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2.2 Innovations in Textile Productions
In the textile industry, globalisation began in the 19th century. Gradually, the textile industry began to unfold and develop. It is necessary to use natural resources and look for ways to obtain some of the textile products chemically.
Today, the textile industry is one of the most developed in the world. But there are a lot of problems here.
One of them is related to natural resources – the existence of humanity is possible thanks to the bounty of the Earth’s natural resources. For example, the growth of our societies and economies is driven by the accelerating consumption of fossil fuel reserves built up over millions of years – consumption that, if not stopped, will eventually lead to their depletion. Accordingly, the question of how we should negotiate humanity’s relationship with nature has never been more pressing.
- Water as a resource is also very valuable, and the textile industry uses a lot of it.
Water pollution
Textile production is responsible for about 20% of freshwater pollution worldwide from fabric dyeing and finishing products.
According to estimates, each year the washing of synthetic materials leads to the accumulation of more than 14 million tons of microplastic particles on the ocean floor. This is a global problem, but it also has serious local dimensions: the health of people, animals and ecosystems near factories are at great risk.
Most microplastic particles are released in the first few washes of the clothes. Mass production, low prices and high sales volumes mean more clothes go through initial washes.
The dyeing and finishing processes within the textile industry are identified as major contributors to environmental degradation. These processes are responsible for 3% of global CO2 emissions—a figure that is predicted to rise to more than 10% by 2050—and more than 20% of global water pollution. The widespread use of industrial dyes and chemical baths, which have remained largely unchanged for centuries, results in significant pollution. The wastewater produced by these processes contaminates water sources and soil, affecting both human health and biodiversity in regions where dyeing is prevalent, such as China, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Indonesia.
Addressing these challenges necessitates a systemic change across the textile industry to mitigate its environmental impact. Innovations in manufacturing processes, such as more sustainable dyeing technologies that produce no wastewater and significantly reduce energy consumption, are part of the solution. Furthermore, global cooperation among governments, consumers, and the textile industry is crucial for transitioning to more sustainable practices and meeting international environmental commitments.
Washing synthetic clothes accounts for 35% of primary plastic microparticles released into the environment . One washing machine load of polyester clothes can release 700,000 plastic microfibers that can enter the food chain.
- Another problem that arose – the textile industry is one of the most polluting today. Many clothes are only worn a few times and then thrown away due to loss of their original appearance and more. Approximately 92 million tons of textile waste is created each year.
- Greenhouse gas emissions – the fashion industry is estimated to be responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions – more than international flights and ocean shipping combined. The purchases of textiles have generated about 270 kg. carbon dioxide emissions per person. This means that textile products sold in have generated greenhouse gases equivalent to 121 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
Therefore, they should encourage: sustainable patterns of clothing production and consumption; to find a way to recycle textile waste; to work towards the use of ecological technologies. The way people get rid of unwanted clothes has also changed – instead of being donated, they are thrown away.
- Less than half of waste clothing is collected for reuse and recycling, and only 1% is made into new clothing.
DyeCoo Technology
DyeCoo Technology represents a revolutionary advancement in the textile industry, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional dyeing methods. This innovative technology utilizes supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) instead of water to dye textiles. The process is completely waterless, which significantly reduces the environmental impact associated with traditional dyeing processes that consume vast amounts of water and discharge harmful chemicals into waterways. DyeCoo’s method not only eliminates the use of water but also reduces energy consumption by approximately 50% compared to conventional dyeing methods. Since CO2 is reused in a closed-loop system, there is minimal waste, further enhancing its eco-friendly credentials. This technology also allows for faster dyeing cycles and offers excellent dye quality and color fastness.
Inkjet printing technology
Inkjet printing technology, traditionally known for its application in printing documents and images, has found a groundbreaking role in the textile industry, offering a sustainable and versatile alternative to conventional fabric printing methods. This advanced technique involves the direct application of dye or pigment onto textiles using high-precision print heads, allowing for intricate designs and a broad spectrum of colors with exceptional detail and clarity.The sustainability aspect of inkjet printing in textiles comes from its significant reduction in water and dye use compared to traditional textile dyeing and printing methods. By precisely applying color only where needed, inkjet printing minimizes waste and eliminates the need for large volumes of water, making it an eco-friendly option. Additionally, it reduces the excess discharge of dyes and chemicals into the environment, addressing one of the major environmental concerns in the textile industry.
