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The environmental impact of the textile business has long been under review, with everyone from concerned consumers to government officials offering advice on how to implement significant, beneficial changes. Here are five ways textile producers could encourage development.
Limit the usage of harmful techniques
Analyzing which procedures hurt the environment the most and looking for ways to change or eliminate them is one way textile producers might improve. Aalto University researchers developed a non-toxic process for producing waterproof, breathable textiles. Utilizing a carnauba wax coating is required.
The group also came to the conclusion that textile producers could dye and waterproof the textiles at the same time using their technique. By using fewer resources during production, this technique's multitasking component might also contribute to environmental improvements.
Look at ways to make repurposed textiles
More textile businesses are using recycled materials to reduce their environmental impact. While one company specializes in post-consumer cotton and polyester, another manufactures nylon from recycled fishing nets. These forward-thinking companies seek to create new products from waste since waste is not going away.
Recycling benefits the environment in ways other than merely with regard to textiles. Some companies claim that their methods for handling textiles use 98% less water and 90% less carbon dioxide emissions. Although these new materials are not yet widely used, if people are aware of them, they may gain popularity. This is one technique to choose environmentally friendly clothing, which is something many environmentally aware consumers are keen to do.
The trend of fast fashion should be abandoned
Fast fashion refers to clothing that manufacturers of textiles produce in large quantities quickly to keep up with shifting consumer trends. There is also a corresponding trend away from durable apparel. Many fast-fashion shops assume that customers will wear the items a couple of times before discarding them. Because of the brief cycle, it is not necessary to concentrate on long-lasting, high-quality products.
Consider the fact that fast fashion has 50 cycles every year, compared to the traditional garment industry's two. For almost every week of the year, that represents a new cycle. People now purchase more clothing, but they don't wear it as frequently. Textile producers may sincerely try to give up on the fast-fashion fad.
Many companies in the United States and elsewhere offer ethically sourced clothing that opposes the throwaway culture of fast fashion.
Improve wastewater-related practices
The textile industry is a substantial wastewater producer, especially during the coloring and finishing steps associated with clothing. To put the matter into perspective, consider that the industry uses about 100 to 200 liters of water for every kilogram of the produced item. One option is to recycle the wastewater. One project in a Pakistani textile factory used a membrane bioreactor and reverse osmosis to do that, making the water suitable for reuse during fabric rinsing.
Another possibility is to remove contaminants like dyes from the wastewater before it leaves a factory and contributes to pollution. A doctoral student recently explored various methods of achieving that goal. Her experiments cleaned the wastewater while reducing energy expenditure and chemicals used. Many options are not ready for widespread use, but textile manufacturers should stay abreast of advancements and be prepared to adopt them when possible.
Develop fabrics that shed less
Textile manufacturers can also help the planet by engineering fabrics that are less likely to drop plastic microfibers during the washing cycle. A research team found that the water volume used during a wash cycle was one of the primary factors causing the release of those particles. Their statistics showed that a delicate wash cycle shed 800,000 more fibers than a standard washing setting. That outcome contributes to increased plastic pollution in our oceans.
The scientists showed that previous research indicated that the washer's spin speed, the number of times the drum changed direction or the pauses in a cycle could cause fabric shedding too. However, this new work indicates delicate cycles trigger the undesired effect even more. These conclusions mean that by creating textiles that do not require delicate washes and are less likely to shed, manufacturers cut down on the planet's pollution.
A commitment to change sparks impressive results
The five actions on this list are things manufacturers can do at the factory level. Other factors — such as government regulations or supply chain shortages — could cause the textile sector to gradually operate in ways that support the environment.
Regardless of the methods used, the all-important first step for a textile factory to take is to pick a plan of action. Then, they must stick to it. Many companies make vague promises about improvements they'd like to enact at some point, but they stop short of specifics. When businesses determine what's in their power to do and commit to following through, they'll be on the right path for solving a pressing problem in the fashion sector.
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