Environmentally-friendly Innovations in Technology and Processes
- sustained.style
- Apr 16, 2020
- 6 min read
Several major brands are committing to self-imposed deadlines to achieve 100% renewable energy usage
Biogas, a by-product of natural fibre processing, is being utilised as a power source for manufacture
Both natural and synthetic textiles can be recycled using mechanical and chemical processes, allowing waste destined for landfill to be given a second life in the form of new garments
Recycling for textile manufacture can also utilise PET and nylon waste, with companies taking plastic rubbish – such as bottles and fishing nets – and utilising it to produce clothing
Chemicals may also be recovered from production processes and cycled back for reuse, in what is called a closed-loop system
The increasing popularity of natural dyes, which readily biodegrade, enables a reduction of pollutant chemical usage
New dyeing techniques, such as fibre-reactive dyes, pad-batch dyeing and ink-jet printing have enabled the reliance on damaging chemicals and large quantities of water to be minimised
Vacuum technology, water spraying and water recycling present potential for a decrease in the industry’s annual water consumption of 79 billion cubic meters
While last week’s Awareness, Issues and Impacts post was likely disheartening for many, this week Sustained Style is here to highlight the technological advancements and processing changes within the fashion industry which are bringing about an eco-friendly fashion movement.
One change which is being broadly implemented – and not solely in the fashion industry – is the use of renewable energy, including solar, hydro, wind and geothermal energy. There are several global corporate initiatives to encourage industrialised sustainability, one of such being RE100, which brings together major companies – including Burberry, Chanel and H&M – and publicises their goal to source 100% of their global electricity consumption from renewable sources by a specified year (being 2050 at the latest) and enforcing disclosure of their annual electricity data. H&M, for example, has committed to 100% renewable energy sourcing by 2030 and has almost achieved that goal, currently utilising 90% renewable power sources. Initiatives such as this are particularly effective as they rely on social accountability to keep corporations in check, and as it is necessary for companies to maintain customer loyalty and appeal to the values of their market, they must promote change in order to remain successful and relevant.
Left to right: Solar power plant, hydropower plant, and wind turbine power plant.
Credit: Diyana Dimitrova, Martina Nolte, and Fokke Baarssen
Another innovation in respects to energy sourcing is the utilisation of biogas, which can be generated through the decomposition of waste produced in the processing of natural fibres for textiles. The methane gas produced is then converted into electricity which can be used to power factories and processing plants. An additional advantage of this process is that the other product of decomposed natural fibres is fertiliser, creating a zero-waste cycle in addition to renewable energy.
Diagram demonstrating the production process of biogas.
Credit: Advantage Environment
The textiles industry also has ample recycling capabilities with both natural and synthetic fibres from pre-consumer (waste generated from the manufacture of yarn and fabric, and post-industrial scrap textiles) and post-consumer (garments, vehicle upholstery, household items) sources.
In order to reuse natural fibres, the fabric must be sorted according to colour – which eliminates the need for further dyeing – then shredded, blended and combed, before being re-spun, and woven or knitted into new fabric. The process does have negatives though, producing shorter and weaker fibres which reduce the quality of the resultant garment or requiring virgin fibres to be incorporated to increase strength.
Synthetic materials undergo a different recycling process, being sorted by colour and fibre type, shredded and granulated, then formed into plastic pellets which are melted and extruded as the new fibre. This process is not only effective with synthetic fabric and clothing waste, but can also utilise PET (polyethene terephthalate) waste such as bottles and packaging, with many companies, such as Seaqual, sourcing these materials from our oceans, and helping to save marine life in the process.
Both natural and synthetic fibres – or blends of the two – can also be chemically recycled, which means that instead of being shredded they are broken down using chemicals, reverting synthetics into monomers – the building blocks of the fibres – and cellulosic materials into a liquid pulp, both of which are then reformed, or polymerised, into fibres of equal quality and strength to the virgin fibres they originally were. This also enables synthetic and cellulosic fibres to be extracted separately from blended fabrics and recycled into their raw materials.
Recycling of the chemicals utilised in manufacturing processes, such as dyeing and finishings, can also be implemented to reduce environmental impacts. Treatment of effluent to decontaminate water can also be used to recover chemicals, which are then cycled back for reuse, reducing the quantity of harmful substances which are necessary, and limiting their introduction into the environment.
Waste and resource management is particularly important in advancing sustainability in the textiles industry as it generates 15.1 million tonnes of waste annually, using non-renewable resources and contaminating the planet with toxic chemicals.
The dyeing and finishing of fabrics are a particularly toxic process in textiles, relying heavily on hazardous chemicals which pollute the air, soil, and water.
Recently there has been a resurgence of interest in natural dyes, which utilise biodegradable materials such as flowers, leaves, fruits, barks, stems and minerals, which generally create muted, natural hues. This technique is limited colour-wise to the available dye sources, is not as colour-fast as synthetic dyes and is less commercially viable, however, the environmental impact is significantly lessened due to the compostable nature of the dyeing materials.
Large bundles of naturally-dyed fibres in red, orange and blue hues hang to dry.
Credit: Threads of Life
As well, synthetic dyeing methods with reduced environmental impacts have been created, such as fibre-reactive dyes which bond to natural fibres through a chemical reaction, eliminating the need for toxic mordants, and minimising the amounts of salt, heavy metals, and water necessary.
Pad-batch dyeing is another alternative which involves the application of a solution of fibre reactive dyestuff and alkali to prepared fabric, which is then covered with plastic film and allowed to process for 2-12 hours. This method of dyeing results in a reduction of over 90% of water consumption compared to standard procedures.
Ink-jet printing can also be utilised to dye and print directly onto fabric and is regarded as an eco-friendly innovation due to its minimisation of water consumption.
Waste water from textiles manufacture containing chemical-heavy dye substances is released into waterways.
Credit: Wu Yixiu/China Dialogue
The fashion industry currently uses approximately 79 billion cubic metres of water per year, however, there are many processes which can be implemented to minimise water consumption.
The efficiency of the equipment is essential, with vacuum technology being employed to enhance the extraction of chemicals in rinsing, subsequently eliminating the number of washes necessary to achieve the final product. The use of water sprays – an alternative to fabric baths – in combination with vacuums, is also able to further decrease water consumption.
As well, in washing procedures which involve multiple stages, the least contaminated water from final rinsing stages can be recycled for the next batch. Similarly, processing baths, including those for dyeing and bleaching have the capabilities to recycle up to 50% of treated wastewater.
The reduction in water footprints from all the aforementioned methods has an additional advantage of decreasing the energy consumption that is necessary to heat the required quantities of water.
There are also plenty of technological advancements when it comes to the fibres used to create our clothes, with several new and sustainably superior materials being developed and utilised within the industry. These are so many and varied that they deserve their own post, so make sure you check back next week to see more innovations, and follow @sustained.style for extra insights and previews.
I hope this post has given you the confidence to make informed fashion choices and encouraged you to investigate some of your favourite brands and garments, as well as injecting a bit of environmental positivity into your day!
Don’t forget to check out the links below for some more information:
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