Sustainable textile pre-treatment
Plasma pretreatment technology utilizes plasma, a highly ionized gas, to modify the surface properties of textiles without the need for water or chemicals. This process is achieved by exposing the fabric to a plasma field, which effectively cleans, etches, or functionalizes the surface of the fibers at the molecular level. The key benefits of plasma pretreatment include:
- Enhanced Dye Uptake: Improves the adhesion and absorption properties of fibers, allowing for more efficient dyeing with less dye and chemicals.
- Eco-Friendly: Significantly reduces the consumption of water and chemicals, minimizing the environmental impact associated with traditional wet processing techniques.
- Quality and Durability: Increases the quality of prints and the durability of the fabric by enhancing fiber surface properties without affecting the bulk characteristics of the textile.
Low-temperature bleaching is another sustainable technology that aims to reduce the energy and chemical requirements traditionally associated with the bleaching of textiles. Traditional bleaching processes often require high temperatures and harsh chemicals to remove natural impurities and prepare the fabric for dyeing. In contrast, low-temperature bleaching methods use innovative chemical agents or enzymatic treatments that are effective at lower temperatures, offering several advantages:
- Reduced Energy Consumption: Operating at lower temperatures significantly cuts down energy use, contributing to lower carbon emissions.
- Less Chemical Usage: Innovative bleaching agents and enzymes tailored for low-temperature processes are often more efficient and require less water and chemicals, reducing the overall environmental footprint.
- Improved Fabric Integrity: Processing at lower temperatures is gentler on textiles, preserving the strength and longevity of fibers, which can be compromised in high-temperature treatments.
Textile Waste
Part of the reason is that technologies are only now emerging that allow fabrics to be recycled into new fabrics. Almost 26 kg are used every year and about 11 kg are thrown away. In most cases, clothes no longer needed are burned or landfilled.
Problem solving – solutions to reduce waste in the sector are linked to the development of new business models for clothing rental, to facilitate reuse and recycling. Strategy development should encourage changes in consumer behaviour towards more sustainable models – for example, buying fewer clothes of better quality.
Reducing textile waste by extending the useful life of clothes and increasing their recycling. This is part of an effort to recycle fabrics into new fabrics. The European Union is already working on an idea to create a certificate for companies working with environmental standards. These include a ban on the use of plasticizers and other chemicals. The strategy to envisage new requirements for the eco-design of textile products and clearer product information, as well as strengthening the responsibility of companies for their impact on carbon emissions and the environment. Accordingly, innovations on the subject would be very helpful.
Expanding the range of sustainable materials. Brewed Protein™ refers to protein materials produced from plant biomass using Spiber ‘s proprietary fermentation process. Brewed Protein Protein materials can be processed into a variety of forms, with examples ranging from soft fibres with a silky sheen to spun yarns that boast characteristics such as cashmere-like softness or the well-known heat- and moisture-wicking properties of wool.
Environmental efforts have been made at the organisational level, including the creation of a dedicated sustainability team and initiatives to build a sustainable material production process and business structure.
High-performance biodegradable materials have the potential to displace fossil-derived plastics and reduce the problems associated with persistent microplastic pollution
We hope these efforts will help increase the meaningful, positive impact our materials can have on society and our shared global environment. Discussions on the sustainable development of fabric production, specialised fabrics and new materials are encouraged. Experts expect the percentage of fabrics and fabrics made from recycled materials to grow to 60-70% in the next few years, stressing that this will lead to the sustainable development of the sector. The change in the industry is here: from revolutionary fibre optic fabrics, through waterless dyeing to 100% recyclable fashion fabrics.
STORMFLEECE™ is a single-layer fabric that combines a traditional two-layer softshell with fleece without the need for a membrane. This method reduces the use of chemicals and energy consumption in the production phase. This water-repellent and wind-resistant fabric is widely used by many well-known brands for sports and hiking equipment.
Another manufacturer of knitted fabrics, as well as a specialist in dyeing, presents the idea of a computer-developed artificial jacquard, which allows the company to offer a variety of patterns according to customer wishes, with fabrics that are comfortable, breathable and designed to create a variety of sportswear.
A fresh and creative textile company, it looks at the process of finding that point where the elements of fashion and fashion trends meet the technical execution of high quality specialist fabrics and fabrics.
Filter fabrics – with filter cloth, it’s all about the technical precision and consistency of the fabric. Filter cloths meet the high demands placed on them. Wet and dry filtration: For filtration purposes, we offer a wide variety of clothes .
The wide range of our PP Multifilament yarns are supported by a rich colour palette that includes natural, black and a wide variety of colours, with tested colour fastness. All of them offer excellent technical parameters, with high resistance, chemical resistance and flexibility. Precision winding is available for coarse yarns. The high-quality twist guarantees an excellent result in warping and weaving, especially for the production of filtration fabrics
Cellulose fibres are well known for perfect moisture management. More than 80% of fibre components are natural raw materials. Clearly improved heat storage capacity compared to similar products.
