Why should I care?
In September 2022 floods damaged 45% of cotton crops in Pakistan.
This severely impacts the livelihoods of farmers and female agricultural workers.
Global warming can cause extreme weather like flooding or drought.
These weather events are predicted to become more common putting global cotton crops at risk.
Some new biomaterials use sugar in their production. Sugar cane, along with crops like corn and wheat, are also subject to extreme weather.
Global action could reduce warming and extreme weather.
We need to diversify fiber sources. Forgotten fibers such as hemp, recycled fibers, and new biomaterials, can help reduce dependence on cotton.
For example orange juice waste can be turned into fibers. These fibers are cellulose, similar to cotton.
The expansion of cotton farming in Central Asia was a key contributing factor causing the Aral Sea to dry up.
Cotton is a ‘water thirsty’ and chemically intensive crop that requires pesticides and fertilizers.
Fast fashion sourcing decisions have real world impacts.
Irrigation for intensive farming combined with chemical use caused the sea to dramatically shrink.
Many materials use water in their production, including new biomaterials. Water usage, ecosystem management and social impacts should inform whether a material is a sustainable choice.
Textile standards like BCI, GOTs, and REEL can play a role in tracking water and chemical use in fiber production.
A whole plant is grown for cotton, but only the fluffy part is needed. Innovators are working to grow only the useful fibers in a lab. This has the potential to reduce land, water, waste and chemicals.
Recent studies show some rivers in Bangladesh are ‘biologically dead’.
Their oxygen levels are very low or almost zero.
Plant and animal life cannot survive.
River pollution includes significant wastewater from textile factories. In some cases dyes can even change the river’s color.
Most dyes and pigments used in the textile industry are derived from petrochemicals.
Biomaterials also need dyes and finishes. Traceability needs to accompany new material production.
Regulations need to be tightened and enforced. Better treatment of wastewater is possible.
Some innovators are looking to replace these chemicals using biology.
Start-ups are studying the colors found in natural organisms to produce living dyes using microbes.
Harmful algal blooms, such as in the Great Lakes, are on the increase globally.
Blue, green, red, brown algae can be toxic, even lethal, to marine organisms and humans alike.
Pollution makes less oxygen available in the water. Fertilizers, detergents and hotter temperatures all help algae grow.
Biomaterials may also need fertilizers and washing powders. It is important to consider how a biomaterial is made and used to avoid unintended consequences.
Regulation and better water treatment can play a role in reducing algal blooms but each occurrence needs a local solution.
We can harness polluting algae biomass to create new materials. The algal bloom can help to reduce petrochemical inputs in products such as EVA foam for footwear.
Microplastics were found on top of Mount Everest in 2020 and in human blood in 2022.
The latest research suggests microplastics pollute both air and water.
In humans, microplastics have been linked to neurotoxicity and increased cancer risk.
Microplastics from synthetic fibers end up in water, soil and the air we breathe. The fibers shed when wearing or washing garments.
‘Bio’ does not necessarily mean a material is biodegradable or compostable. Not all biomaterials break down safely or quickly. End of use analysis is required to determine impacts.
Plant fibers also shed readily but break down more easily. Reducing use of synthetic fibers or using laser-based surface treatments can minimise fiber loss.
It is now possible to develop biobased synthetic fibers. They degrade naturally in environments with wastewater and compost.
Synthetic textile microfibers from polyester and nylon made up the largest type of ocean microplastics in 2019.
In the ocean they are ingested by fish and other marine animals ending up in the human food chain.
Even natural yarns can shed microfibers.
Tiny fibers fall off our clothes during processing, washing, or use. They are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Synthetic microfibers, such as PET, resist natural biodegradation.
Biodegradability is complicated. A material may break down in an industrial facility or even in soil but not an aquatic environment.
Marine degradable plastics exist and can break down in water. Some polyesters used in medicine are able to break down in seawater.
Technologies exist to fuse natural fibers together. The fibers are sealed to prevent shedding and improve performance. The natural fibers perform like synthetics without microplastic pollution.
Clothing waste is taken to other countries when there is no more room in domestic landfill.
Ghanians have a special phrase for this: ‘obroni w’awu’ meaning ‘dead white man’s clothes’.
This waste will stick around for hundreds of years and we’re adding another truckload every second.
Synthetic fibers persist in landfill and can release harmful chemicals.
New material innovators also have to strike a balance between durability and end of use.
Chemicals added to make a material more durable, may also end up making it harder to break down after use.
At 37.5°C, the addition of natural minerals to fabrics may help speed up biodegradation of synthetics.
Ideally textiles are diverted to specialist recyclers who can break down materials and reform them into new fibers and yarns.
6 million people in the U.S.A. have water that is contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFASs).
PFASs have been classified as persistent organic pollutants of significant concern. Their widespread occurrence in the environment correlates with adverse effects on human health and ecology.
PFASs chemicals make materials resistant to water and stains. Nicknamed ‘forever chemicals’, PFASs do not break down in the environment. The textile industry uses the highest number of these chemicals.
Many biomaterials also need chemical finishing for performance reasons. It’s essential to understand what chemistry is being used in material development.
Water repellent materials can be made without PFASs. PFAS- free finishes contain chemicals that can break down. They do not build up in the environment.
Water resistant finishes can be made without fossil fuels. Biobased finishes can be made using plant seeds and are suitable for all fibers. They are PFAS-free, durable and water-repellent.
