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| Issue date:16/04/2009 |
| ATA Journal for Asia on Textile & Apparel - Apr 2009 Issue |
| Source:Journal for Asia on Textile & Apparel |
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| Fashion passes, but fabric and pollution do not. "Eco-savvy fashion" choices mean not only reducing post-consumer refuse, but also pre-consumer waste and pollution, Lizette Smook writes |
An awareness of sustainable textile lifestyle products as well as demand is growing globally.
Eco-friendly textiles are becoming a very real alternative in terms of sustainability when compared to normal chemically intensive fabrics based on fossil fuels or natural fibres dyed and finished with chemicals hazardous to the environment.
Sustainability can be defined as the continual improvement of business operations to ensure long-term resource availability through environmental, socially sensitive, and transparent performance as it relates to consumers, business partners, and the community.
In essence, sustainability is changing the way we do things in order to be more eco-friendly or green. This results in the preservation of the natural resources upon which we depend on.
Fashion passes, but fabric and pollution do not. After fashion passes the fabric remains. "Eco-savvy fashion" choices mean not only reducing post-consumer refuse, but also pre-consumer waste and pollution. Progressively, mass retail fashion over the last 10 years have become cheaper and cheaper. Competition increased, markets became more proliferated with more brands appearing targeting the same segments and as a result price wars "kicked-in" with a result of total "non-sustainability".
Surveys found that the average US consumer discards in excess of 68 pounds of textiles per annum. The average woman in the UK annually bought 19 items of clothing a decade ago, and this has risen to 34 items in recent years. Among the 1.9 million tonnes of textiles disposed of in 2005 in the UK, some 1.2 million tonnes went into the rubbish bin.
There is evidence that attitudes are changing. Recent polls show:
over half (23.1 million) of Britain's consumers rate the ethical/responsible production of the clothes they buy is important;
three-quarters feel an end to child labour and sweatshops is very important, followed by offering producers a fair price (60%) and
damage caused to the environment (50%).
Consumers are also increasingly willing to pay more for more "ethical" products. The growth of the fair trade and organic clothing market is evidence of this trend.
Pursuit of eco-friendliness is spreading
One of the pioneers was Marks and Spencer (M&S) who kicked off its Plan A, highlights commitments in the areas of climate, waste, sustainable materials, fair partner, and health.
Consumers are suggested to wash clothes at 30°C or lower to save energy (photo: M&S) |
The stores were environmentally friendly in that these used less energy and emitted 95% less carbon dioxide. Marks and Spencer also re-labeled all the care instructions on all textile goods:
Marks & Spencer changed the care labels on almost three-quarters of its clothing ranges to lower washing temperatures of 30°C.
The changes are part of a campaign led by The Climate Group to help UK households reduce their carbon emissions.
It's effective on 70% of M&S garments, but it's also economical and better for the environment - saving around 40% of energy on each wash.
If all UK households moved to washing at 30°C, electricity saved could light every street lamp in the UK for 10 months.
Various other retailers followed and today, Levis, Orla Kiely, Guess, etc all have green garments and designers to the like of Karl Lagerfeld is even designing eco. H&M, Timberland, Tesco and Wal-Mart all have notable sustainability objectives. Swedish retailer H&M has eliminated PVC from all clothing and packaging, while US brand Timberland, along with its suppliers, aims to go carbon neutral by 2010 and has boosted investments in solar panels and wind turbines over the past few years.
Unitika, a leading Japanese trading company launched the first compostable clothing in 2006. The corn-based fabric can be decomposed by bacteria into water and carbon dioxide when buried in soil.
Retail scene transforming as climate alters
The retail fashion industry has structured its collections and trends around the seasons which provided a safe and clear-cut guide on the essential pieces for a wardrobe, evoking excitement and expectations surrounding each new season's key colour, pattern, fabric or style. With erratic and unpredictable weather patterns associated with climate change set to intensify, a new phenomenon known as the "trans-seasonal" wardrobe was born and could be our future.
This alleviates some of the wastage, (end of season sales to get rid of stocks) but not enough. The trans-seasonal wardrobe includes styles that allow for dressing all year round, where the message is to dress between the seasons rather than with them. However, some claims on organic fibres are not authentic.
Organic cotton, for example, only refers to the fibre content. Organic cotton does not imply the product is good. All "organic cotton" implies is that the cotton grew on a field where no pesticides were used for three years.