The cutting-edge technology of some textile printing companies has found a way to shorten the time to start a job. New inputs have been added to these to detect malfunctioning nozzles and compensate for their operation without stopping production to solve the problem. The operation of the print heads has been made easier and colour matching has been improved.
There are also innovations in the production of textiles for technical and medical purposes, emphasising quality requirements for finished garments for monitoring vital indicators (for functionality, aesthetics, durability and others) and defining requirements for: textile materials (composition, structure, physical and mechanical indicators and other); the compositional elements and construction parameters of the clothing; the electronic elements (sensors, wires, flexible electronic control boards, power elements and others), applying principles from the high-tech textile design and research method. Or as they call it “smart textile”. The idea is to use it for medical purposes, registering all changes such as registering a change in the environment or impact from different sources (mechanical, thermal, chemical, etc.) . In order to ensure maximum comfort, hygienic properties and hypoallergenicity, it is recommended to use natural and artificial cellulose materials – cotton, viscose, lyocell and other fibres based on regenerated cellulose. To ensure tight contact of clothing and electrodes with the human body, the use of elastomeric thread is recommended.
In the textile sector, in recent years enterprises have a wide range of products from fabrics, fibres, yarns and dyes that are produced and processed sustainably. It is also important to be sustainable and use fibres from organic farming when weaving fabrics. Fabrics made of organic cotton, wool, hemp, linen or silk are the basis of ecological textile products. Meanwhile, green textiles mean clothes and other textile accessories designed to use organic and recycled materials. Reducing the environmental impact or using products with a lower lifetime impact on a given fabric can make a significant contribution.
Here we can add that there is a way to limit pollution with chemical substances, by replacing chemical dyes with natural ones (walnut leaves, chamomile, etc.). But there is also the question that more work force is needed for this purpose. From the point of view of water, we can use a small amount and the water in which we dyed would not be harmful if the textile material is natural (cotton, wool, etc.)
Thanks to companies and enterprises offering services in the production of ecological textiles, products with higher quality and efficiency are already found and, accordingly, bear their responsibilities to protect people’s health and leave a more comfortable environment for future generations.
Materials made of green and sustainable textiles are marked with a mark that producers complying with ecological criteria can apply to the products, thus guaranteeing a limited use of harmful substances and reduced water pollution and the air.
Best practices related to Innovations in textile production
Best practices: Fruitleather, Mak Ad, Mabo, Loopalife, O My Bag, Athens Knit Lab
| Name: | Fruitleather Rotterdam |
| Link: | www.fruitleather.nl |
| Industry sector: | Sustainable Textiles, Innovations in Textile Production |
| Location: | Rotterdam |
| Description: | Converts wasted fruit into a sustainable alternative to traditional leather. |
| Environmental benefits: | Reduces food waste, offers an eco-friendly alternative to traditional leather production, both the food and leather industry being big polluters of the environment. |
| Technological & innovative benefits: | Innovative approach in converting food waste (mango fruit) into versatile material to be used in handbags, shoes and wallets. |
| Other remarks: | Their innovative approach to repurposing wasted fruit into a leather-like material not only addresses food waste but also promotes the reuse of materials in fashion design, offering a unique and sustainable alternative to traditional materials. |
| Name: | MAK AD |
| Link: | www.mak.bg |
| Industry sector: | Innovations in textile production |
| Location: | Gabrovo, Bulgaria |
| Description: | Company MAK’s commitment to the environment is a long term priority. Led by the Bulgarian policy for managing environmental impact, MAK has made investment in photovoltaic power plants. The system saves 114,80 tons of carbon dioxide per year, which corresponds to 6218 newly planted trees. Over 100 years of experience in woven textile production and processing, continuously investments in latest generation machines and technologies, providing excellent labor conditions make company MAK one of the leading fabric manufacturer in Europe |
| Impact in numbers: | The photovoltaic system saves 114,80 tons of carbon dioxide per year. This corresponds to 6218 newly planted trees |
| Environmental benefits: | The photovoltaic system saves a lot of energy and resources |
| Other remarks: | Thanks to implemented principles and values in regards to the ethical business behavior, fair remuneration, respecting the rights of the workers, water and waste management, company MAK is loyalty business partner with vison for the global textile market. |
| Name: | Loopalife |
| Link: | www.Loopalife.com |
| Industry sector: | Design for Material Cyclability, Sustainable Fabrics, Innovations in Textile Production |
