Sustainable textiles: Life cycle and environmental impact

by Blackburn; R. S.

• ISBN13: 9781439801284
• ISBN10: 1439801282
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-11-17
• Publisher: CRC Press

Summary

Sustainable Textiles reviews ways of achieving more sustainable materials and technologies as well as improving recycling in the textile industry. The first part of the book discusses ways of improving sustainability at various points in the supply chain. Chapters discuss how sustainability can be integrated into textile design. This integration ensures more sustainable production of both natural and synthetic fibers, improving sustainability in processes such as dyeing as well as more environmentally-friendly technologies. The second part of the book reviews consumer perceptions of recycled textiles, eco-labeling, organic textiles, and the use of recycled materials in textile products.

Author Biography

Dr Richard Blackburn is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Design at the University of Leeds, UK. Dr Blackburn is well known for his research in the areas of green chemistry and sustainability. He is also a co-founder of DyeCat Ltd and the RITE (Reducing the Impact of Textiles on the Environment) Group.

Table of Contents

Contributor contact details	p. xi
Woodhead Publishing in Textiles	p. xv
Preface	p. xxi
Sustainability through the supply chain	p. 1
Achieving sustainable textiles: a designerÆs perspective	p. 3
Introduction: key issues affecting textile and fashion design	p. 3
Strategies for fashion and textile design	p. 13
Strategies for textile and fashion designers: recycling and reuse - beginning to close the loop	p. 22
The designer empowered	p. 27
Sources of further information and advice	p. 31
References	p. 32
Sustainable cotton production	p. 33
Introduction	p. 33
Cotton basics	p. 33
Global ecological effects	p. 34
Economic systems	p. 35
Farm systems	p. 37
Water	p. 37
Chemicals	p. 41
Conclusions	p. 57
Future trends	p. 59
References	p. 60
Sustainable wool production and processing	p. 63
Introduction	p. 63
Wool uses	p. 64
Consumer trends and environmental impacts	p. 66
Wool fibre: structure and properties	p. 68
Wool and ecolabels	p. 69
Life cycle assessment (LCA) studies	p. 71
Outcomes	p. 83
Sources of further information and advice	p. 84
Acknowledgements	p. 85
References	p. 85
Sustainable synthetic fibres: the case of poly(hydroxyalkanoates) (PHA) and other fibres	p. 88
Introduction	p. 88
Poly(hydroxyalkanoates)-based oriented structures	p. 89
Poly(caprolactone)-based fibres	p. 100
Structure of drawn fibres	p. 103
Thermal properties	p. 104
Enzymatic and hydrolytic degradation	p. 105
Other biodegradable and sustainable polyesters	p. 106
Application of polyester-based biodegradable fibres	p. 107
Future trends and concluding remarks	p. 109
References	p. 110
Enzyme biotechnology for sustainable textiles	p. 113
Introduction	p. 113
Enzyme applications in textile processing	p. 114
Life cycle assessments of enzymes used in the textile industry	p. 116
Environmental assessment package cotton yarn for dark-shade dyeing as an alternative to conventional chemical scouring	p. 118
Environmental assessment of enzymatic bleach clean-up of light-coloured package yarn and knitted fabrics as an alternative to rinsing with hot water	p. 128
Conclusions on environmental assessments of enzymatic scouring and bleach clean-up	p. 134
Perspectives	p. 134
Future trends and applications	p. 135
Sources of further information and advice	p. 137
References	p. 138
Key sustainability issues in textile dyeing	p. 139
Introduction	p. 139
Key factors for improving sustainability in dyeing and finishing	p. 140
What are ecotextiles?	p. 149
Future trends	p. 150
Conclusions	p. 151
Sources of further information and advice	p. 152
References	p. 152
Environmentally friendly plasma technologies for textiles	p. 155
Introduction	p. 155
Atmospheric pressure plasma processes	p. 158
Examples of applications	p. 168