Most global leather production requires use of toxic chemicals including chromium.
In tanneries where compliance is not practiced, leaks can cause pollution of waterways and harm to workers.
The tanning process preserves the animal hide, preventing rot and adding in color and aesthetic finishes.
Leather alternatives also need chemical finishes to achieve the same performance and aesthetic requirements. Regulation is driving the industry to innovate greener chemistries.
Chrome-free animal leather is available and leading chemical suppliers are creating safer chemistries. Enforcing regulations is key.
Biomaterial innovators are working with best practice European tanneries to ensure new leather alternatives are safer for humans and the environment.
In 2022, the largest area of the Amazon rainforest was cleared in 6 years.
Around 300 indigenous groups rely on the Amazon for food and shelter. It is essential to their culture and some of the planet's greatest biodiversity.
Rainforests are being cut down to clear land to make room to farm cattle and grow crops.
Increased demand for meat is driving livestock production and the crops to feed them. Soy is a feedstock for beef and chickens. Clearing trees to feed animals is just as destructive.
Canopy works to protect rainforests. It certifies man-made cellulosic fabrics made from rainforest-free wood.
Innovators are finding ways to avert the need for virgin wood altogether by turning waste from the leather industry and agriculture into new fibers.
This fully circular process reduces the burden on existing resources.
Overgrazing and monoculture can damage ecosystems. The diversity of plant species is reduced and soil quality is degraded.
Up to 65% of Africa’s productive land was considered degraded in 2021.
Monoculture includes both GMO and organic crops. Cotton is an example of a crop that degrades soil quality.
High levels of synthetic chemical use and animal excrement can also affect biodiversity.
When managed properly, animal grazing can be used to improve soil condition.
The move towards regenerative agriculture improves soil health to sustain future production.
New plant-based alternatives to animal or synthetic down filler are being developed. The plants are grown using regenerative practices leaving a positive impact on the land used.
Every year, 10 million gallons of crude oil are leaked into the Niger delta. Air, land and water are polluted. Ecosystems and local people suffer as a result.
Around 51.4 million tonnes of polyester was made from crude oil in 2021 - the largest amount of any textile on the planet.
Some new biomaterials may also contain polymers like polyurethane derived from crude oil.
Questioning inputs and impacts is critical when choosing new materials.
Recycling is a first step. Keeping synthetic polymers and plastics in a circular system of re-use will further reduce the need for virgin crude oil.
Performance natural fiber alternatives to synthetic fabrics are being used in applications like backpacks. The yarns are derived from plants like banana grown in a regenerative forest environment.
14.5% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from livestock. GHGs contribute to global warming.
Cattle raised for beef and milk make up 65% of the total emissions. Leather is a by-product of this industry.
Nearly 50% of those GHGs is methane which has a global warming potential 28 times that of CO2.
GHGs make the planet hotter. They trap heat from the sun in our atmosphere.
Global meat demand is on the increase. GHGs from the meat sector are expected to rise another 9% by 2031.
Switching to a vegan diet is the biggest way for individuals to reduce their own environmental impact.
Feeding animals seaweed has been shown to significantly reduce methane emissions.
Many leather alternatives are now derived from plants instead of animals. However, some may still contain plastic.
Carbon emissions from fossil fuels are expected to hit record highs in 2022.
Major textile production countries such as China, India and Bangladesh still rely on coal to run their factories.
Coal is a fossil fuel that releases greenhouse gasses causing global warming. It produces harmful substances and carbon dioxide when burnt.
Some biomaterials are substitutes for materials made from fossil resources such as plastic ‘vegan’ leathers. They may still be produced in facilities that use fossil fuel as an energy source.
Textile factories can be run on alternative fuels. Renewable energy like solar can reduce fossil fuel use and lower the carbon footprint of production.
GHG emissions can be fed to microbes. The microbes transform the GHGs into chemicals to make synthetic polymers instead of using fossil resources.
In California, 14 of the 20 largest wildfirehave occurred over the past 15 years. The western US has also experienced some of its warmest temperatures on record over the last 15 years.
Higher temperatures and drought increase risk of wildfires.
It is estimated that the fashion industry accounts for around 10% of global GHG emissions. GHGs increase the global temperature and likelihood of extreme events like wildfires.
Material production is only one aspect driving GHG emissions in fashion.
Environmental impact is not always less for biomaterials.
Textile factories often have old technology. New digital solutions can be more streamlined and less wasteful.
Growing consumption is the ‘elephant in the room’ for the fashion industry.
Consuming less, wearing for longer, and giving garments a second life through repairs, resale and rental reduces the carbon footprint over its life.
Fur farms raise and kill animals for their fur. Concerns include widespread animal welfare abuse, environmental impacts and risk to human health.
California banned the sale of fur products in 2019. In 2021 Israel was the first country to ban fur sales.
‘Faux’ fur is made from synthetic polymers derived from petrochemicals. It contributes to microplastic pollution and does not biodegrade at end of use.
Some hybrid alternatives combine biobased inputs with synthetic polymers. While these may have a reduced carbon footprint they will still not biodegrade.
Consumer campaigns are reducing demand for real fur. More and more luxury brands have banned animal fur from their collections.
New biodegradable fur alternatives using only natural plant fibers are being developed. They avoid the toxic chemistries and impacts of animal fur and traditional faux furs.
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