| Location: | Amsterdam |
| Description: | Specializes in recycling and upcycling post-consumer textile waste into new yarns and products, creating a closed-loop circular business model. They sort disposed textiles onto colors and recycle them to produce new fabrics. |
| Impact in numbers | no paint or chemicals used in the production process 7000 l of water saved per recycled cotton sweater, and 500 l saved per woolen sweater 10 kg CO2 saved per woolen sweater, 1,5 kg CO2 per cotton sweater |
| Environmental benefits: | Reduction in water and chemical usage, energy-efficient practices, and reduced transport emissions due to local production. |
| Social & economic benefits: | Local production ensures good working conditions and contributes to the local economy. |
| Technological & innovative benefits: | Development of diverse sustainable yarns like Wool2, Re-denim, Cotton2cotton, etc. |
| Other remarks: | Their circular design philosophy revolves around using local raw materials and recycled or sustainable fibers, exemplifying a commitment to material cyclability. This approach is crucial for creating sustainable fashion that reduces reliance on virgin resources. |
| Name: | O My Bag |
| Link: | www.omybagamsterdam.com |
| Industry sector: | Sustainable Sourcing, Innovations in Textile Production |
| Location: | Amsterdam, Netherlands & Kolkata, India |
| Description: | Focuses on ethical practices and social impact through their operations in India. Emphasizes environmentally sustainable and socially responsible production. O My Bag uses premium-quality eco-leathers, tanned without harmful chemicals like chromium and the newly introduced vegan leather alternative made from apple waste. |
| Impact in numbers: | 1004 fairly paid jobs in India12500 l recycled water during leather tanning process 2221 bags saved from landfilling The average percentage of female employees in the main factories in India is 19,2% compared to the industry average of 7%36% of shipping is done by sea, and the brand’s shipping emissions are offset with the GoodShipping Program, ensuring carbon-neutral international shipping. |
| Environmental benefits: | Carbon-neutral shipping for a significant portion of their supply chain. The brand uses certified recycled and organic cotton for its lining and canvas collection, and environmentally friendly tanned leather.. Premium quality leather is tanned without chromium, and instead, vegetable tannins are used, verified by independent laboratories. O My Bag collaborates with Leather Working Group (LWG) certified tanneries, ensuring responsible management of water, wastewater, air emissions, and energy use. The brand’s stores and office run on renewable electricity, reflecting a commitment to environmental sustainability. |
| Social & economic benefits: | Provides fair jobs and positively impacts lives through social projects in India. |
| Other remarks: | They focus on sustainable materials and reducing their environmental footprint, suggesting responsible sourcing practices. This includes ensuring that the materials used in their products are sourced in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. O My Bag’s B Corp certification, traceability of tier 1 and tier 2 suppliers, and engagement in impact partnerships highlight its dedication to ethical and sustainable practices. |
| Name: | Athens Knit Lab |
| Link: | https://athensknitlab.com/ |
| Industry sector: | Innovative technologies in garment manufacture |
| Location: | Greece |
| Description: | Athens Knit Lab (AKL) is a forward-thinking knit design and development studio founded in 2019 and based in Athens, Greece. Specializing in contemporary knitwear, knitted footwear, accessories, smart textiles, and technical products, AKL seamlessly integrates innovative technologies, creative knit engineering, and sustainable manufacturing practices. They are considered pioneers in 3d knitting in Greece, using STOLL and CMS knitting machines. Design:- Use of the latest STOLL ADF and CMS knitting machines and STOLL M1+ and CAD/CAM software for 3d knitting to promote zero wasteProduction:- Produce in small scale upon request and consult with the costumer before proceeding to the development phase |
| Environmental benefits: | Implementation of fully-fashioning techniques such as 3D knitting and knit-to-shape reduces waste.Commitment to sustainable manufacturing practices, including limited small-scale production.Integration of innovative materials with a focus on sustainability. |
| Social & economic benefits: | Produce in small scale upon request and consult with the costumer before proceeding to the development phase. Collaboration with a wide network of experienced manufacturers, engineers, and sewing companies supports local and global economic ecosystems.Initiatives like women empowerment and financial household management training courses for female employees of partner factories contribute to social development.In 2022, supported three Brickfield Schools, providing education and health checks for 175 children and their families. |
| Technological & innovative benefits: | Use of the latest STOLL ADF and CMS knitting machines and STOLL M1+ and CAD/CAM software for 3d knitting to promote zero wasteFocus on fully-fashioning techniques, including 3D knitting and knit-to-shape, demonstrates a dedication to innovation.Technical support and training services offered to enhance knit engineering skills and support new knitting projects. |