Environmental benefits of plasma technology	p. 174
Future trends	p. 176
Source of further information and advice	p. 177
References	p. 177
Understanding and improving textile recycling: a systems perspective	p. 179
Introduction	p. 179
Systems theory	p. 180
Understanding the textile and apparel recycling process	p. 181
Textile recycling companies	p. 184
The sorting process	p. 186
The pyramid model	p. 186
Textile recycling constituents	p. 192
Discussion and future trends	p. 197
References	p. 198
Applications and case studies	p. 201
Consumer perceptions of recycled textile fibers	p. 203
Introduction	p. 203
Consumer characteristics related to attitudes toward sustainable products	p. 203
External factors influencing consumers attitudes toward sustainable products	p. 204
Measures of consumer attitudes toward environmental issues	p. 205
Textile and apparel industry response to green consumerism	p. 205
Confusion in the marketplace	p. 206
Meeting the needs of the green consumer	p. 207
Consumer perceptions of textile products	p. 207
Sources of further information and advice	p. 211
References	p. 211
Eco-labeling for textiles and apparel	p. 214
Introduction	p. 2l4
Key principles: eco-labeling and sustainability	p. 214
Standards and eco-labeling denned for textiles	p. 219
Examination and anatomy of eco-labels	p. 224
Future trends	p. 226
Summary and commentary	p. 227
Sources of further information-and advice	p. 228
References	p. 229
Organic cotton: production practices and post-harvest considerations	p. 231
Introduction	p. 231
World organic cotton production	p. 234
Why organic cotton?	p. 235
Cotton production practices: historical background	p. 248
Organic cotton production practices	p. 250
Post-harvest handling/processing of organic cotton	p. 263
Limitations to organic production	p. 269
How to improve organic cotton production	p. 272
National obligatory standards for organic cotton and organic cotton certifiers	p. 274
Optional/voluntary organic textile processing standards and eco-textile standards	p. 280
Corporate social responsibility (CSR)/ethical production	p. 286
Naturally colored cotton	p. 289
Conclusions	p. 290
Acknowledgements	p. 291
References	p. 291
Chemicals allowed and prohibited for use in preparation, dyeing, printing and finishing of organic cotton textiles (Global Organic Textile Standards; Organic Exchange Guidelines; Organic Trade Association)	p. 300
The role of nanotechnology in sustainable textiles	p. 302
Key principles of nanotechnology and its use in sustainability	p. 302
How nanotechnology can be used to reduce environmental impacts	p. 302
Surface coatings and treatment of textile fibres	p. 307
Coloration and structural colour	p. 311
Nanofibres	p. 313
Electronic textiles	p. 313
Risks versus benefits	p. 318
Commercial and consumer applications	p. 320
Future trends	p. 324
Sources of further information and advice	p. 325
References	p. 326
The use of recovered plastic bags in nonwoven fabrics	p. 329
Introduction	p. 329
Experimental approach	p. 331
Results and discussion	p. 332
Conclusions	p. 337
Acknowledgements	p. 337
References	p. 338
Environmentally friendly flame-retardant textiles	p. 339
Introduction	p. 339
Key issues of name retardants	p. 341
Legislative and regulatory drives for minimising environmental implications	p. 346
Desirable properties of an ideal flame-retardant chemical used in textile applications	p. 353
Strategies for development of æenvironmentally friendlyÆ flame retardants	p. 354
Future trends	p. 360
Sources of further-information and advice	p. 361
References	p. 362
Systems change for sustainability in textiles	p. 369
The blind men and the elephant	p. 369
From a narrow to a holistic view of sustainability in the textile sector	p. 370
Ways of thinking	p. 371
Recognising the limits of eco-efficiency	p. 372
Making a transition	p. 373
Places to intervene in a system	p. 374
Working at the level of rules, goals and paradigms	p. 378
References	p. 380
Index	p. 381
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