Studies of consumer claims in North America identified six types of claims that are demonstrably false or that risk misleading intended audiences, namely hidden trade-off, no proof, vagueness, irrelevance, fibbing, and lesser of two evils.
Carbon footprint refers to the amount of greenhouse gas (e.g. CO2) used. The carbon footprint of what we do is key, but the environmental/ecological footprint is a priority. How much of the raw material we use has a huge environmental/ecological footprint? If we consider that 80% of the carbon footprint of a textile garment is in the "aftercare" of the garment (how the consumer washes and cares for it), then the environmental/ecological footprint needs to enjoy priority when sourcing or manufacturing.
Wider choice of sustainable fibre varieties
Hemp
By far, the crop with the most potential for eco-friendly textile use is hemp. The ecological footprint of hemp is considerably smaller than that of most other plants considered for their fibres.
Hemp plants grow very quickly and densely, eliminating the need for herbicides and artificial fertilizers. It requires no irrigation and is highly pest-resistant.
Hemp has naturally long fibres, making it suitable for spinning with a minimum of processing.
Hemp fabrics come in a variety of weights and textures. You can purchase fabric or clothing, woven or knit; buy yarn, rope, belts and a wide range of products made of this versatile plant.
Wool
Wool produced by caring farmers can be a wonderful resource, with a few caveats.
Sheep graze plants almost to the dirt, and there is the issue of the manure entering into the water supply. Factory-farmed sheep (as with any factory-farmed animals) may lead a miserable life where handlers are concerned with productivity and speed, including during the shearing process.
There is the matter of bleaching the wool to get it white, or dyeing it, but with a responsible eco-friendly manufacturer most of these issues can be overcome.
Organic cotton
Organic cotton |
Organic cotton is much more environmentally friendly than the traditional variety without using pesticides during the growing cycle.
Usually manufacturers using this plant to make textiles, follow up the process by using natural dyes to further reduce the amount of chemicals dumped into our ecosystem. Even more promising is a new type of cotton that was traditionally grown by the Aztecs - coloured cotton. It does not fade in colour and in fact, gets more vibrant with first few washes. This naturally coloured cotton eliminates the use of dyes altogether, making it highly eco-friendly.
Soy silk
Soy silk is made from the by-products of the tofu-making process. The liquefied proteins are extruded into fibres which are then spun, and processed like any other fibre. The high protein content makes it receptive to natural dyes.
Corn fibre - fibre from corn starch
Ingeo is created by extracting the starch and then sugars from corn, and processing them to make a fiber, which can be spun into a yarn or woven into fabric. Corn fiber is both durable and sustainable.
Bamboo
Newer manufacturing facilities have begun using technologies to chemically manufacture bamboo fiber that are more benign and eco-friendly. The chemical manufacturing process used to produce lyocell from wood cellulose can be modified to use bamboo cellulose. The fiber is a highly renewable and biodegradable, as well as has natural antibacterial properties.
Coconut
There is an increased demand in coconut fabrics or fabrics made from the husks of coconuts, which possess good strength and durability as well as the anti-bacterial properties to reduce odors.
Recycled and recycleable PET polyester
Recycled PET polyester is made from water bottles and is sustainable in that no new fossil fuels are used to make polyester. This textile is used over a wide range of textiles and garments from performance to fashion. There are also recycleable PET polyester, introduced by fiber developers in cooperation with retailers.
Sea Cell
Sea Cell is a fibre made from kelp with unique properties. Sea Cell improves circulation, heals skin tissue and has many other healing properties. This fibre is hugely in demand in the spa Industry.
Lizette Smook is Managing Director of Innovasians Ltd, a Hong Kong-based sourcing company.
A further discussion of cleaner production is covered in "Feature Story".
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| Copyright © Adsale Publishing Limited. Any party needs to reprint any part of the content should get the written approval from Adsale Publishing Ltd and quote the source "ATA Journal for Asia on Textile & Apparel", Adsale Textile English Website - www.AdsaleATA.com. We reserve the right to take legal action against any party who reprints any part of this article without acknowledgement. For enquiry, please contact Editorial Department. |
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| Copyright © Adsale Publishing Limited. Any party needs to reprint any part of the content should get the written approval from Adsale Publishing Ltd and quote the source "ATA Journal for Asia on Textile & Apparel", Adsale Textile English Website - www.AdsaleATA.com. We reserve the right to take legal action against any party who reprints any part of this article without acknowledgement. For enquiry, please contact Editorial Department. |
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