Natural anti- bacterial agents providing with moisture absorbency.

Wool

Wool can be environment friendly fabric with some conditions- The animals need to be treated well and live in humane conditions. The sheep manure should not enter the water supply. Another consideration how the wool is manufactured

Environmentally friendly wool will not use bleach or chemical dyes

Applications:

• Wool is a multifunctional fiber with a range of diameters that make it suitable for clothing, household fabrics and technical textiles.
• Its ability to absorb and release moisture makes woolen garment comfortable as well as warm.

Pineapple fabric

Pineapple leaves are used to obtain Pina, a textile fiber that is used to make fabrics. The Pina fibers are extracted from pineapples leaves by hand scraping decortications or retting. Pineapple crops are natural resource.

Spanish Red or Native Philippine Red pineapples take about 18 months to reach maturity The pineapple fibers are and ivory white color and naturally glossy. This delicate cloth is translucent, soft and fine with a high luster.

Applications:

• The fibric has generally natural glow similar to silk, and is better in quality. This gloss protects the fiber and as a result, Pina does not require any treatment with toxic material.
• It is easy to wash and care for, no dry cleaning required.
• It is an eco- textile for clothing.

Banana Fiber

The banana fiber is extracted by hand stripping and decortications. Thus it 100% eco - friendly fiber. This fiber looks like bamboo fiber and ramie fiber. It is strong, shiny, light weight and biodegradable. It can even absorb moisture very efficiently. Banana fiber where used for making ropes and mats till recent past. With its many qualities getting popular, the fashion industry is also fast adopting this fiber for making various fashion clothing and home furnishing.

Applications:

• To make currencies, bond paper.
• It is very good replacement of wool pulp in paper industry as it has high cellulose content, thus reducing environmental impact of deforestation.
• Banana fiber as a natural water purifier.
• It is used as base material for bioremediation and recycling.

Milk Protein Fiber

These fibers are used to make yet another and eco friendly yarn. The milk yarn is dewatered, that is all the water content is taken out from it and then skimmed. With the help of bio-engineering technique, a protein spinning fluid is made. Wet spinning process converts this fluid into high-grade textile fiber. The skin friendly milk yarn goes to make glossy and luxurious fabrics similar in appearance to silk fabrics that have antibacterial and antifungal properties too. Their hygroscopic character makes them one of the finest moisture management fabrics. They can be blended with a number of fibers to get many characteristics blend them with bamboo to get cool fiber and with wool fiber to have a thermal protective fiber.

Applications

• It is hygienic and flexible.
• It is moisture absorbent, permeable and heat resistant.
• It is sensitive to skin and as it has the same pH as the human skin.
• It is environment friendly and is considered as green product.

Composites:

They combinations of dissimilar material to perform a task that neither of the constituent material can perform alone. Since hardly any material is used in its pure form, composites have a broad meaning and usages.

Sustainability, industrial ecology, eco efficiency and green chemistry are guiding the development of the next generations of material, products and processes. Biodegradable plastics and bio- based polymer products based on annually renewable agricultural and biomass feedstock can form the basis for a portfolio of sustainable, eco-efficient products that can complete and capture markets currently dominated by products based exclusively on petroleum feedstock. Natural/biofiber composites (bio composites) are emerging as a viable alternative to glass fiber reinforced composites especially in automotive and building product applications. The combination of bio fibers such as kenaf, hemp, flax, jute, henequen, pineapple leaf fib, and sisal with polymer matrices from both nonrenewable and renewable resources to produce composite materials that are competitive with synthetic composites requires special attention.

Conclusion:

Sustainability has become an essential attribute of today’s textile and clothing industry, the process of transforming textile industry into more sustainable one is very sensitive, needs a lot of knowledge, skills and commitment. Use of sustainable fibers in textile is a part of his process and a step towards this milestone. Organic cotton and bamboo fibers, banana fiber ETC have demonstrated strength in the market of textile fashion; these are much better and useful alternatives of dominant and high impact fibers. Cotton has captured big market shares because of its properties but cotton growing is not favorable for the environment it requires lots of water, pesticides and fertilizers.

Use of these fibers in the textile fashion industries is very limited or in very little percentage in different composites, these fibers have potential to use in fashion products and other industries to make the environment green.

References:

• Eco-Textile: For Sustainable Development Dept. of Textile industry.
• Eco- Friendly Textiles: A Boost to Sustainability Literature, Home science Dept. TMU
• Sustainable and environmentally friendly Fibers in Textile Fashion
• A study of organic cotton, bamboo fibers.