The fabric of the future could be created in a lab, made to disintegrate faster without leaching dangerous chemicals into the earth as it breaks down. A small but growing group of innovators are trying to stop the wastefulness and pollution right at the source, by developing a new way to produce fabric. Making material, with the thought of disposing responsibly, at the onset.
Why Biodegradable Fabrics are Needed
Why is this so desperately needed? Most people know that fashion is a major global polluter but look at this fact below and let that sit in:
Think about it, that cheap t-shirt you buy could live up to 200 years in some landfill. Not only is that piece of clothing taking up space on this planet, for practically FOREVER. But that’s not all. As that piece of clothing decomposes it releases methane, a harmful greenhouse gas which is a significant contributor to climate change. And there’s even more…the dyes and chemicals in the fabric and other components of the clothing, shoes and accessories can leach into the soil, contaminating both surface and groundwater. Oy! Now think about that cute $5 top of Forever 21. Do you look at it any differently?
Obviously, step one, reduce waste. Did you know that up to 95% of the textiles that are landfilled each year could be recycled. Matter of fact, if every article of clothing’s lifespan could be extended just 9 more months, it could reduce carbon, water and waste footprints by 20-30%. A big next step is for the textile industry to innovate a better product that is less harmful for the environment.
New Biodegradable Clothing
I recently read the most interesting article in Scientific American that explains what some textile innovators are doing to combat fashion pollution at its earliest stage. “They are using live organisms to grow pieces of biodegradable textiles, creating environmentally friendly materials in the laboratory—and are even producing some near-complete items without the need for factory assembly.” Biodegradable fibers are those which decompose quite easily and naturally using microorganisms. For example, 100% cotton fabrics are biodegradable. Hemp fibers become naturally softer over time and therefore make the fabric easily biodegradable.
Examples of Non-Biodegradable Fabrics:
- Acrylic
- Polyester
- Rayon
- Nylon
Benefits of Biodegradable Fabrics
The process of making this biodegradable fiber is simple to understand but, I’m sure, not as easy to produce. According to this article, unlike many of our current clothing that are woven from plastic-based acrylic, nylon or polyester threads and then cut and sewn into fabrics, the new fabrics would be bioengineered. That means they’d be made from living bacteria, algae, yeast, animal cells or fungi—which would break down into nontoxic substances when eventually thrown away. Another benefit is the organisms can be grown to fit molds, producing the precise amount of fabric needed to create an article of clothing without generating any excess materials to throw away. How cool is that?
Algae
One organism of choice is algae. There are three steps to make alga-based yarn. First, a sugar called alginate is derived from kelp…and powdered. Next the alginate powder is turned into a water-based gel, to which plant-based color (such as carrot juice) is added. Finally, the gel is extruded into long strands of fiber that can be woven into a fabric. So far this research is promising because the fiber is strong and flexible making it useful for a wide range of different garments. Another plus, the algae biodegrades faster than cotton and doesn’t require pesticides or large areas of land to produce.
Theanne Schrios, a professor at Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T. in NYC) has used her fiber (explained above) to knit items, including a top that she wore when she delivered her TED Talk on sustainable fashion.
Biodesigned clothing is hopefully the wave of the future. There is still much work to do and then it has to be scalable and affordable or it’ll be an idea stuck in a lab. Watch this space.
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FAQs
What are biodegradable fabrics?
Biodegradable fabrics are fabrics that can be broken down by natural processes and things like bacteria, fungi, and algae, so they can be absorbed into the environment. The biodegradability of fabrics depends on environmental factors like moisture, temperature, and bacteria/fungi, and it can take anywhere from a few weeks to several years for the materials to break down.
Which fabrics are biodegradable?
Natural, plant-based fabrics that are biodegradable include cotton, silk, wool, linen, hemp, bamboo, and jute.
Which fabrics aren’t biodegradable?
Synthetic fabrics like acrylic, polyester, nylon, and spandex aren’t biodegradable.
- Polyester: This is a widely used synthetic fiber made from petroleum-based products. It’s found in many clothing items and can take up to 200 years to decompose.
- Nylon: Another synthetic fiber, nylon is known for its strength and is used in everything from clothing to fishing nets. It can take 30 to 40 years to decompose.
- Acrylic: Often used as a synthetic substitute for wool, acrylic is a type of plastic that can take hundreds of years to biodegrade.
- Spandex: This synthetic fiber is known for its exceptional elasticity and is often used in swimwear and activewear. It is not biodegradable.
