Sustainable Textiles

Short Communication

Environmentally-friendly production has significant role in industry as shown on previous works and study experiences. It is well known that natural resources have been depleted. Additionally, it is important that industrial products do not have a negative effect on human health or the environment.

Nowadays, consumers place a great emphasis on environmentally friendly approach. So that, the demand to production processes and materials do not harm to the environment and also being preferred the materials are re-cyclable, is gradually increase. With the development of environmental awareness, content of high value-added products has become an important criterion. It is important that the textile industry is seen to make an environmental contribution. It becomes inevitable that textile provisions’ play a supportive role in world’s developing conditions. An increase in environmental pollution, a decrease in oil and water reserves causing an increase in the cost of oil-sourced fibres. Furthermore, rising temperatures due to global warming are all evidences of the need for a new generation fibres and to be used more widely. In recent years, the properties expected of textile materials are far more than for clothing and fashion. With emerging technology, there is an increase on consumer demands for more advanced products incorporating high-performance and protection against all kinds of internal and external factors. Another specification should be combining with these features; that is textile products are being produced from renewable resources, which can degrade naturally after they are no longer used.

Features that increase the added values of textile products are ; being produced from renewable resources, can be degraded in nature after completing their times of use .These products are used widely in many areas such as work-wear, hospital garments, military clothing, home textiles, baby clothing, sportswear, underwear’s, socks,…etc.

In the light of the details mentioned above, the studies focuses on sustainability in the textile industry have great importance. The main purposes of the studies are taking into consideration the outlined topics while developing new products which are renewable and environmentally sustainable. Undertaking studies more concerning sustainable, environmental friendly production will remain on the agenda of textile sector in future. Also, one of the most important neglected issues in the textile industry is healthy and safety. Development of a new product in healthy and safety sector should head towards sustainability. Practical progresses in sustainable product development since the process is not applied well globally, the studies will have critical importance.

One of sample works for application of sustainable new product development can be a study which I have completed in 2015. It was based on different proportions of fibers derived from natural polymers. Biodegradable, deodorizer, anti-bacterial knitted fabrics were developed. Primarily constructions of fabric to be applied had been determined, to obtain an effective feature, various mixture ratios were developed and yarn production were realized. Following specified knitted fabric construction, dyeing operations were realized as using much kind of dyes. Fabrics were tested for their antibacterial and deodorizing properties to determine which structure and mixture of fabric has the optimum effect. Selecting the optimal featurestrength values of fabric structures, they were tested to determine their mechanical and physical properties. Besides their natural antibacterial features, new formed textile structures were examined according to their additional features of UV resistance, fireproofing and these performance values were also tested and their results were examined.

Searches revealed many new insights which could form the basis of these studies in the world. The use of market based instrument in achieving environmental goals has emerged since 1960s in the United States. In my opinion, access to knowledge concerning sustainability, eco-friendly product design will broaden general understanding of the issues involve. Gaining a deeper understanding of new product design developments particularly within a sustainable approach will positively effect on future of world [1].

References

1. Alay E. Improved of Biodegradable, Antibacterial, Odor Resistant Knitted Fabrics. 2016.